And of the seventh day He rested…..

And Mr. Robert Gordon Orr and Big “Papi” played a little golf.

A few tidbits about the one, the only, the incomparable Bobby Orr.

Bobby Orr in the first skate at Fenway Park.

Bobby Orr first caught the eye of the Boston Bruins when he was 12 years old.

First and only defenceman to score nine hat tricks
First defenceman to score 30 goals and 40 goals in a season.
First player to record 100 assists in a season.
Only defenceman to lead the league in scoring.
Only player ever to win the Norris Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy, and Conn Smythe Trophy in one season.
Fifth in league history in career point-per-game average, all-time, (1.393) (highest among defencemen)
Fifty-ninth overall in league history in career assists and 90th in career points^.

The Bruins won two Stanley Cups with Bobby Orr.

He garnered a few awards along the way as well:

Awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year) in 1967, the youngest ever to win the award, and the youngest ever to win a major NHL award up to that time^.
Named to the Second All-Star Team in 1966–67 (his only full season when he did not make the First Team, as a rookie)
Named to the NHL First All-Star Team eight times consecutively (1968-1975)
Awarded the James Norris Trophy eight times (from 1968 to 1975, his last full season)
Played in the NHL All-Star Game eight times (from 1968 to 1975)
Won the Art Ross Trophy in 1969–70 and 1974–75^.
NHL Plus/Minus leader in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974 and 1975, the most in history
Awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy three times consecutively (1970–1972)^.
Awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1970 and 1972, the first two-time winner of the playoff MVP award.
NHL All-Star Game MVP in 1972^.
Received Sports Illustrated magazine’s “Sportsman of the Year” award in 1970.
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979, with the mandatory three-year waiting period waived, making him the youngest inductee at 31 years of age.
Ranked 31 in ESPN’s SportsCentury: 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century in 1999.
Named the top defenceman of all time in 2010 by The Hockey News.

Oh and it is noteworthy that his career was virtually over at the age of twenty-seven! Think about that! He did it all in but 657 games!

In 1975 the Boston Globe conducted a poll among New Englanders to name Boston’s Greatest Athlete. The fans chose Orr over the likes of Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Bill Russell and Bob Cousy.

Teddy Bruschi, Bill Russell and Bobby Orr at Fenway Park’s opening day ceremonies in 2005.

In 2010 NESN conducted their poll to name Boston’s Greatest Sports Legend and once again the fans chose Number 4.

Bobby Orr and Bobby Orr at the dedication to his statue on May 10, 2010.

When Orr arrived on the scene in Boston, EVERYONE started playing hockey. Those of us who couldn’t skate played street hockey. Kids all over New England got up in the middle of the night to go to hockey practice because 3 AM was the only time available for ice.

On a personal note I will simply add, on more than one occasion, I slept (sort of) on the streets outside Boston Garden to get tickets to see him play. Last season marked the first time I watched a complete hockey game since Orr’s retirement.

I have been witness to many exciting events at Fenway Park and have also seen my share of great Celtic moments at the old Gaaaaahden. However I will categorically state that I have never witnessed anything as electrifying as Bobby Orr coming out from behind his own net, puck on his stick and heading a charge up ice, nothing!

And today the Red Hot Red Sox go after their 16th win in 22 games in Toronto of all places, a spot that has been a graveyard for them in the past. I’m starting to REALLY like these guys!

And so it is on this day in Fenway Park history, June 3, 2012.

About fenwaypark100

Hello and welcome, my name is Raymond Sinibaldi. An educator for more than two decades, a baseball fan for nearly 60 years, I have authored four books about baseball and her glorious history; with a fifth on the way in late spring of 2015; the first, The Babe in Red Stockings which was co-authored with Kerry Keene and David Hickey. It is a chronicle of Babe's days with the Red Sox. We also penned a screenplay about Babe's Red Sox days so if any of you are Hollywood inclined or would like to represent us in forwarding that effort feel free to contact me through my email. In 2012 we three amigos published Images of Fenway Park in honor of the 100th birthday of Fenway Park. That led to the creation of this blog. The following year, 2013 came my first solo venture, Spring Training in Bradenton and Sarasota. This is a pictorial history of spring training in those two Florida cities. The spring of 2014 brought forth the 1967 Red Sox, The Impossible Dream Season. The title speaks for itself and it also is a pictorial history. Many of the photos in this book were never published before. The spring of 2015 will bring 1975 Red Sox, American League Champions. Another pictorial effort, this will be about the Red Sox championship season of 1975 and the World Series that restored baseball in America. I was fortunate enough to consult with sculptor Franc Talarico on the “Jimmy Fund” statue of Ted Williams which stands outside both Fenway Park and Jet Blue Park Fenway South, in Fort Myers Florida. That story is contained in the near 300 posts which are contained herein. This blog has been dormant for awhile but 2015 will bring it back to life so jump on board, pass the word and feel free to contact me about anything you read or ideas you may have for a topic. Thanks for stopping by, poke around and enjoy. Autographed copies of all my books are available here, simply click on Raymond Sinibaldi and email me.

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