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| Bruin Legend Bobby Orr Celebrates with the Richelieu Cup |
By R. Inkrat,
Hockey Correspondent for Pravda, Special to the Boston Globe
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 25, 2011 - Many hockey lovers think that Boston Bruin legend Bobby Orr was the greatest hockey player ever to lace a pair of skates (sorry, Wayne).
Certainly that’s the way they feel about it in Beantown.
Orr has received many honors, awards, and accolades over the years.
But somehow none of them ever seemed sufficient to give Orr the glories due to him.
Not until now, that is.
Recently Morning Hockey Club Gold Weasel Peter “Pistol Pete” Eremita was in Boston to share the triumph of the Cardinal Richelieu Cup with Orr himself, and at last it seemed that Number 4 reached the pinnacle he deserved, even if it was shared with Eremita, the star of the MHC Gold Weasel triumph in the Cardinal Richelieu Cup finals earlier this year.
It was a characteristically gracious gesture by Eremita, sharing the Cup with Orr, whose multiple Stanley Cup championships as a Bruin, while remarkable, pale of course in comparison to winning the Famed French Flagon, the Richelieu!
“This is the greatest day in my life as a hockey player and lover of the greatest game on earth,” said an obviously emotional Orr, as he struck his famous goal celebration pose with the Cup and Eremita.
Brother Louis Philippe Richelieu, the great, great, great grandson of the infamous Cardinal himself, and the spiritual leader of Les Gardiens de la Coup Richelieu, the French secret society of breakaway clerics who maintain the security and safety of the Cup between playoff series, was present for the ceremony.
“This is the first trip I am making outside France,” he said in somewhat stilted English. “My brothers and I are so glad ourselves to see the honor of the Cup Richelieu placed on the great Bobbee Orr. It is so good of the magnificent Belette D’Or [Pete] Eremita to bring this day to come.”
“Stanley Cup rings are great,” Orr said, “and I will always treasure my days with the Bruins, but this is something special that I will never forget.”
“All of us who grew up in New England looked at Bobby Orr as the ultimate hockey super star, and the player we wanted to be like,” said Eremita. “The minute the Cup came into my hands and I stopped shaking with nerves, I knew I had to bring it to Boston for a tribute to Bobby Orr.”
As Eremita finished speaking, Orr, a Gold Weasel jersey draped over his shoulders, embraced him and sobbed quietly on Eremita’s shoulder for several touching moments.
Several current Bruins were also on hand to join in the tribute to Orr. “Yeah, we got the Cup,” said forward Patrice Bergeron, referring to the Stanley Cup. “And that was great. But this is a once in a lifetime experience with la Coup Richelieu. I’ll never forget it.”
“We are all grateful to our friend Pete for making this day possible,” added Bruin Captain Zdeno Chara, as he stood with one hand on the Richelieu and the other arm around Eremita, who came about to his waist.
The famous French flagon is named after Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu (1585-1642) noted for his political intriguing in 17th Century France. The nobleman acted as the first minister for King Louis XIII. Known as "The Red Eminence," Richelieu, though a man of the cloth, had a reputation for wily political intrigue and bested many political rivals, include the King’s own mother, Marie de Medici, who lost a power struggle with Richelieu and was sent into exile.
“We think the Cardinal’s example fits the spirit of the Gold Weasels perfectly,” said Gold Weasel Captain Matt Noone, also on hand for the festivities.
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