John Edward Orr (June 4, 1918 – July 12, 1982) was an American professional basketball and semi-professional baseball player during the 1940s. He played in the National Basketball League for four seasons as well as in the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

' baseball farm leagues for four seasons. A native of

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, Orr was a multi-sport star at St. Rita of Cascia High School. After playing one season of college basketball, Orr signed a contract to play baseball in the Yankees' farm system, this ending his collegiate eligibility. He was a

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

. Orr played baseball for the

Norfolk Elks The Norfolk Elks were a Nebraska State League (1928–1938), Tri-State League (1924) and Western League (baseball, 1939-41), Western League baseball team based in Norfolk, Nebraska, United States. They were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinal ...

(1938),

Akron Yankees The Akron Yankees were a minor league baseball team that existed from 1935 until 1941. A class C farm team of the New York Yankees, the club was based in Akron, Ohio and played in the Middle Atlantic League The Middle Atlantic League (or Mid-At ...

and

Norfolk Tars The Norfolk Tars were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1906 to 1955. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, they played in the Virginia League from 1906 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1928, in the Eastern League from 1931 to 1932 and in the ...

(1939),

Joplin Miners The Joplin Miners was the primary name of the minor league baseball team in Joplin, Missouri that played for 49 seasons between 1901 and 1954. Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees Mickey Mantle and Whitey Herzog played for Joplin. Professional baseba ...

, Akron Yankees, and Norfolk Tars (1940), and the Akron Yankees and

Columbus Red Birds The Columbus Red Birds were a top-level minor league baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio, in the American Association from 1931 through 1954. The Columbus club, a member of the Association continuously since 1902, was previously known as ...

(1941). In the National Basketball League, Orr competed as a

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

for the

Chicago Studebaker Flyers The Chicago Studebaker Flyers (also known as the Chicago Studebakers) were a National Basketball League team from 1942 to 1943.Charley Rosen. The First Tip-Off'. McGraw-Hill, 2008. 105. They were funded by the United Auto Workers and replaced Georg ...

(1942–43),

Sheboygan Red Skins The Sheboygan Red Skins (or Redskins) was a professional basketball team based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which was an original National Basketball Association franchise during the 1949–1950 season. History Overview The Redskins played in th ...

(1943–44), and

Chicago American Gears The Chicago American Gears were a National Basketball League (NBL) team who played from 1944 to 1947. The team also played in the Professional Basketball League of America (PBLA) in 1947–48 after leaving the NBL. About They are notable in prof ...

(1944–46). In his lone season with the Red Skins, the team lost the NBL championship to the

Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Central Division (NBA), ...

and finished second in the league.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orr, Johnny 1918 births 1982 deaths Akron Yankees players American men's basketball players Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Chicago Basketball players from Chicago Benedictine Ravens men's basketball players Chicago American Gears players Chicago Studebaker Flyers players Columbus Red Birds players Guards (basketball) Joplin Miners players Norfolk Elks players Norfolk Tars players Sheboygan Red Skins players