History, Astrology and Hockey Fred Sakamoose By: Gayle Geffner, Secretary, NCGR-LA

This article involves my three passions, history, astrology and ice hockey. 

            THE HISTORY AND HOCKEY

            Fred Sakamoose was born December 25, 1933, at Big River Indian Reservation (now called Whitefish Lake), SK and passed November 24, 2020. 

            There were a few indigenous persons who played ice hockey before him; however, he was the first First Nations person to be drafted and to play in the NHL.  (In Canada, the First Nations are the predominant indigenous peoples of Canada located south of the Arctic Circle).   He played center, was 5'8" and about 165 lbs., so not a large person.  Although I will mention quotes regarding racism, this article is to bring to light one very important person in the sport of  professional hockey.  He played eleven professional hockey games in the majors, for the Chicago Blackhawks, but those games made a great difference to the sport and to indigenous persons!

            His first game was November 20, 1953.  Former Philadelphia Flyer Reggie Leach said upon his death, “A lot of people say he only played eleven games.  But, those games were everything to our First Nations People.  He was the kindest man you would every meet and so down to earth” This quote is from a New York Times article Dec. 5, 2020 updated 12/9/20, written by Mike Ives.  Mr. Ives wrote that Sakamoose’s grandfather made his first skates by tying blades to his moccasins, used a willow branch as a hockey stick and a frozen cow disc for a puck.  Fred Sakamoose was taken from his home at a young age (as were many indigenous persons within the U.S. as well) and sent to an Indian residential school in order to further indigenous peoples’ education.  Here he was noticed by a priest who was the sports director and  was encouraged by to develop his skills which would include a great left-hand shot.  Other than hockey, school was terrible for him and at age 16 Sakamoose joined a junior hockey team.  He went on to the Chicago Blackhawks. [As an aside, the schools in the United States did not live up to their claims and often seemed to attempt to lessen the indigenous culture no matter what good the person(s) running the schools may have tried to do]. 

            In an article in the Chicago Tribune dated Nov 24, 2020, by Phil Thompson, he quotes Sakamoose’s son Neil when speaking of professional hockey and the Blackhawks, ‘”They did not know what they had.  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.” ‘ Neil Sakamoose  also quoted his father, “Racism exists but it is how you manage it.  Anger is not a way to deal with racism . . ..”  Fred Sakamoose wore his Blackhawks logo everywhere he went.  He was proud of his accomplishments. 

            Mike Ives stated that he (Sakamoose) brought hope and pride to people who had always been marginalized. 

            After playing for the Blackhawks Sakamoose went home (where he remained for the rest of his life) and on to, among other accomplishments, teaching music, being a Chief for six years and  developing sports programs for Indigenous children. 

            THE ASTROLOGY

            I could not find a birth time and as is an accepted astrological practice, I used noon as a birth time.  Thus, I will look only at planets, signs, rulerships and aspects.            There may seem a lot of repetition of planetary energy; however this is what shows a pattern to his life.  Thus, many placements will be repeated themes. 

            I have attached Mr. Sakamoose’s natal chart, the chart for his first hockey game and the chart for the day of his passing (again, I could not find a time for his passing and used a noon chart).

            His Sun, where he will shine is in Capricorn.  Capricorn is associated with the knees, joints and skeleton - essential for ice hockey.  The ruler of Capricorn is Saturn which is in Aquarius and there is a lot of technology in hockey, both in skills and equipment.  Aquarius is ruled by Uranus which is in Aries, a lot of energy, drive and unexpected events.  Aries is ruled by Mars which is in Capricorn again energy and drive.  The Sun chain gives him a lot to work with in his chosen sport.   Also, his South Node is in Leo which is the astrological sign of sports and Leo is ruled by the Sun which starts the Capricorn rulership chain just described.  Sports was something to which he had a core (karmic) connection.  In Leo he will be prominent.  This is truly his comfort zone.  His Sun rulership chain in this lifetime gives him the skeletal and technological propensity to succeed. He must have felt right at home as a small child the first time he was teetering on two blades sewn to is moccasins with no ankle support.  His skeleton could deal with it.

            His Uranus in Aries conjunct the Moon in Aries suggests a tremendous amount of energy and drive, chaos and the unexpected; a very intuitive drive which is great for hockey.  The good players can almost see the puck behind themselves.  He has the North Node in Aquarius so this again brings in technology and technique into the game.  His Pluto in Cancer (Cancer sits naturally on the fourth house of home and foundation) is ruled by the Moon in Aries - his home and foundation are a strong force in his goals and ability to overcome obstacles and reach the NHL.  He did transform the game (Pluto) just by being the first  First Nations person to play professionally.  However, part of this transformation is about the man he was and the role model he was for others.  There were only six teams in the NHL in 1953 with approximately 125 players (I am not sure of the exact number).  This is a pretty small group and a big accomplishment for Sakamoose, and an even larger influence on indigenous youth. 

            His natal Mars is square his natal Uranus so there is a lot of chaos, upheaval and unexpected events in his life and again with a lot of energy and drive behind what he does.  I think being the first First Nations person to play in the NHL was huge and unexpected and he worked very hard to get there. As a child he was one of eleven children, either 5 or 6 of whom passed away, was picked up by a bus one day and taken away from his home to the school (described above).  He is driven by Mars in Capricorn.  He has Uranus conjunct the Moon in Aries (ruled by his Mars) suggesting tremendous emotion, energy, drive, chaos and surprise.  This is all in addition to his Sun’s rulership chain. 

            His first game was in Chicago.  Evening games were scheduled at various times, 6:30, 7:00 or 7:30 P.M.  I chose 7:00 P.M. since I could not find a roster with the exact time of his first game.

            I am again going to use a chain of rulership (as previously discussed) to describe this game for Sakamoose.  The chain I am using is Sakamoose’s  natal Uranus in Aries ruled by Mars in Capricorn ruled by Saturn in Aquarius which goes back to Uranus which rules Aquarius.  I use rulership a lot but have not always carried it to its conclusion and I thank Melissa La Fara (President NCGR San Diego) and her lecture on rulerships and dignities to spur me on to continue to the end of the chain.  This makes a real difference when interpreting a chart without a time. 

            Sakamoose’s natal Moon (like his Uranus) is in Aries which is ruled by Mars (co-ruler of Scorpio which sits naturally on the eighth house) so here is a very strong connection to the eighth house which is other people’ money (i.e. hockey contract) and the psychology – a different mind set for the NHL  His Mars is square the game Saturn in the fifth house which is recreation/sports.  He will have to work very hard and overcome obstacles - he only played the eleven games and then went back to a minor league team for the rest of his career but he worked very hard and got those eleven games.  His natal Saturn sits in the game’s eighth house is trine the games Mars in Libra in the fourth house, a foundational change for the NHL (again the First Nations player in the NHL) that was hard fought with obstacles - the game’s Mars in Libra is the beginning of more player equity implemented by this game. His Mars is also conjunct the game’s North Node which is right on point for what should be happening for the sport with his energy and drive - it is the time for inclusiveness.  The game North Node is in the seventh house conjunct Sakamoose’s Mars in his eighth house which also brings in the NHL contract (seventh house) and other people’s money (eighth house).  His Mars is sextile the game’s Sun which is very good - very energetic and a game in which both the league and he will shine.  His Mars is square the game’s Neptune and Saturn, his place in the NHL was hard fought and it involved a lot of Karma (Saturn) and intuition (Neptune) on the part of the Blackhawks.   His Saturn sits in the game’s eighth house and  is square the games Mercury and Venus in the fifth house in Scorpio.  This would be his hard work and drive in the face of obstacles, changing hearts and minds in the world of sports.  Mercury and Venus are in Scorpio so there is an element of psychology here as well and I think for the better and for benefit of mankind. 

            His Sun in Capricorn is also opposite the game Ascendant in Cancer - he will shine a light on himself in that game and since Cancer rules the fourth house, this again suggests foundational changes for the NHL.

            His Natal Mars is opposite the game’s Uranus and South Node in Cancer in the first house.  This is a very important aspect.  His drive and energy helped shake up and change where the game was, on a core level, and to move forward toward inclusion.  Since Uranus and the South Node are in Cancer, the sign naturally sitting of the fourth house of foundation, this shake up was just as powerful and his Pluto aspects. 

            He passed away on November 24, 2020 in Prince Albert, SK.  Again I used noon since I could not find a time.  At this time we have his natal Mars conjunct his passing chart’s Pluto, Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn.  I bring this up since Capricorn is so prominent in his sports and his life.  These planets are within 5, 4 and 1 degree of his Mars.  Capricorn is ruled by Saturn and Saturn is in Aquarius in his natal chart which is ruled by Uranus or chaos.  Sakamoose died of complications from Covid 19.  Covid 19 came to light in North America around the time of Pluto/Saturn conjunction in Capricorn on January 12, 2020 and was conjunct his natal Mars by a 6 degree orb.  The Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in Capricorn the same year, less than a month before he passed, was conjunct his natal Mars by a 2 degree orb.  His life and death were both very  connected to his Capricorn Sun and its rulership chain, aspects to planets in Capricorn, and the planet Mars.

            These are such interesting charts of a man who meant so much.  I have looked at just a few of the planetary placements and a few pertinent aspects between the charts that truly tell his story.  Fred Sakamoose has a book scheduled to come out in April entitled I am Indian. According to Phil Thompson’s article, hockey legend, “Brian Trottier, who has Metis-Cree and Chippewa ancestry, wrote the forward to his book.”   Sakamoose’s legacy is strong and the book may tell a story that greatly reinforces his natal and game charts.