bobby orr fight card/ derek sanderson

[the bong]

i was on the hockey fight site last night and it seems bobby orr was very active in his early years (brad park ect.) can any old time bruin fans tell us about is fighting? i have also read that derek sanderson used to jump in when ever bobby was in trouble. the big bad bruins 6 team nhl what wonderfull days !

[BRUIN FAN]

Originally Posted by the bong

i was on the hockey fight site last night and it seems bobby orr was very active in his early years (brad park ect.) can any old time bruin fans tell us about is fighting? i have also read that derek sanderson used to jump in when ever bobby was in trouble. the big bad bruins 6 team nhl what wonderfull days !

Bobby Orr was one of the best fighters in the league when he played.Some of the players he beat were Pat Quinn,Reg Fleming, and Ted Harris.He also fought Orland Kurtenbach to a draw.

[FitzG]

Orr had a pretty quick temper in his early years and fought quite a bit. He could definetely handle himself without any help and i'd say won more than he lost. I think he retired with around 1000 penalty minutes. Sanderson was absolutely the master of pulling the jersey over the head trick along with the sweep check and he wrote a book "I Gotta Be Me" which talks about his fighting some. I loved watching him fight because he was colorful as hell with the long hair, mustache, bad attitude and all. I have somewhere on tape an interview with Sanderson done between periods and he's smoking a butt. I also used to hang out at his bar (co-owned with Joe Namath) in Boston called Daisy Buchanon's where Derek would walk in once in a while with two girls strapped to either side of him. He was truly a major party animal back in his day. Couldn't stand listening to him as an announcer though. He wasn't the same guy, I think he's "born again" or something.

Originally Posted by the bong

i was on the hockey fight site last night and it seems bobby orr was very active in his early years (brad park ect.) can any old time bruin fans tell us about is fighting? i have also read that derek sanderson used to jump in when ever bobby was in trouble. the big bad bruins 6 team nhl what wonderfull days !

[edwardraffoni]

Originally Posted by BRUIN FAN

Bobby Orr was one of the best fighters in the league when he played.Some of the players he beat were Pat Quinn,Reg Fleming, and Ted Harris.He also fought Orland Kurtenbach to a draw.

BOBBY WAS AN OUTSTANDING HOCKEY PLAYER, and an outstanding person as well. HE WAS AN ABOVE AVERAGE FIGHTER BUT WAS NOT IN THE CLASS OF HARRIS OR KURTENBACK. IN HIS PRIME KURTENBACK WAS ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT, THE BEST FIGHTER IN THE LEAGUE. TRUST ME, BOBBY WOULD TELL YOU THIS HIMSELF. ANYBODY CAN LOOK GOOD IN ONE BRIEF SKIRMISH, BUT WHEN YOU MENTION HARRIS AND KURTENBACK, YOU' RE TALKING ABOUT TWO OF THE BEST FIGHTERS OF THAT ERA. I LIKE BOBBY,HE WAS THE BEST BRUIN I EVER SAW, but he was a good MIDDLEWEIGHT, HARRIS AND KURTENBACK WERE OUTSTANDING HEAVYWEIGHTS IN THEIR ERA.

[Daaaa B's]

I remember hearing that Sanderson fought Kurtenbach in his rookie year. I'm pretty sure he lost but you have give credit for going after one of the toughest in the league. Another famous fight Sanderson had was against Ray McKay of Chicago. After Sanderson beat him he scooped up McKay's jersey with his stick and held it above his head and then tossed it into the crowd.

[Deadman]

I agree that Orr was underrated as a fighter. He really didn't need much protection.

Good point about Harris and Kurtenbach by Edwardraffoni. A lot of people remember Ted Harris as a North Star when he was pretty old. When he was with Montreal in the mid 60's, he was a outstanding fighter. He had great balance and a great right. Only Kurtenbach was better. (although he did win one of his 2 fights against Kurtenbach)

Hey, does anyone remember a tremendous long fight that Sanderson had with Forbes Kennedy? I think Kennedy was with Toronto, and it might have been in the playoffs.

[bigjack]

I was lucky to watch Bobby Orr's games on Channel 38 and 30 years later I believe he is the greatest hockey player of alltime. In baseball they talk about the five skills of Hitting, Hitting with power, speed and baserunning, throwing, and defense as making a true superstar. Well Mr. Orr could do everything in hockey: Skate-what speed and balance, shoot with power and accuracy, pass, receive passes, play defense, hit, and fight. As great as Wayne and Mario are and they are super awesome, they didn't have Orr's speed, hitting ability, or fighting ability and Orr played defense in a small 191 ft home rink. The way Bobby worked a powerplay or the way he killed penalties by ragging the puck for up to a minute and his ability when he was angry to go behind his net, come up the right boards all the way up ice by himself and either score of set someone up to score was breathtaking. We'll never see another Bobby Orr. Look what he did in 1976 in the Canada Cup, he was MVP and leading scorer playing on one leg or even with the BlackHawks where he scored 23 points in 20 games which would be over 90 points playing on one leg.
He made a play one time against Minnesota where Barry Gibbs checked him to the ice and laying on his back he made a behind the back pass to Johnny Bucyk without looking at the net between Gibbs and Fred Barrett and Bucyk scored.
Just like I never saw Rocket Richard, I'm sorry for anyone who never saw Bobby play. What a shame that he was injured so badly. I remember seeing Bobby play one game with Brad Park in Boston in 1975-76 before his knee went out and to see Orr on the right point and Park on the left point. It was something to behold! Don Cherry also calls him the best player that he ever saw or coached and I agree.
Bobby, you were the best! and that's coming from a Rangers fan who hated the BIG BAD BRUINS!

[wilbur10inch]

Originally Posted by bigjack

I was lucky to watch Bobby Orr's games on Channel 38 and 30 years later I believe he is the greatest hockey player of alltime. In baseball they talk about the five skills of Hitting, Hitting with power, speed and baserunning, throwing, and defense as making a true superstar. Well Mr. Orr could do everything in hockey: Skate-what speed and balance, shoot with power and accuracy, pass, receive passes, play defense, hit, and fight. As great as Wayne and Mario are and they are super awesome, they didn't have Orr's speed, hitting ability, or fighting ability and Orr played defense in a small 191 ft home rink. The way Bobby worked a powerplay or the way he killed penalties by ragging the puck for up to a minute and his ability when he was angry to go behind his net, come up the right boards all the way up ice by himself and either score of set someone up to score was breathtaking. We'll never see another Bobby Orr. Look what he did in 1976 in the Canada Cup, he was MVP and leading scorer playing on one leg or even with the BlackHawks where he scored 23 points in 20 games which would be over 90 points playing on one leg.
He made a play one time against Minnesota where Barry Gibbs checked him to the ice and laying on his back he made a behind the back pass to Johnny Bucyk without looking at the net between Gibbs and Fred Barrett and Bucyk scored.
Just like I never saw Rocket Richard, I'm sorry for anyone who never saw Bobby play. What a shame that he was injured so badly. I remember seeing Bobby play one game with Brad Park in Boston in 1975-76 before his knee went out and to see Orr on the right point and Park on the left point. It was something to behold! Don Cherry also calls him the best player that he ever saw or coached and I agree.
Bobby, you were the best! and that's coming from a Rangers fan who hated the BIG BAD BRUINS!

BigJ,
Do the names Gretzky and Lemieux ring a bell? To award Orr the "best ever" tag seems a bit hyperbolic. While I do not dispute his frozen-pond brilliance, I would hesitate to shower him with the accolade that you do. If you had said the best defenseman ever you'd have no argument from me. To me the best 3 players of all time in interchangeable order are: BO, WG and ML. (Frank McCool wasn't too shabby either!

[bigjack]

Wilb,

I suppose you can add Gordie Howe in there as well but I respect your opinion. It's cutting hairs but as I said, Orr like Howe did everything, Gretz and Mario didn't hit or fight which in my opinion takes points away from them!
Great Frank McCool dropping, he goalstopped the MapleLeafs back from a 3-0 deficit to win the Cup against Jack Adams Red Wings in 42.

[wilbur10inch]

Originally Posted by bigjack

Wilb,

I suppose you can add Gordie Howe in there as well but I respect your opinion. It's cutting hairs but as I said, Orr like Howe did everything, Gretz and Mario didn't hit or fight which in my opinion takes points away from them!
Great Frank McCool dropping, he goalstopped the MapleLeafs back from a 3-0 deficit to win the Cup against Jack Adams Red Wings in 42.

A collective 27-billion goals and 92-trillion assists more than compensates for some bruising along the boards, don't you think? Let me ask it this way - if you were the GM of an expansion team and could take any player in history and magically make them 24 again, who would you pick? (Don Musto is not an option.)

[Daaaa B's]

Originally Posted by wilbur10inch

A collective 27-billion goals and 92-trillion assists more than compensates for some bruising along the boards, don't you think? Let me ask it this way - if you were the GM of an expansion team and could take any player in history and magically make them 24 again, who would you pick? (Don Musto is not an option.)

I'd go with Orr, like bigjack said he could do it all.

[gillies]

Originally Posted by edwardraffoni

BOBBY WAS AN OUTSTANDING HOCKEY PLAYER, and an outstanding person as well. HE WAS AN ABOVE AVERAGE FIGHTER BUT WAS NOT IN THE CLASS OF HARRIS OR KURTENBACK. IN HIS PRIME KURTENBACK WAS ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT, THE BEST FIGHTER IN THE LEAGUE. TRUST ME, BOBBY WOULD TELL YOU THIS HIMSELF. ANYBODY CAN LOOK GOOD IN ONE BRIEF SKIRMISH, BUT WHEN YOU MENTION HARRIS AND KURTENBACK, YOU' RE TALKING ABOUT TWO OF THE BEST FIGHTERS OF THAT ERA. I LIKE BOBBY,HE WAS THE BEST BRUIN I EVER SAW, but he was a good MIDDLEWEIGHT, HARRIS AND KURTENBACK WERE OUTSTANDING HEAVYWEIGHTS IN THEIR ERA.

if i remember right, kurtenback was one of the only fighters who did not hold on to the other guy's jersey to keep his balance.. anyone remember??

[Bert14]

Great point Fitz about Sanderson and the sweep check. He was certainly the master of it. He was also one of the greatest penalty killers to ever play the game. The Bruins needed it in those days because taking on those Bruins of the late 60's/early 70’s was like attending a mugger’s convention in Central Park. They were like a wolf-pack with their all for one and one for all attitude. They were a precursor to what the Broad Street Bullies would become.

For a period there, I don't know that Orr was any more popular than Sanderson was in Boston. His partying was legendary and Look magazine ran a great story on him. Had he taken care of himself, he might have had a Hall of Fame career, he had all the tools.

As far as his fighting goes, he was adequate, but nothing out of the ordinary, IMO. Also, a bit of a spotpicker. Although that was the Bruins game back in those days - intimidation, and Sanderson was good at it. In the 72 playoffs against the Rangers, Sanderson bragged to the NY press how he was going to run Giacomin at every opportunity. And he proceeded to do just that. He beat up Bobby Rousseau, and Rod Gilbert (hense my spot-picker comment). The Rangers had no answer for Sanderson and his constant running of Giacomin. Ace Bailey and Derek Sanderson beat the hell out of the Rangers and the Rangers had no response. Gilbert and Ratelle couldn't fight and they were completely intimidated by the Bruins. Only Brad Park showed any heart in the series. But he alone was not enough and the Rangers went meekly to defeat.

I don't recall him ever beating Kurtenbach. They fought in 68 and Kurtenbach bloodied him up a bit. They also fought again in 70 in what was a lackluster draw.

I'd concur with the others here that Orr was the greatest player I've ever seen. As for his fighting abilities, he was typical of so many players from that era, he could take care of himself. He was extremely strong on his skates and used that to his advantage in fights. He didn't get into too many slugfests and preferred to grapple more than go toe-to-toe, but that's where his strength was.

Everyone, including superstars, could or would, at least have to fight back than. The 3 best offensive defensemen back than were probably Orr, Park, and Potvin. All three were not just offensive defensemen, they were all physical and all could fight. Compare them to 3 of today’s better offensive defensemen and there is just no comparison. Unlike todays game, back in the late 60's/early 70's you had to be able to play and take care of yourself.

[FitzG]

Well put !!

Originally Posted by Bert14

Great point Fitz about Sanderson and the sweep check. He was certainly the master of it. He was also one of the greatest penalty killers to ever play the game. The Bruins needed it in those days because taking on those Bruins of the late 60's/early 70’s was like attending a mugger’s convention in Central Park. They were like a wolf-pack with their all for one and one for all attitude. They were a precursor to what the Broad Street Bullies would become.

For a period there, I don't know that Orr was any more popular than Sanderson was in Boston. His partying was legendary and Look magazine ran a great story on him. Had he taken care of himself, he might have had a Hall of Fame career, he had all the tools.

As far as his fighting goes, he was adequate, but nothing out of the ordinary, IMO. Also, a bit of a spotpicker. Although that was the Bruins game back in those days - intimidation, and Sanderson was good at it. In the 72 playoffs against the Rangers, Sanderson bragged to the NY press how he was going to run Giacomin at every opportunity. And he proceeded to do just that. He beat up Bobby Rousseau, and Rod Gilbert (hense my spot-picker comment). The Rangers had no answer for Sanderson and his constant running of Giacomin. Ace Bailey and Derek Sanderson beat the hell out of the Rangers and the Rangers had no response. Gilbert and Ratelle couldn't fight and they were completely intimidated by the Bruins. Only Brad Park showed any heart in the series. But he alone was not enough and the Rangers went meekly to defeat.

I don't recall him ever beating Kurtenbach. They fought in 68 and Kurtenbach bloodied him up a bit. They also fought again in 70 in what was a lackluster draw.

I'd concur with the others here that Orr was the greatest player I've ever seen. As for his fighting abilities, he was typical of so many players from that era, he could take care of himself. He was extremely strong on his skates and used that to his advantage in fights. He didn't get into too many slugfests and preferred to grapple more than go toe-to-toe, but that's where his strength was.

Everyone, including superstars, could or would, at least have to fight back than. The 3 best offensive defensemen back than were probably Orr, Park, and Potvin. All three were not just offensive defensemen, they were all physical and all could fight. Compare them to 3 of today’s better offensive defensemen and there is just no comparison. Unlike todays game, back in the late 60's/early 70's you had to be able to play and take care of yourself.

[VideoGuy]

From my knowledge, Orr and Kurtenbach never fought. Bobby Hull and Kurtenbach fought in 66-67 after which Hull said, "I guess I bit off more than I could chew that time."

In his rookie year, Orr fought Ted Harris and got the decision - two reasons - Orr had tremendous balance and Ted Harris had an injury to his hand or arm.

Orr fought Pat Quinn twice and you could say they were both draws. I say that because in their second fight, Fred Stanfield was holding Quinn from the back.

If you see clips of Orr fighting, he didn't seem to have much respect for the linesmen as he threw them around or punched the opposing player and sometimes hitting the official.

Orr lost two fights to Rosaire Paiement who was pretty tough.

I was talking to someone who actually played against Orr in Orr's first year in Junior with Oshawa as a smallish 14 year old (and playing against 20 years olds). This player, Jim Jago, played for the Brampton 7-Ups in the old Metro Jr. League and said that one of his teammates beat up Bobby pretty badly for no apparent reason. I forget the players name but he never made it and according to Jim, the guy was a little crazy.

Anyways, I think that Orr, probably from that point on, vowed to stand up for himself.