Fred Sasakamoose
Encyclopedia
Frederick "Chief Running Deer" Sasakamoose (born December 25, 1933) was the first Canadian aboriginal player in the National Hockey League
, and the first First Nations
player with treaty status.
He grew up on the Cree
Ahtahkakoop Indian reserve
in Saskatchewan
and learned to play hockey at an Indian residential school
in Duck Lake. In 1953 he was selected as the most valuable player in the junior Western Canada Junior Hockey League
. He made his debut in the NHL for the Chicago Black Hawks
at Maple Leaf Gardens
the night of February 27, 1954. He played with the Blackhawks during the rest of the 1953–1954 season, and in following years in the minor leagues. In 2002 he was honoured by the Blackhawks at a home game.
After retiring from hockey he 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 aboriginal children.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, and the first First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
player with treaty status.
He grew up on the Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
Ahtahkakoop Indian reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and learned to play hockey at an Indian residential school
Canadian residential school system
-History:Founded in the 19th century, the Canadian Indian residential school system was intended to assimilate the children of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada into European-Canadian society...
in Duck Lake. In 1953 he was selected as the most valuable player in the junior Western Canada Junior Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
. He made his debut in the NHL for the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
the night of February 27, 1954. He played with the Blackhawks during the rest of the 1953–1954 season, and in following years in the minor leagues. In 2002 he was honoured by the Blackhawks at a home game.
After retiring from hockey he 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 aboriginal children.