Jimmy Orr

Jimmy Orr (October 4, 1935 – October 27, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Colts for 13 seasons from 1958 to 1970 in the National Football League (NFL). Orr was a two-time Pro Bowler, 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".

Jimmy Orr
No. 86, 28
Born:(1935-10-04)October 4, 1935
Seneca, South Carolina, United States
Died:October 27, 2020(2020-10-27) (aged 85)
Career information
Position(s)Wide receiver
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight185 lb (84 kg)
CollegeGeorgia
High schoolSeneca
NFL draft1957 / Round: 25 / Pick: 291
Drafted byLos Angeles Rams[1]
Career history
As player
1958–1960Pittsburgh Steelers
1961–1970Baltimore Colts
Career highlights and awards
Career stats
Receptions400
Receiving yards7,914
Receiving TDs66
Rushing yards122
Rushing TDs0

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 receptions for 910 yards and seven touchdowns and also punted. His 910 yards stood as a franchise rookie record until 2017 when it was surpassed by JuJu Smith-Schuster. Orr's three touchdowns and 205 yards in the season finale against the Chicago Cardinals remain Steelers rookie records.[2][3] 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 touchdowns.

Orr is known for his part in a play in Super Bowl III against the New York Jets. On the last play of the first half, Colt quarterback Earl Morrall handed off to Tom Matte, who threw a lateral back to Morrall in a flea-flicker play. Orr was wide open at the 20 yard line with an open lane to the end zone, but Morrall did not see him (perhaps because Orr was camouflaged by a backdrop of uniformed band members outlining the end zone). Videos of the play reveal that on an otherwise overcast day, the sun mysteriously came out just before the play, and shone directly into Morrall's face, while Orr was downfield in the shadows. Morrall threw instead to fullback Jerry Hill, but the ball was intercepted by New York Jets safety Jim Hudson.

See also

References
  1. "1957 Los Angeles Rams". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2020.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. Chicago v Pittsburgh box score, 12/13/58, PFR
  3. Steelers rookie receiving records, single game


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