Who Is Orr's Favorite?

1990

In the movie Back to School, there's a scene where 55-year-old
Rodney Dangerfield sits in a college English class, surrounded by
20-year-old students. Rodney hasn't done the required reading
and, of course, the teacher calls on him.

"Tell us about 'The Great Gatsby,' '' says the teacher.

Rodney fidgits in his chair, cocks his head and answers, "The Great
Gatsby... well... he was Great!"

I went to Boston Garden Saturday for my first look at Wayne
Gretzky. All I knew about Gretzky was that... well, he is Great.


Gretzky delivered. He assisted on two goals and scored the
game-winner with a 25-foot slap shot from out top with 1:40 to
play. He was... Great.

Sports fans who grew up in Boston in the '60s and '70s have a
special yardstick with which they measure hockey greatness. We
grew up watching Bobby Orr.

Gretzky's first assist of the game was his 100th, making this the
10th consecutive season in which he's registered 100 or more.

Orr was the first NHL player to collect 100 assists in a season
(1970-71).

It's apples and oranges, of course. Orr was a defenceman; Gretzky
is a centre. Orr broke in during the low-scoring days of the
six-team NHL; Gretzky plays in this high-scoring age of 21 teams.

I called Bobby Orr before going to see Gretzky. "What's so Great
about Gretzky?" I asked.

"He sees the ice like not many players do," said Orr. "He's got
great hockey sense. He's a half-step ahead of everybody. He's
not real big and he doesn't have any wicked shot, but he picks his
spots. He looks ahead. The other players go, and he finds them.
He's difficult to corner unless you have a rope. I think you'll
notice the way he passes the puck and where he passes it.

"Wayne could have played in any era," said Orr. "A few years
back, he wouldn't have scored as much, but he still could have
been a star."

What about this greatest-ever stuff? Orr or Gretzky?

"That's simple," said Orr. "I don't care who comes along or what
era, Gordie Howe was the guy. Bobby Orr wasn't Gordie Howe.
Wayne's a great talent, and many will disagree, but Gordie's my
man."

Great.