On This Day

Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million dollars, the first million-dollar contract

Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million dollars, the first million-dollar contract in NHL history

Robert Gordon Orr is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time. Orr used his skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the position of defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 seasons, the first 10 with the Boston Bruins, followed by two with the Chicago Black Hawks. Orr remains the only defenceman to have won the league scoring title with two Art Ross Trophies. He holds the record for most points and assists in a single season by a defenceman. Orr won a record eight consecutive Norris Trophies as the NHL's best defenceman and three consecutive Hart Trophies as the league's most valuable player (MVP).

Historical Significance

Robert Gordon Orr is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time.

Key People

Bobby Orr

Athlete

Canadian ice hockey player

– present

Events Before

  1. Charles "Chub" Feeney becomes the President of Major League Baseball's National League

    Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney (August 31, 1921 – January 10, 1994) was an Irish-American front office executive in Major League Baseball.

  2. Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu flees Biafra into exile, leaving his deputy, Philip Effiong, to surrender to the Nig

    Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu flees Biafra into exile, leaving his deputy, Philip Effiong, to surrender to the Nigerian Army, effectively ending the Nigerian Civil War

  3. Movie rating system modifies "M" rating to "PG"

    Movie rating system modifies "M" rating to "PG"

  4. Biographical film "Patton" directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring George C. Scott premieres in New York (Academy

    Biographical film "Patton" directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and starring George C. Scott premieres in New York (Academy Awards Best Picture 1971)

  5. South Africa cricket team completes a 4-0 series drubbing of Australia in South Africa in the country's last official in

    South Africa cricket team completes a 4-0 series drubbing of Australia in South Africa in the country's last official international cricket Test for 22 years

Events After

  1. International Book Year begins

    International Book Year begins

  2. LA Lakers defeat the Atlanta Hawks 134-90 for their 33rd straight win, the longest winning streak in major professional

    LA Lakers defeat the Atlanta Hawks 134-90 for their 33rd straight win, the longest winning streak in major professional sports

  3. Bernice Gera wins an anti-discrimination case against the National Baseball Congress, filed on March 15, 1971, allowing

    Bernice Gera wins an anti-discrimination case against the National Baseball Congress, filed on March 15, 1971, allowing her to umpire

  4. Bloody Sunday: 27 unarmed civilians are shot (14 are killed) by the British Army during a civil rights march in Derry, N

    Bloody Sunday: 27 unarmed civilians are shot (14 are killed) by the British Army during a civil rights march in Derry, Northern Ireland; the highest death toll from a single shooting incident during 'The Troubles'

  5. Bob Douglas is the first African American elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame

    The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball, all-time great coaches, referees, and other major…

More from the 1970s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 26, 1971?
Robert Gordon Orr is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time. Orr used his skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the position of defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 seasons, the first 10 with the Boston Bruins, followed by two with the Chicago Black Hawks.
Why is Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million... significant?
Robert Gordon Orr is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time.
Who was involved in Bobby Orr signs a five-year contract with the Boston Bruins worth one million...?
Key figures include Bobby Orr (Athlete).

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