FRED SASAKAMOOSE

HIS TIME WITH THE BLACK HAWKS  

Fred Sasakamoose, one of the first Indigenous players in the National Hockey League, passed away on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 86. The news of his death came in an emotional Facebook video from his son, Neil. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke lovingly about his father. The cause of death was revealed as COVID-19. 

He was raised in Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation in Saskatchewan (Big River First Nation). His dream as a boy was to play hockey, and as paNOW.com reported, "His first pair of skates were his moccasins with a bob skate blade strapped on underneath, and five pairs of socks to keep his feet from freezing."

Sasakamoose played his junior hockey in the Western Canada Hockey League with the Moose Jaw Canucks. In his first three seasons, Sasakamoose scored 44 goals for Moose Jaw.

Prior to entering his fourth year with the Canucks, Sasakamoose attended the Chicago Black Hawks fall training camp in Pembroke, Ontario. The camp opened on September 8, 1953, and was designed for Chicago coach, Sid Abel, to size up the prospects in the Hawks' system.

In a clash of the East Juniors vs. West Juniors on September 12, Sasakamoose and his teammates defeated the East 5-3. He scored one goal and was selected "as the first all-star in the game."

Despite his impressive performance, Sasakamoose was unable to earn a roster spot with Chicago. He returned to Moose Jaw and began his final year of junior with the Canucks.

When the Hawks stumbled out of the starting gate with only three wins in their first 20 games, they summoned Sasakamoose from Moose Jaw. On November 19, Sid Abel announced that his rookie would play between wingers George Gee and Bill Mosienko.

At the age of 19, Sasakamoose made his NHL debut on November 20, 1953, when the Hawks hosted the Boston Bruins. Although Chicago was shutout by a score of 2-0, Sasakamoose made an impression. "Fred Sasakamoose, whose Cree Indian name in Chief Running Deer, made his debut in [sic] Black Hawk uniform and gave a spirited account of himself," reported the Chicago Tribune. "The chief displayed a pleasing willingness to rough it up, and got off two or three good shots.

At first, it was expected Sasakamoose would remain in Chicago for the customary three game try-out, but after a 5-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Chicago Stadium, the Hawks decided to return him back to the Canucks.

Back in junior hockey, Sasakamoose reflected on his experience in Chicago. "They play it rugged up there - especially those big defensemen - the goalies play the angles. Ted Kennedy is one of the best players I faced - Chicago sure is a big, windy city."

As Chicago continued to struggle, Sasakamoose got a second chance with the Hawks as they recalled him on February 25, 1954. Along with the promotion, the Hawks revealed that Sasakamoose would finish the season in Chicago.

Sasakamoose returned to the NHL on February 27, 1954, when the Hawks battled the Toronto Maple Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens. This was a special contest for Sasakamoose, as each Saturday night, he would listen to Foster Hewitt call games from the gondola at the Gardens.

Following the game against Toronto, nine games remained in Chicago's regular season. And like his first stint with the Hawks, the club didn't enjoy much success on the ice. They only managed two victories and  when the final curtain fell, they set a new record for most losses in a season with a miserable 12-51-7 record. 

His last game in the National Hockey League was played on March 19 at home against the Boston Bruins.  Sasakamoose didn't dress for the Hawks season finale on the road in Boston two night's later.

In Sasakamoose's swan song on the 19th, the Hawks defeated the Bruins 7-0 at the Stadium. The scoring hero for Chicago was Pete Conacher. The Toronto native recorded his first and only three goal game in the NHL.

"I only scored one hat trick in the NHL and that was in the second last game of the season," Conacher told me this afternoon when I called him to talk about his former teammate, Fred Sasakamoose.

"It had to be great for him to be there," said Conacher of Sasakamoose's journey. "As bad as we were, to be in the National Hockey League, and playing in a rink like Chicago Stadium, it had to be a real thrill to take back home."

 In the short time he got to witness him play in the NHL, one skill Sasakamoose possessed stood out to Conacher. "He was a good skater," Conacher said of his ability to maneuver around the ice. 

Off the ice, Conacher observed that Sasakamoose "was a quiet guy and in awe of being in a big city like Chicago."

"I was shocked to read this morning what happened to him," Conacher said in a hushed tone.

On Twitter, the Chicago Blackhawks posted a statement: Today, we lost a luminary in the hockey world with the passing of Fred Sasakamoose. Fred inspired many across the sport and throughout North America after becoming one of the first Indigenous-born athletes to play in the National Hockey League when he played 11 games with the Blackhawks during the 1953-54 season. Fred's family spoke of his love for his culture, his people and his language. That lasting impact of his legacy will forever be celebrated and continue to bring people together for generations to come. To the entire Sasakamoose family that includes his wife, Loretta, four children and over 100 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the Chicago Blackhawks organization extends our deepest condolences.

In 11 games with Chicago, Sasakamoose didn't register point and spent six-minutes in the penalty box.