One of the greatest sports figures of all time at last breaks his silence in a memoir as unique as the man himself.
Number 4. It is just about the most common number in hockey, but invoke that number and you can only be talking about one player -- the man often referred to as the greatest ever to play the game: Bobby Orr.
From 1966 through the mid-70s he could change a game just by stepping on the ice. Orr could do things that others simply couldn't, and while teammates and opponents alike scrambled to keep up, at times they could do little more than stop and watch. Many of his records still stand today and he remains the gold standard by which all other players are judged. Mention his name to any hockey fan - or to anyone in New England - and a look of awe will appear.
But skill on the ice is only a part of his story. All of the trophies, records, and press clippings leave unsaid as much about the man as they reveal. They tell us what Orr did, but don't tell us what inspired him, who taught him, or what he learned along the way. They don't tell what it was like for a shy small-town kid to become one of the most celebrated athletes in the history of the game, all the while in the full glare of the media. They don't tell us what it was like when the agent he regarded as his brother betrayed him and left him in financial ruin, at the same time his battered knee left him unable to play the game he himself had redefined only a few seasons earlier. They don't tell about the players and people he learned to most admire along the way. They don't tell what he thinks of the game of hockey today.
Orr himself has never put all this into words, until now. After decades of refusing to speak of his past in articles or "authorized" biographies, he finally tells his story, because he has something to share: "I am a parent and a grandparent and I believe that I have lessons worth passing along."
In the end, this is not just a book about hockey. The most meaningful biographies and memoirs rise above the careers out of which they grew. Bobby Orr's life goes far deeper than Stanley Cup rings, trophies and recognitions. His story is not only about the game, but also the age in which it was played. It's the story of a small-town kid who came to define its highs and lows, and inevitably it is a story of the lessons he learned along the way.
Show moreOne of the greatest sports figures of all time at last breaks his silence in a memoir as unique as the man himself.
Number 4. It is just about the most common number in hockey, but invoke that number and you can only be talking about one player -- the man often referred to as the greatest ever to play the game: Bobby Orr.
From 1966 through the mid-70s he could change a game just by stepping on the ice. Orr could do things that others simply couldn't, and while teammates and opponents alike scrambled to keep up, at times they could do little more than stop and watch. Many of his records still stand today and he remains the gold standard by which all other players are judged. Mention his name to any hockey fan - or to anyone in New England - and a look of awe will appear.
But skill on the ice is only a part of his story. All of the trophies, records, and press clippings leave unsaid as much about the man as they reveal. They tell us what Orr did, but don't tell us what inspired him, who taught him, or what he learned along the way. They don't tell what it was like for a shy small-town kid to become one of the most celebrated athletes in the history of the game, all the while in the full glare of the media. They don't tell us what it was like when the agent he regarded as his brother betrayed him and left him in financial ruin, at the same time his battered knee left him unable to play the game he himself had redefined only a few seasons earlier. They don't tell about the players and people he learned to most admire along the way. They don't tell what he thinks of the game of hockey today.
Orr himself has never put all this into words, until now. After decades of refusing to speak of his past in articles or "authorized" biographies, he finally tells his story, because he has something to share: "I am a parent and a grandparent and I believe that I have lessons worth passing along."
In the end, this is not just a book about hockey. The most meaningful biographies and memoirs rise above the careers out of which they grew. Bobby Orr's life goes far deeper than Stanley Cup rings, trophies and recognitions. His story is not only about the game, but also the age in which it was played. It's the story of a small-town kid who came to define its highs and lows, and inevitably it is a story of the lessons he learned along the way.
Show moreBobby Orr, born in Parry Sound, Ontario, in 1948, played for the Boston Bruins from 1966 through 1976, and helped lead the Bruins to the Stanley Cup championship in 1970 and 1972, and to the finals in 1974. He also played two years for the Chicago Blackhawks. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players – maybe the greatest hockey player – of all time. His speed and scoring and playmaking abilities revolutionized the position of defenseman. As of this date, he remains the only defenseman to have won the Art Ross Trophy league scoring title – twice – and still holds the record for most points and assists at that position. Orr won a record eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHL’s best defenseman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the league’s MVP, as well as two Conn Smythe Trophies as the Stanley Cup MVP. He is the only player in history to have won the Ross, Norris, Hart, and Conn Smythe Trophies in a single season. He was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame at the age of 31 – the youngest living player to receive that honor.
After his retirement in 1978, Orr was active with business and charitable works, and in 1996, Orr entered the player agent business, and today is president of the Orr Hockey Group agency. He has been invested with the Order of Canada and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and in 2010 was one of eight athletes who bore the Olympic flag out during the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics. The Bobby Orr Hall of Fame is in Parry Sound, Ontario.
“A must-read for anyone who fondly remembers the glory years of the
Big Bad Bruins. . . . Read Orr. It’s like reminiscing with an
old friend.” —The Sun Chronicle
“A reflection on the nostalgia of playing hockey on frozen ponds
growing up in Parry Sound, Ont., the physical and emotional pain of
knee injuries that cut his career short and the off-ice struggles
that the legendary Boston Bruins defenceman hasn't talked much
about…. A how-to book by a grandparent about how parents, coaches
and children should approach the sport.” —The Canadian Press
“This is a book more about a man than about a hockey player…. Epic
and noble.” —The Atlantic
“I never knew a single player who could lift a team as Orr
could.” —Stan Mikita, Chicago Blackhawks
“I’ve seen all the greats since the 1920s, and I’ve never seen a
player with the skills of Orr.” —Clarence Campbell, former NHL
president
“There are stars, superstars, and then there’s Bobby
Orr.” —Serge Savard, NHL Hall of Famer
“There have been many outstanding players in the history of the
National Hockey League, and Bobby Orr sits at the top of the class.
It was an honor and a great pleasure to be on the same ice as him.
His memoir will be a must-read for hockey fans
everywhere.” —Jean Béliveau, ten-time Stanley Cup winner with
the Montreal Canadiens, winner of the Art Ross, Conn Smythe, and
Hart Trophies
“Bobby reached levels of play on the ice that have been and always
will be unattainable by defensemen. For those of us who know him
personally, his character is equally unmatched. Bobby Orr’s book
should be a must-read.” —Denis Potvin, four-time Stanley Cup
champion with the New York Islanders, three-time Norris Trophy
winner
“From the first time I watched Bobby skate I knew he was going to
be the kind of player that comes along maybe once in a lifetime. He
changed the game of hockey forever. What made Bobby so special,
though, is that he is the nicest, kindest, most giving person you
will ever meet. In my opinion, Bobby is number one in all
categories, and it’s a joy to have him as a friend.” —Gordie
Howe, four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Detroit Red Wings,
six-time Hart Trophy winner, six-time Art Ross Trophy winner
“A gripping personal record: tracing the arc from stunning rookie
phenom to defeated hero. The story is moving. It’s a book that
devotees of sport have to have on their
bookshelves.” —Winnipeg Free Press
“[Orr] wrote the book . . . as if he were coaching both his sport
and society, delivering lessons in honor and responsibility while
he examines hockey at its best and worst.” —The Boston
Globe
“I agree with Bobby Clarke when he said that Bobby Orr was so good
there should have been a higher league than the NHL for him to play
in. . . . He was so much better than everyone else, no one was even
close.” —Don Cherry, broadcaster and coach of the Boston
Bruins, 1974-1979
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