Two former hockey players from Saskatchewan have been in the news, one, Johnny Bower sadly on his passing, and the other Fred Sasakamoose who has been recognized for his contribution to the game.
The news of both events had a personal element for me as I have interviewed both men in the past, considering them among my more memorable people I have thrown questions at.
Sasakamoose is among the newest appointments to the Order of Canada, one of four of them are from Saskatchewan.
The Order of Canada recognizes Canadian citizens who have made outstanding achievements, are dedicated to the community or have served the nation.
Sasakamoose was recognized for being the first Indigenous player in the NHL and his continued work promoting sports.
In a www.cbc.ca story Sasakamoose said receiving the award was a great honour, but he said it’s an award he shares with everyone who helped him on his journey. That includes his grandfather, who taught him to skate, on a lake, with bob skates over his moccasins. And a priest at the residential school who told him “someday, Freddie, I’m going to make a champion out of you.” And his mother, who encouraged him to leave home to play hockey.
“They were a part of my life, even now,” he said. “It’s beautiful. I share it with them.”
Sasakamoose became the NHL’s first native Canadian player when he suited up for 11 games with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1953-54. He was born on the Sandy Lake Reserve.
Sasakamoose is already a member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, inducted in 2007.
From the organization’s website at sasksportshalloffame.com it was noted, “Sasakamoose may be best known for his achievements on the ice, but he made his biggest contributions off it. As the first treaty Indian to play in the National Hockey League (NHL), Sasakamoose broke the barrier for generations of First Nations players to come at all levels of the game.
“Sasakamoose broke into the NHL during the six-team era, where he skated among the elite players in the league. He played 11 games with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 1953/54 season, but he also enjoyed a successful minor league hockey career.
“In 1962, Sasakamoose focused his efforts on hockey as one of the founding members of the Northern Indian Hockey League. His promotion of the game helped spur the construction of arenas in communities in northern Saskatchewan. More recently, he assisted with the All Nations Hockey School in Saskatoon before establishing the Fred Sasakamoose All Star Hockey Week; a hockey camp that focuses on diversity and integration in addition to hockey skills. Sasakamoose also served on the NHL Diversity Task Force, as well as the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.”
A trailblazer, the Order of Canada is certainly well-deserved.
Bower passes
In the case of Johnny Bower he passed away recently at the age of 93 after a short battle with pneumonia.
The Hall of Fame goaltender won four Stanley Cups with Toronto in the 1960s. He was even given a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame and was one of the first ‘Leaf Legends’ to be honoured with a bronze statue outside of the Air Canada Centre.
Bower grew up in rural Saskatchewan. He was the only boy in a family with nine.
Interestingly, Bower did not become a star until an age many are already considering retirement.
Considering he is in the Hall of Fame, it’s hard to believe Bower didn’t stay in the NHL on a full-time basis until he was in his 30s. In the Original Six era, it wasn’t that common for teams to carry backup goalies so he spent close to 12 years in the minors before landing full-time with the Leafs after a brief stint with the New York Rangers. Bower retired from the NHL four months after his 45th birthday, noted www.sportsnet.ca
Bower starred in four Stanley Cups, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967 and during his career he accumulated notable awards and achievements. The Frank Boucher Trophy in 1953, awarded to a New York Ranger that is the “most popular player on and off the ice” and the Vezina Trophy in 1960 and 1964, awarded to the NHL’s top goaltender.
Honoured for his outstanding career, Bower was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Cleveland and Rhode Island Halls of Fame, and was installed in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
One of the great ones from our province he will long be remembered by true hockey fans.
