Why we love Bobby Orr: Now, as always, the regular guys superstar

April 17, 2024

Bruce Cassidy’s wife, Julie, was walking through one of the suites at TD Garden last season when her son, Cole, recognized his father’s favorite player. Along with his sister, Shannon, Cole had two friends at the game. Orr was getting on the elevator when Julie quietly approached and asked if the kids could take a photo with the hockey legend.

“Absolutely,” Orr responded. “I’d be happy to.”

A day later, Orr was at the rink, so Bruce made it a point to thank him for spending a few minutes with his family during the previous game. Orr remembered the photo but was unaware it was the Bruins coach’s family and friends. Cassidy showed Orr the picture.

“Those are your kids? That’s your wife?” Orr said. “Bruce, you’ve got to tell her she needs to introduce herself next time.”

He then asked for the names of all the kids in the picture. Orr’s book “Bobby” had just been released and he wanted to make sure the kids each had a copy.

“He takes out a pen and writes them down,” recalls Cassidy. “Sure enough, a week later a few books arrived in the mail. On the inside it read, ‘To Cole’ and ‘To Shannon’ and he also signed books for their friends. How many times do you think he’s done something like that? A million?”

Countless.

Orr, 73, is one of the greatest athletes of all time. Yet his excellence as a player may be matched by his legendary humility, and by his surprising normalcy.

For an all-time great, Orr gives off no air of superiority. He comes across as what he is, despite all the accolades: a regular guy.

Ask anyone who has ever come in contact with No. 4 on or off the ice and he’s always described as a “true gentleman.” As the Bruins honor the 50thanniversary of the 1970 Stanley Cup team this week, many of the former players, coaches and fans have made a point of describing Orr as the greatest — and not just on the ice.

“I appreciate all the comments from the guys. I just look at it as I was one of the lucky ones who got to play a great game and played with some wonderful people throughout my career,” Orr said. “I feel like a lucky guy. I was being paid to play a game and that’s a great position to be in. I don’t think about being the greatest; that’s certainly not my thing.”

Unsurprisingly, Orr credits his parents.

“It all starts at home,” he said. “My parents were hard-working people. They taught us it’s important to be respectful and work hard. That’s where it started and it just continued after I left home. My mother was a very special person. She had two jobs, my father had two or three jobs, so they were always hard-working.”

Orr’s mom worked in a coffee shop and one day a customer walked in and asked how her son was doing, presumably meaning the hockey star.

“She said, ‘Which one? I have three’” Orr recalled. “That’s how my mother was. She was always good to everyone and all the kids in the family and treated everyone equally.”

From a hockey perspective, he will always credit his teammates – every one of them – for his success and for the team’s success during his career in Boston. Even now, he’s hesitant to talk about his career because he believes the focus should be solely on the current players because it’s their team and not his.

“He’s so down to earth even though he’s one of the greatest to ever play the game,” said Bruins assistant captain Patrice Bergeron.

Even during the current NHL hiatus due to COVID-19, Orr has taken time to praise the people he considers real heroes — the doctors, nurses and frontline personnel.

Orr’s first training camp took place in London, Ontario, and his roommate was Johnny Bucyk. When Orr walked into the hotel room, he remembers “Chief” laying in the bed, smoking a cigar. Orr made it through that portion of camp and then was invited to join the team in Boston.

He once joked that the Bruins were in fifth place the season before he arrived in Boston, and then finished in sixth place his rookie year. No. 4 made his debut as an 18-year-old defenseman in 1966. He was considered to be the savior for the Bruins. The pressure to compete and have success, he once said, he could do without.

“All you can do is your best,” he simply said.

Fast-forward to Oct. 20, 2016.

The Bruins honored Orr and fellow Bruins legend Milt Schmidt to commemorate the 50thanniversary of Orr’s rookie season and the 80th anniversary of Schmidt’s in a pregame ceremony at TD Garden. The late “Uncle Milty” was 98 and still sharp, and the two worked off one another like a comedy act.

Orr spent the night pushing Schmidt around in a wheelchair. At one point, they met with the local media for a quick Q&A.

“I’ve got news for you fellas: This guy here is the greatest of anything I have seen to wear skates,” Schmidt said. “This guy here is better than anything I have ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of good ones.”

Orr sat elbow to elbow with Schmidt and they grabbed each other’s hands. Orr’s eyes were filling up for every compliment passed his way.

“Ah, thank you,” Orr said with his head down before he looked up and added, “That’s why I brought Milt.”

Orr quickly changed the subject, and when asked he said Schmidt was the greatest Bruin ever.

“He’s got to say that, because I’m sitting right beside him,” Schmidt quickly answered.

Orr spends his winters in Florida. When the Bruins visit the Florida Panthers, Orr usually attends. He’ll sneak in the side entrance and wait in the hallway outside the visitor’s locker room. Everyone knows he’ll be there and the players and coaches will deviate from their game-day routines to spend time with Orr.

“It’s always nice to see him,” Bergeron said. “Obviously, he’s a legend of the game and always such a gentleman and always so nice to all of us. He always makes sure to say ‘hi’ and shakes our hands and wishes all the best, so it’s always a treat and pleasure to see him … his presence means a lot.”

Bergeron has a vast hockey memorabilia collection including signed sticks, pucks, sweaters and photos. Only until recently, there was one player missing from his collection – Orr. Bergeron explained he didn’t want to ask because he didn’t want to seem like a bother. Finally, Orr sent Bergeron a personalized copy of his book “Bobby.”

“He’s a true gentleman,” said Bergeron, who follows in Orr’s footsteps both on and off the ice.

Speaking of memorabilia, Orr admitted he has the puck and his stick from his famous Cup-clinching goal in 1970, when he soared through the air after scoring in overtime to give the Bruins a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues at Boston Garden.

The rest of the equipment? That was used as a litter box by his family’s babysitter’s cat.

Orr always delivered an honest effort on the ice, but gave twice fold off of it. His dream to play on a Stanley Cup team came true in 1970. To this day, he vividly remembers Bucyk hoisting the Cup in celebration.

Even when asked about that triumphant moment, Orr will be quick with a story about his father and how much he deserved and enjoyed being part of his son’s success. Orr made Boston his home. His children and grandchildren were born here, and to him that’s his legacy.

In true Orr fashion, when he spoke Wednesday he ended by remembering all the members of the Bruins who have passed away.

“We’re honoring a championship, but it’s a good time to remember and honor those who aren’t with us anymore,” he said. “Let’s honor those who aren’t with us any longer and make sure they’re on your minds while we celebrate the 1970 win.”

(Photo: Focus On Sport / Getty Images)

ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57kHBwcG5naHxzfJFpZmltX2WDcK7Om5myZZ%2Bnv26%2BxKCspZmiYrS2xYybqa6hnqh8