9/27/1995
Last one off the ice turns out the lights. That means you, Bobby Orr.
After 67 years of thrills, chills and occasional beer spills, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens last night played the final game of any kind at Boston Garden. When the 3-0 Bruin victory was over, descendants of the 1928 B's and Habs (who played the first game in the old barn) watched and wept with 14,448 New England sports fans as Orr and pals from the past took one more spin around the Garden ice.
It raised the hair on your back and brought a tear to your eye. It made some of us say, "Who needs air conditioning? Let 'em play another 67 years in the grimy gym."
The old Garden's "Last Hurrah" was loaded with lasts and hurrahs. There was the last trek up the filthy ramps, the last bombastic anthem by Rene Rancourt and the last sniffs of the stale hallways that always smelled like the bottom of your popcorn bag. Finally, before the place went dark, there was the final opportunity to see the greatest player who ever wore skates. Orr was the last person to skate on the sacred surface, stepping off the ice at 10:58, long after most of the fans had left the building.
It was a night for camera flashes and collectibles. The Bruins thanked their loyal legions, giving every ticket-holder a puck, a poster and a handshake from an ex-Bruin. Fans folded empty ice cream wrappers and saved them -- like teen-age girls pressing prom flowers into book pages lined with wax paper (of course, the standard souvenirs weren't enough for those who brought Black and Deckers in an effort to remove entire rows of seats from the moribund museum).
It was the culmination of a full year of long goodbyes.
The tone was set at 4:55 yesterday afternoon when a young man walked to the edge of the ratty old rink, took a photograph, then assumed the pushup position and kissed the ice surface. Almost papal. Frozen holy water.
And on this night of hockey gods, past and present, Orr was the one fans wanted to see. "It's been a long time since I skated on this ice," he said.
Happily, Orr was among the golden oldies who served as official greeters. Just before 6:30 p.m., he manned his post at the West Entrance, across from Canal Street, and pressed the flesh with every fan who passed through the turnstile.
Extraordinary. Imagine Paul McCartney greeting fans the night they close Royal Albert Hall, or Joe DiMaggio high-fiving patrons when the Yankees play their final game in The House That Ruth Built.
But there he was, No. 4, Bobby Orr, saying, "Welcome to my house."
Fans were moved. They hugged Orr. They kissed him. They thanked him for the memories. They tried to take pictures. They said they loved his commercials. Many of them just said his name . . . "Bobby Orr" . . . in case he needed to be reminded that he is, in fact, Bobby Orr.
Eleven-year-old Billy Bartlett of Plaistow, N.H., a child with a brain tumor who'd been released from Massachusetts General Hospital just a few hours earlier, walked up to Orr, whipped off the cap that covered his bald head and asked Orr to sign the hat. Orr signed the bill of the hat and wished the boy well.
"I think this will be a very emotional night," said Orr.
One of the most emotional moments occurred during the postgame ceremony when Normand Leveille came out on the ice to be honored with other ex-Bruins. Leveille, a once-promising winger, lost his career and almost his life when he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in 1982. But last night brave Normand was back, wearing skates and circling the ice with help from Bruins captain Raymond Bourque. It was at once sad and triumphant.
"Talk about heart," Orr said. "Normand has heart. To me, that was the highlight of the night."
Orr's introduction, the last of the evening, prompted the longest, loudest ovation. As he attempted to rattle off the long list of Orr's career highlights, announcer Fred Cusick could not be heard over the din.
After circling the ice with the likes of ex-teammates Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge and Johnny McKenzie, Orr hung around and did some interviews. It was a little weird because almost all the fans were gone by the time Orr set out on his last waltz. After posing for a photo with the bull gang, he glided around the rink one more time, then stepped off the ice.
Goodbye, Garden. No more games.
"Some people are going to remember this place because of Bobby Orr," he said. "But some will remember it maybe for a political happening or a music show. Everyone will remember it for different reasons."
Many folks will remember last night. Garden management put on quite a show. They did everything but hand out cubes of the Garden ice.
Of course, blue crystal patches of the Bruins' rink wouldn't last very long. Ice melts. But like a lot of other things that happened there in 67 years, the sight of Bobby Orr skating on the Garden ice will remain frozen in our minds for all time.
No comments:
Post a Comment