Fred Sasakamoose

Fred Sasakamoose
Born (1933-12-25) December 25, 1933
Ahtahkakoop, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for NHL
Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career 1954–1960

Frederick "Chief Running Deer" Sasakamoose, CM (born December 25, 1933) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is the first Canadian indigenous player in the National Hockey League,[1] and the first First Nations player with treaty status.

Sasakamoose is of Cree descent. His Cree name that elders gave to him means "to stand firm".[2] He grew up on the Ahtahkakoop Indian Reserve in Saskatchewan and learned to play ice hockey at an Indian residential school in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan. He was one of 11 kids, where only five survived throughout childhood due to smallpox.[3]

In 1953, Sasakamoose was selected as the most valuable player in the junior Western Canada Junior Hockey League while playing for the Moose Jaw Canucks, scoring 31 goals in 34 games in the 1953-54 season.[2] He then made his debut in the NHL for the Chicago Black Hawks at Maple Leaf Gardens the night of February 27, 1954. At time, there were only six NHL teams and Fred was one of only 125 players.[4] He played with the Blackhawks for 11 games[5] during the rest of the 1953–1954 season, and in following years played in the minor leagues. Sasakamoose's skills were first recognized by a priest in Montreal who became the sports director at the Indian residential school Saskamoose was attending. The man pushed Frederick to improve himself, and Saskamoose went on to develop an extraordinary left-handed shot as a result.[2]

After retiring from ice hockey, Sasakamoose became a band councillor on his home reserve and later chief for six years. He has also been extensively involved in the development of sports programs for indigenous children. Since 1961 and beyond, he used his fame to promote opportunities for youth in sports which included ice hockey, long-distance running, track and field, soccer and basketball.[2] In 2002, he was honoured by the Blackhawks at a home game. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in the builders category. He has been acknowledged for achievements and contributions by both the Assembly of First Nations and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN).[2] He was also a founding member of the Northern Indian Hockey League.

References

  1. ↑ "Fred Sasakamoose was native NHL pioneer". Edmonton Sun.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Brissenden, Constance. "Fred Sasakamoose". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
  3. ↑ "Fred Sasakamoose: Survivor, trailblazer, leader, hero" – via The Globe and Mail.
  4. ↑ Malenstyn, Ken (2005). Chiefs and Champions - Fred Sasakamoose. Big Red Barn Entertainment/Full Regalia Products.
  5. ↑ "Fred Sasakamoose hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com.


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