A TRUE AMBASSADOR
Fred Sasakamoose, one of the NHL’s first Indigenous players and former Hawk, dies at 86
Former Chicago Black Hawk Fred Sasakamoose, one of the first Indigenous players in the NHL, died Tuesday afternoon. He was 86.
“Today we lost a luminary in the hockeyworld with the passing of Fred Sasakamoose,” the Blackhawks said in a statement. “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.”
His son, Neil Sasakamoose, told the Tribune that Fred received a presumptive diagnosis of COVID-19 on Friday when hewas hospitalized, and itwas confirmed Sunday. Fred Sasakamoose is survived by his wife, Loretta, and two daughters — all of whom are currently self-isolating, Neil said — aswell as four sons.
Neil, 53, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, said his father religiously followed the NHL, the Blackhawks and Indigenous hockey players and sought to promote them even though he played the game for only a brief period.
“He’s always trying to elevate them (Indigenous players) and make sure people don’t forget them,” Neil said Tuesday. “Personally, I just don’t want him forgotten.
“I think he’s done well for the Blackhawks. He’s taken their logo all over Indigenous communities. … That guy wore the Blackhawks logo everywhere he went. For years that’s all he did.”
Neil said that in retrospect, he wished the league and the Hawks had more of a formal role and consistent contact with Fred because both meant so much to him.
“They don’t know what they had,” he said. “They had one of the best ambassadors — better than anyone — in North America that could promote hockey, promote race relations, promote inclusion, programs for Indigenous kids or kids in general.”
Fred, who was Cree, encountered prejudice in his personal life and on the ice. However, Neil said his father “had a remarkable sense of talking about racism in themost positive form you could possibly talk about. That would be one great attribute that he wanted people to remember.
“Racism exists, but it’s how you manage it. Anger is not a way to deal with racism. He knew it existed, but he didn’t believe in it.”
Throughout 2020, Fred gathered his thoughts on race and hockey, his upbringing, his legacy and other subjects for a book, “Call Me Indian.” It’s slated to be published April 6 by Penguin Random House.
Hockey Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier, who has Metis-Cree and Chippewa ancestry, wrote the foreword. Neil said Trottier had called him Tuesday hoping to have a last chance to talk to Fred, but hewas too ill.
“I texted him at 3 p.m. (Saskatchewan time) and said, ‘He’s gone,’ ” Neil said.
Fred Sasakamoose was born Dec. 25, 1933, in Sandy Lake Reserve, Saskatchewan, and spent his entire life at Ahtahkakoop Reserve.
He played four seasons with the Moose Jaw Canucks of theWestern Canadian Junior Hockey League in the early 1950s.
He played 11 games with the Black Hawks during the 1953-54 season. According to NHL.com, Sasakamoose went to training camp with the Black Hawks in 1954 but was sent to the minors, ultimately playing minor and senior hockey until he retired in 1960.