Jimmy Orr
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Orr is a former American Football
wide receiver
who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers
and Baltimore Colts
for 13 seasons from 1958 to 1970. Orr was a two-time Pro Bowl
er, as a Steeler in 1959 and as a Colt in 1965. Orr was a popular player during his time in Baltimore and the corner of the end zone in Memorial Stadium where he caught many of his passes was often affectionately referred to as "Orrsville".
Orr played college football
at the University of Georgia
and was chosen UPI NFL Rookie of the Year
in 1958 in a season in which he had 33 reception
s for 910 yards and seven touchdowns and also punted
. He played his first three seasons in Pittsburgh and his final 10 in Baltimore. Orr retired in 1970 with exactly 400 career receptions for 7,914 receiving yards and 66 touchdown
s.
Orr is forever remembered for playing a part in a play in Super Bowl III
. On the last play of the first half, Colt quarterback
Earl Morrall
handed off to Tom Matte
, who then threw a lateral
back to Morrall in a flea-flicker
play. Orr was wide open and waving in the end zone
, but Morrall didn't see him (perhaps because Orr was camouflaged by a backdrop of uniformed band members outlining the end zone). Morrall threw instead to fullback
Jerry Hill, but the ball was intercepted
by New York Jets
safety Jim Hudson
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
for 13 seasons from 1958 to 1970. Orr was a two-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er, as a Steeler in 1959 and as a Colt in 1965. Orr was a popular player during his time in Baltimore and the corner of the end zone in Memorial Stadium where he caught many of his passes was often affectionately referred to as "Orrsville".
Orr played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
and was chosen UPI NFL Rookie of the Year
UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year
From 1955 - 1996 The United Press International gave out two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL-NFC American football players and AFL-AFC American football players.-NFL Rookies of the Year:-NFC Rookies of the Year:-See also:...
in 1958 in a season in which he had 33 reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 910 yards and seven touchdowns and also punted
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
. He played his first three seasons in Pittsburgh and his final 10 in Baltimore. Orr retired in 1970 with exactly 400 career receptions for 7,914 receiving yards and 66 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
Orr is forever remembered for playing a part in a play in Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
. On the last play of the first half, Colt quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Earl Morrall
Earl Morrall
Earl Edwin Morrall is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Morrall, who also occasionally punted, played 21 seasons in the National Football League as both a starter and reserve. In the latter capacity, he became known as the greatest backup quarterback in NFL...
handed off to Tom Matte
Tom Matte
Thomas Roland Matte was an American football player who played quarterback in college and primarily running back in the NFL in the 1960s and 1970s and earned a Super Bowl Ring. He attended Shaw High School in East Cleveland and is an Eagle Scout...
, who then threw a lateral
Lateral pass
In American football, a lateral pass or lateral, officially backward pass , occurs when the ball carrier throws the football to any teammate behind him or directly next to him...
back to Morrall in a flea-flicker
Flea flicker (American football)
A flea flicker is an unorthodox play in American football designed to fool the defensive team into thinking that a play is a run instead of a pass...
play. Orr was wide open and waving in the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
, but Morrall didn't see him (perhaps because Orr was camouflaged by a backdrop of uniformed band members outlining the end zone). Morrall threw instead to fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Jerry Hill, but the ball was intercepted
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
by New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
safety Jim Hudson
Jim Hudson
Jim Hudson , is a former professional American Football defensive back. He started in Super Bowl III for the New York Jets, and made a key interception just before the end of the first half....
.
External links
- http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ORRJIM01
- http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/OrrxJi00.htm
- Klingaman, Mike. "Catching Up With...former Colt Jimmy Orr," The Toy Department (The Baltimore Sun sports blog), Tuesday, August 4, 2009.
- Gallery of Jimmy Orr football cards