BOBBY ORR AND THE BIG BAD BRUINS

Admiring the Bruins is a little like praising the lions in some of those early Roman games. This Boston hockey team has a reputation for hitting the players more than the puck. They also have Bobby Orr, probably. ""the greatest all-around player the game has ever known."" Orr was such a standout at twelve years of age that the Bruins entered into a seven year struggle to get him to contract. The book is shot through-with superlatives and ""it does give you center ring shots of Orr's consistently brilliant performance. De-iced, however, Orr seems like a sweet but dull Joe Palooka. This includes Orr's personal background (his father was an excellent player who just missed turning pro); his training; a history of the Bruins with their long stretches as bottom, of the league bad men"" and a rundown of today's players like Bucyk whose original style was so bad that he was ordered off to figure skating school. For those very voracious, rapacious Bruins fans who cry for blood. . . and get it!