First Nations remember the star from Sandy Lake

It took almost four decades, but Fred Sasakamoose finally returned to the ice in Kamloops.

Sasakamoose, a Cree from Saskatchewan’s Sandy Lake First Nation, is legendary in Canadian sporting circles, becoming the first Aboriginal to play in the National Hockey League.

Sasakamoose, who is now 76, played 11 games for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1953-54 season. Following his stint with the Blackhawks, Sasakamoose suited up for minor pro teams in Chicoutimi, New Westminster and Calgary. He then joined the Kamloops Chiefs, who competed in the Okanagan Senior Amateur Hockey League, starting with the 1956-57 season. Sasakamoose spent five years playing in Kamloops before going back to his home province. Sasakamoose, however, returned to Kamloops on Jan. 13.

That’s because the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers brought him to their western Canadian city to honor him during the club’s First Nations Night.

“That was quite a good feeling,” Sasakamoose said.

During his trip to B.C., Sasakamoose had dinner with a handful of his former Chiefs teammates. He was then honoured in a pre-game reception during the Blazers’ home contest against the Portland Winterhawks at the Kamloops’ rink, the Interior Savings Centre.

“The people I had been greeted by, including the chief (in 1957), are not living anymore,” Sasakamoose said. “There was a new era of life there, but they still remembered me.”

In fact, members of the crowd, which was about 4,800 that game, lined up throughout the contest to get Sasakamoose’s autograph.

“I didn’t even get to see the game,” Sasakamoose said. “I was signing autographs all the way until the middle of the third period when the chief finally came over and said that’s enough.”

During his Kamloops’ visit, Sasakamoose also went to see the arena where the Chiefs used to play their matches.

“When I closed my eyes it was as if I could still hear and see all the Natives (who used to come to the games) on their drums,” he said. “It really brought back a lot of memories.”

Blazers’ communications and media co-ordinator Tim O’Donovan said the organization had thought about staging a First Nations Night for quite some time.

The Kamloops Indian Band is a strong supporter of the Blazers. In fact, it is a sponsor of the team. And the band also purchased 500 tickets for the First Nations Night game.

Another former NHL player, Gino Odjick, was also scheduled to be in attendance that evening, but he was unable to attend due to health reasons.

O’Donovan said, because of the success of this year’s event, the Blazers want to continue having a First Nations Night. And they are keen to keep inviting Sasakamoose back.

“I think it’s something we will do annually,” he said.

And would Sasakamoose be willing to do that?

“It all depends on my age,” he said. “But I’m still in good shape.

I ride a stationary bike two hours every morning and then I go out and cut wood because I burn wood in my house.”

Sasakamoose still lives on the Sandy Lake First Nation, located about 130 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.