There is a great deal of celebration going on this week for the 50th Anniversary of the Bruins' Stanley Cup-winning team in 1970 — and rightfully so.
The Cup came at a time when the city of Boston loved that edition of the Bruins, and they won it with the iconic overtime goal that saw Bobby Orr flying through the air after scoring on legendary goaltender Glenn Hall.
The Bruins players were rock stars around the city and iconic in the NHL world with Orr, Phil Esposito, Derek Sanderson, Ken Hodge, Johnny McKenzie and others leading the way to another Cup win in 1972.
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But as much as now is a logical time to celebrate a golden anniversary of that iconic, entertaining Bruins Cup team, their best player made certain that the sign of the current times was put into perspective as well while discussing it on Wednesday morning.
“We're celebrating a sporting event and that’s great. But with everything that’s going on I think it's a good time to celebrate and thank all our frontline workers, our first responders and all the different organizations that assist as healthcare providers. It’s a great time to celebrate them,” said Orr, who is participating in a raffle of a replica Bobby Orr statue with the money raised going to support frontline workers battling COVID-19.
It's a great time to thank them for the sacrifices they have made. These people go to work every day making huge sacrifices and saving lives, comforting so many people. For me, I played a game. And they call us heroes? I don't think so. It's not a game to these front-liners every day.
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Whether it's doctors and nurses, or hospital administration staff, or grocery workers and truck drivers, or pharmacists or even postal workers and the restaurant workers still making take-out orders for everybody, that is a deserved stick tap from No. 4 to all the frontline workers making our country run during this health crisis.
As part of the raffle, the NHL’s greatest player will also be making a personal phone call to the winner of the raffle on Mother’s Day this weekend. Orr said he also pledged to present the replica statue in person to the raffle winner when the coronavirus outbreak has calmed to the point where it’s safe for the 72-year-old Hall of Famer to travel again and leave his Florida home.
Orr hasn’t played an NHL shift in more than 40 years, but he’s still stepping up and showing exactly the kind of character and makeup that allowed him to be the best defenseman that the world has ever seen.
And it’s wholly appropriate that somebody recently made this tribute to his iconic statue at North Station by placing a surgical mask and gown on the flying Orr statue that so many associate with that cherished 1970 Cup team.