Bobby Orr scores the Stanley Cup-winning goal against the St. Louis Blues (May 10, 1970). Photo by Ray Lussier.
Robert Gordon Orr, better known as “Bobby,” was born in Parry Sound in 1948. He began skating at the age of 4 on the lakes and rinks of Parry Sound.
Bobby was first spotted by the Boston Bruins in 1960 at 12 years old. He was playing on the Parry Sound Bantam All-Stars and shocked scouts by playing the entire game without a single shift change. Hoping to garner Bobby’s favor the Boston Bruins became an official sponsor of the team for the following 3 years, making the Parry Sound Bantam All-Stars a part of the Boston Bruins farm system.
Bobby continued to showcase his potential over the next two years. By 14, the Bruins had Bobby playing for the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Junior A League as the youngest amongst teams of 16–20-year-olds. The Bruins would wait eagerly, overseeing his development throughout the years.
He finally made his rookie debut with the Boston Bruins in 1966 at 18 years old, the minimum legal age to play in the NHL. Like his style of play, his entry level contract changed the game. It was the first time an NHL contract had been negotiated by a player’s lawyer. This later became the standard for professional hockey players.
Orr would go on to win two Stanley cups and a plethora of other awards and honours, many of which can be found across the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. Bobby Clarke is quoted as saying, “He’s what all hockey players should try to be like, on the ice and off the ice.” The Bobby Orr Hall of Fame stands as a testament to this message.
