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copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (October 2023) |
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Author | Bobby Orr |
---|---|
Language | English |
Genre | Autobiography |
Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
Publication date | 2011 |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Pages | 290 |
ISBN | 978-0-399-16175-9 |
796.962092-dc23 | |
LC Class | GV848.5.07.A33 2013 |
Orr: My Story is a 2013 autobiography written by former professional hockey player Bobby Orr, [1] who played for the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League from 1966 to 1978. Orr had multiple knee surgeries and injuries that ended his career. Orr was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 at age 31, the youngest to be inducted into the Hall at that time. [2] [3] Orr is also recognized for being one of the first major sports figures to use an agent. Unfortunately, at the end of his career, Orr discovered that his agent, Alan Eagleson, had embezzled most of his money, leaving him deeply in debt. [4]
On November 3, 2013, the book debuted at #8 on The New York Times bestseller list for nonfiction. [5] [6]
The book focuses on four major parts of Orr's life.
"It is tough to summarize a person like Alan Eagleson in just a few words. He appears to me to have been someone who, above all else, was driven by greed. That word greed always seems to come up in any conversation you have with people who knew the man. He always wanted more and it didn't seem to matter how he accumulated it, or at whose expense it came." [16]
Critics have faulted the book for not revealing new information and for not disparaging, with the exception of Eagleson, any former players, coaches or associates.
"Make no mistake, this is no barbed tell-all, but then that isn't Orr's style. For most fans there will be little that will surprise, but some of the details are likely to delight." [20]
"... I think most readers, and most of his fans, would find [the book] surprising and perhaps even a little disappointing. It is a book as dull as he was creative, as plodding as he was fast, as conservative as he was liberal in the way that he played the game." [21]
This autobiography maintains a respectful tone, consistent with Orr's gentlemanly reputation, and surprisingly reveals aspects of his life given his known reticence. He reserves criticism for his former agent, Alan Eagleson, who mismanaged his earnings from hockey, as well as for overzealous youth coaches and demanding parents who detract from the joy of the sport for young players. Orr speaks positively of his family, friends, and mentors from his early years in Canada, crediting them with instilling values of respect and responsibility. In the book, he touches briefly on his professional achievements, choosing instead to focus on the dedication and practice required to excel, his deep love for hockey, and his reflections on the sport today. He also expresses fondness for both his hometown and Boston, where he rose to fame. This book is particularly geared towards his fans and those interested in the personal side of the hockey legend.. [22]
![]() | This article may require
copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (October 2023) |
![]() | |
Author | Bobby Orr |
---|---|
Language | English |
Genre | Autobiography |
Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
Publication date | 2011 |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Pages | 290 |
ISBN | 978-0-399-16175-9 |
796.962092-dc23 | |
LC Class | GV848.5.07.A33 2013 |
Orr: My Story is a 2013 autobiography written by former professional hockey player Bobby Orr, [1] who played for the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League from 1966 to 1978. Orr had multiple knee surgeries and injuries that ended his career. Orr was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 at age 31, the youngest to be inducted into the Hall at that time. [2] [3] Orr is also recognized for being one of the first major sports figures to use an agent. Unfortunately, at the end of his career, Orr discovered that his agent, Alan Eagleson, had embezzled most of his money, leaving him deeply in debt. [4]
On November 3, 2013, the book debuted at #8 on The New York Times bestseller list for nonfiction. [5] [6]
The book focuses on four major parts of Orr's life.
"It is tough to summarize a person like Alan Eagleson in just a few words. He appears to me to have been someone who, above all else, was driven by greed. That word greed always seems to come up in any conversation you have with people who knew the man. He always wanted more and it didn't seem to matter how he accumulated it, or at whose expense it came." [16]
Critics have faulted the book for not revealing new information and for not disparaging, with the exception of Eagleson, any former players, coaches or associates.
"Make no mistake, this is no barbed tell-all, but then that isn't Orr's style. For most fans there will be little that will surprise, but some of the details are likely to delight." [20]
"... I think most readers, and most of his fans, would find [the book] surprising and perhaps even a little disappointing. It is a book as dull as he was creative, as plodding as he was fast, as conservative as he was liberal in the way that he played the game." [21]
This autobiography maintains a respectful tone, consistent with Orr's gentlemanly reputation, and surprisingly reveals aspects of his life given his known reticence. He reserves criticism for his former agent, Alan Eagleson, who mismanaged his earnings from hockey, as well as for overzealous youth coaches and demanding parents who detract from the joy of the sport for young players. Orr speaks positively of his family, friends, and mentors from his early years in Canada, crediting them with instilling values of respect and responsibility. In the book, he touches briefly on his professional achievements, choosing instead to focus on the dedication and practice required to excel, his deep love for hockey, and his reflections on the sport today. He also expresses fondness for both his hometown and Boston, where he rose to fame. This book is particularly geared towards his fans and those interested in the personal side of the hockey legend.. [22]