James Edward Orr Jr. (October 4, 1935 – October 27, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, running from 1958 to 1970.
The speedy Orr was an unrecruited walk-on at the University of Georgia in 1955 and was touted along with a fellow sophomore halfback mate as "Zip Kids." It quickly became clear that Orr's forte was as a pass receiver rather than a runner, however, and he was cast in the role of flanker in the offense.
Drafted in the late rounds by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1957 NFL draft, Orr was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of his debut 1958 season. There as a split end he set team records en route to selection as the 1958 NFL Rookie of the Year in both the Associated Press and United Press International polls. He was traded to the Baltimore Colts ahead of the 1961 NFL season.
Orr played ten years in Baltimore and became a fan favorite, with the corner of the end zone of Memorial Stadium where he caught many of his passes nicknamed "Orrsville." He retired a Super Bowl champion after the 1970 season.
Biography Early life
Jimmy Orr was born October 4, 1935, in Seneca, South Carolina. His father, James Orr Sr., was a prominent doctor in the small community.Jim Anderson, "Seneca's Jimmy Orr is Called Georgia's 'Sleepingest Sleeper,'" Greenville [SC] News, Sept. 13, 1955; p. 11.
He attended Seneca High School where he was a star basketball player, averaging 19 points a game over his last two years and earning All-State Class A honors.
Orr only played one year of high school football, starting at quarterback.Douglas Mauldin, "Seneca Faces Ex-Stars at 8," Greenville News, Aug. 29, 1952; p. 20. Injuries had prevented him from playing more — a broken arm one year and a broken leg another."Steelers Find Gold in Orr, Rookie End," Pittsburgh Press, Nov. 15, 1958; p. 30.
Despite his limited ability to get on the field, Orr's footspeed was impressive. "I had lots of scholarship offers," Orr later claimed, "but I decided to go to school to study — I wasn't going to play football at all."
College career
Orr initially enrolled at Clemson College, the state land-grant university for whites in his home state of South Carolina, paying his own tuition.
"I guess it was family pressure that got me into that — but I spent one semester there and quit," he recalled.
A desire for athletic competition remained. He had his uncle speak with a friend who was the University of Georgia's former trainer, Neal Alford. Alford encouraged Orr to try to make the Bulldogs as a walk-on.
In the spring of 1955 Orr transferred to Georgia and walked on a spring practice. He was not only impressive enough carrying the ball at halfback that he not only made the Georgia team in 1955 but was offered an athletic scholarship beginning in 1956.
As an incoming sophomore who had never played collegiate football elsewhere, Orr was immediately eligible to play for the Georgia varsity team. He began fall practice as the #2 right halfbackNote: Through the middle-1950s football teams typically lined up with two ends and three running backs. on the depth chart.
The situation clarified by the time of the September 17 opener against Ole Miss. Orr's erstwhile competitor at right halfback, sophomore J.B. Davis, was moved to left halfback and the two speedy youngsters were paired in a backfield immediately nicknamed "The Zip Kids" by the press.Larry Fox, "Soph Zip Kids Brace Georgia for 'Second Half' of Schedule," Atlanta Constitution, Sept. 21, 1955; p. 7. Although Georgia came up on the short end of a 26–13 score in the opener, a 27-yard pass from quarterback Dick Young to Orr set up a 46-yard aerial strike to Orr — and excitement ensued.
Orr's output in 1955 proved to be most peculiar, however. Although playing in all 10 of Georgia's games as a "halfback," he would carry the ball only 23 times, being limited to just 51 yards — a paltry average of 2.2 yards per carry."Jimmy Orr," College Football Reference, www.sports-reference.com/ Yardage gained through the air was quite another matter, however, with Orr snaring 43 passes for 443 yards and 3 touchdowns — an impressive average of 18.5 yards per catch. Orr was quickly evolving into a "flanker back" — effectively the third receiver in a three end offense. He would make his mark in the NFL at wide receiver, not as a running back.
Orr would receive a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgia in 1958.John Duxbury and Larry Shainman (eds.), Football Register 1968. St. Louis, MO: The Sporting News, 1968; p. 235.
Professional career Los Angeles Rams
Jimmy Orr almost missed selection in the 1957 NFL draft, eventually taken by the Los Angeles Rams in the 25th round of the 30 round draft with the 291st pick overall.Joe Marcin (ed.), Football Register 1971. St. Louis, MO: The Sporting News, 1971; p. 208. Orr signed his contract with the Rams at the end of June 1958."Two Rams Sign," Pittsburgh Press, June 30, 1958; p. 28.
College football reverted to the single platoon system for economic reasons in 1953 so at Georgia Orr saw game time both as a flanker on the offense and a defensive halfback on the other side of the ball. Intrigued by his speed but aware of the physical limitations of his slender body type in the violent NFL game, head coach [Sid Gillman] and the Rams attempted to cast Orr as a defensive back at the pro level."Rams Defense Defeats Offense by 36 to 22," Los Angeles Times, Aug. 3, 1958; part 3, p. 3. The experiment would prove short-lived.
Injuries to their ends force Gillman to move Orr to the offense in the last preseason game, a contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers.Harry Keck, "Jimmy Orr Didn't Think He Could Play in the Cold," Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Dec. 1, 1958; p. 20. The speedburner got clear for a pass from Rams quarterback Frank Ryan, with Orr motoring for a 72-yard touchdown to close out scoring in a 31–6 Rams win. Notice was taken on the losing sideline.
On September 24, shortly ahead of start of the 1958 NFL season, Orr was traded along with defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith to the Steelers for a third-round pick in the 1958 draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jimmy Orr would spend his first three seasons in Pittsburgh playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. There was no doubt in the mind of head coach Buddy Parker that in Jimmy Orr his team was acquiring an offensive player, with the local press listing the newcomer variously as a "halfback," "flanker," and "end."See, for example: Pat Livingston, "New Players to Help Club, Parker Says," Pittsburgh Press, Sept. 26, 1958; p. 29. His ability as a punter was also noted in training camp and Orr would quickly take on that role, kicking the ball 51 times for an average of 39.7 yards per punt in 1958. Orr wore number 86 in Pittsburgh, a number made famous decades later by Hines Ward and since removed from circulation in his honor.
Orr made the start in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns at split end. The Steelers, perennially one of the worst teams in the NFL in this era, were defeated by the Browns 45–12, with newcomer Jimmy Orr providing the best moment of the game for the home team. Spotted in the clear by Pittsburgh quarterback Earl Morrall, Orr hauled in a pass and sprinted towards a 77-yard touchdown — only to have the ball slip from his hands and bounce out of bounds on the 14 yard line.Gib Staley, "Browns Waltz to Easy 45–12 Victory Over Pittsburgh Steelers," Somerset [PA] Daily American, Oct. 6, 1958; p. 5. Pittsburgh managed to make use of Orr's fumble, scoring their only touchdown of the day four plays later.
Professional spurs were won in early November, when Orr caught a ball, only to be crushed between two onrushing Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs.
"I was scared when I saw him get hit," recalled teammate Bobby Layne. "He couldn't talk, his eyes were rolling around in his head, and his face was white. I thought he was hurt bad. You know what he said? The first thing he said was 'Did I hold the ball?' Then when they were taking him off the field, he turned around and said, 'I'll be right back.' He was, too — in one play that little critter was right back."
Orr's rookie campaign was a sensational one, with the speedy receiver catching 33 balls for 910 yards, and what prove to be a career best average of 27.6 yards per catch. His 910 yards gained in the air would stand as a Steelers rookie record until finally surpassed by JuJu Smith-Schuster in a 16-game season in 2017.Steelers rookie receiving records, single game Orr's three touchdowns and 205 yards in the season finale against the Chicago Cardinals were team records.Earl Wright, "Steelers' Orr Named Pro Rookie of the Year," Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Jan. 4, 1959; p. 26.
Pittsburgh would finish the year 7–4-1 in the Eastern Division, their first winning record since 1949, with the Steelers victorious in their last seven games in a row.Jimmy Miller, "Selection of Orr As Rookie of Year No Surprise to Parker," Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Jan. 4, 1959; p. 14.
Both the Associated Press writers' poll and the United Press International coaches' poll named Orr the 1958 NFL Rookie of the Year.
Steeler head coach Buddy Parker was effusive, calling Orr "far and away the best rookie to play in our league last season."
"No other freshman in the league broke club records like Orr did and only two well-established receivers like Del Shofner of the Rams and Lenny Moore of the Colts gained more yards than he did throughout the season," Parker said. "I never saw a rookie pick up like Orr. He learned our system real fast and was a lot of help in the club going undefeated in its last seven games. Jimmy not only has good speed but he has a deceptive pace which makes him a hard fellow to cover. And if the ball is thrown anywhere near him he gets it and holds onto it."
Orr's final two years in Pittsburgh represented solid performances, albeit nothing as sensational as his rookie debut. The 1959 season began inauspiciously with a brief hospitalization resulting from a concussion suffered in training camp."Orr Returns to Steeler Workouts," Somerset [PA] Daily American, Aug. 6, 1959; p. 6. This was shortly followed by a knee injury in a preseason game against the Chicago Bears when he was cheap-shot 40 yards away from the play by defensive back Jack McClairen, sending him to the hospital again for x-rays.Jimmy Miller, "Bears' Tactics Irk Parker," Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Aug. 31, 1959; p. 18.
Orr caught 35 balls in 1959 — two more than his rookie year — but gained only about two-thirds as many yards with an average of 17.3 per catch and 5 touchdowns.
In 1960, numbers declined again, with Orr grabbing 59 balls for 541 yards (18.7 average) and 4 touchdowns. Although Orr started all but one of the 36 games played by the Steelers over the course of his tenure, the team began to wonder if perhaps the slightly built 25-year old had passed his athletic peak.
With the 1961 NFL season around the corner, Orr was traded in a five-player deal with the Baltimore Colts in July.Jimmy Miller, "Steelers trade Orr, Lewis and Campbell," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 20, 1961, p. 27. The trade, in which the Colts sent veteran linemen Gene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb and Buzz Nutter to the Steelers, was touted by Colts head coach Weeb Ewback as part of a youth movement, with Baltimore also picking up two young and unproven linemen in the transaction, Joe Lewis and Dick Campbell.Associated Press, "Ewbank Stresses Youth Movement for Colts," Reading [PA] Eagle, July 20, 1961; p. 18.
Orr was ready to embark on the second part of his professional career, ten seasons in Baltimore.
Baltimore Colts
The 1961 season, Orr's first with the Colts, would be the least productive year of his NFL prime.