On May 10, 2010, the fortieth anniversary of Orr scoring the game-winning goal against the St. Louis Blues in overtime to clinch the 1970 Stanley Cup, the Bruins commemorated the event with a bronze statue of Orr outside the TD Garden, the Bruins' home rink.
In recognition of the fortieth anniversary of “The Goal,” the Bruins unveiled a statue of Orr outside TD Garden. Designed by artist Harry Weber, the larger-than-life-sized bronze sculpture depicts the Bruins defenseman soaring through the air after scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal. Originally installed just outside of TD Garden on Causeway Street, the statue now resides in The Hub on Causeway near the arena’s main entrance.
This statue commemorates Boston Bruins Hall-of-Fame defenseman Bobby Orr (1948-) and one of the most iconic moments in NHL history. A revolutionary player who forever changed the role of defensemen, Orr is widely considered one of hockey’s greatest players.
The statue depicts Orr sprawled in mid-flight after scoring the goal. The unveiling was attended by many of Orr's past teammates. Orr spoke at the unveiling: "This specific moment and time we celebrate with this statue is something we can all now nostalgically remember with fondness, together, each time we enter Boston Garden. To all of you, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. I'm honoured. Guys, thank you." In 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Orr made his NHL debut for the Bruins in 1966, after signing the most lucrative rookie contract in league history at the time. He was an instant success, finishing second among the league’s defensemen in scoring and winning the Calder Trophy, awarded to the league’s top rookie. Over the next nine seasons, Orr led the Bruins to eight consecutive playoff berths and two Stanley Cups (1970 & 1972). He also racked up the individual awards. Orr won the Norris Trophy (awarded to the league’s best defenseman) eight times, and the Hart Trophy (given to the league’s most valuable player) three times, the Art Ross Trophy (presented to the NHL’s top scorer) twice and the Conn Smythe Trophy (awarded annually to the most valuable player (MVP) of his team during the National Hockey League's (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs) twice. Most significantly, his offensive contributions forever redefined the role of defensemen in hockey. In 1976, after ten seasons with the Bruins, he was signed as a Free Agent by the Chicago Blackhawks. Hobbled by knee problems that caused him excruciating pain, Orr played only sparingly during his years in Chicago. In November 1978, he announced his retirement. The following year, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
In 1979, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Fans of the Bruins, and of hockey in general, best remember Orr for his overtime goal in Game Four of the 1970 Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues, after which the stick of Blues defenseman Noel Picard tripped Orr and sent him flying through the air with his hands raised above his head in celebration. Known simply as “The Goal,” it broke a 3-3 tie, completed a four-game sweep of the Blues, and won the Bruins their first Stanley Cup since 1941.
Robert Gordon “Bobby” Orr was born the third of five children to Doug and Arva Orr on March 20, 1948 in the town of Parry Sound, Ontario. He came from a line of great athletes. His paternal grandfather played professional soccer in what is now Northern Ireland before immigrating to Canada in the early twentieth century. His father turned down an offer to play minor league hockey to serve in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Orr started skating at the age of four and began playing organized hockey when he was five years old. Demonstrating incredible potential, he caught the attention of scouts from the Boston Bruins while playing in an amateur tournament in Ontario in the spring of 1961. The next year, Orr signed a junior amateur contract with the team. Over the next few years, he excelled in junior hockey despite playing with young men much older than him.
Robert Gordon Orr, OC (born March 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest of all time. Orr used his ice skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the position of defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 seasons, starting with 10 with the Boston Bruins followed by two with the Chicago Black Hawks. Orr remains the only defenceman to have won the league scoring title with two Art Ross Trophies. He holds the record for most points and assists in a single season by a defenceman. Orr won a record eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHL's best defenceman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player (MVP). Orr was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 at age 31, the youngest to be inducted at that time. In 2017 Orr was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
Logging requirements:
1. Include a photo in your log to prove you were there. Take a picture of yourself in front of the Bobby Orr Statue. (If you prefer not to show your face, take a picture with your caching name written on a piece of paper in front of the Statue)
** Bonus Points for doing your best re-enactment of “The Goal” **
Email or message me with the answer to the following question (do not include the answer in your log):
2. How many names are listed on all the plaques on the Statue?
Any logs that do not include a valid photo and/or who have not sent me the answer to the question will be deleted.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.