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Frederick George Bourdginon, who's name was interpreted as "Bergdinon" in NHL circles, was
born in Parry Sound, Ontario, on June 22nd, 1906. The only child from his father's third
marriage, Fred was raised as such, given that his half-siblings were much older than he
was and had already left the family home to make their own lives.
Described as a handsome young man and a good athlete, Fred was popular in his small hometown.
His father was very proud of him, and encouraged him to play hockey, which was often seen as
a waste of time and not a viable career in the 1920s. He also bought Fred one of the first
automobiles in town.
Fred began to play organized hockey in high school and later played for Parry Sound's junior
OHA team. At some point around 1924, he is believed to have signed a professional contract and
joined an unknown team in Minnesota. From there, he was likely discovered by a scout, which
landed him with the Boston Bruins of the NHL.
Fred was signed as a free agent on December 14th, 1925, but would appear in only 2 games with the
fledgling NHL franchise. Though not confirmed, it would appear that in a
game against the Montreal Maroons, Hall of Fame inductee and goon Nels Stewart
* put Bergdinon
over the boards and broke all of his ribs on one side. Fred was done for the 1925-26 season, but would return
to Beantown for training camp the next season. Despite his best efforts, Fred was not up-to-snuff, and
was sent back home to Canada once and for all.
With his hockey career over so soon after it started, Fred settled in Windsor
where his parents now lived. It is there that he met Anna May McClune, who had recently immigrated from
Belfast, Ireland. Fred and Anna later married and had two children.
The industrial revolution was now in full swing, and the Windsor-Detroit area was a hub of activity with
plenty of work. Fred took on many jobs as a truck driver
over the years which included work on the Ambassador bridge, which connects Canada and the United
States, Ford Motor Company and International Cartage, which he remained with until his retirement.
During his time at Ford, Fred was injured in an industrial accident which resulted in the loss of sight in
one of his eyes. This condition would later exempt him from serving in the Second World War. His job
at Ford also placed him in the company of the not-yet-famous union leader Jimmy Hoffa, who was alleged to
have had ties to organized crime. Though the two were not friends, they undoubtedly knew one another as
Fred was a member of the teamsters union local for which Hoffa served as business agent before later rising
to the rank of international president in 1957.
After retirement, Fred stayed active playing golf and enjoying life with his children and grandchildren.
Despite his long past ties to the Bruins, Fred, like most Windsor residents, cheered for the Detroit
Red Wings. He rarely spoke about his time in pro hockey, and had never returned to the sport.
On Saturday, March 18, 1995, Fred and his son John were travelling to the family cottage on lake
Erie near Leamington when their car was broad sided by a truck which failed to stop at an intersection.
Like his wife Anna, who was also killed in car accident some thirteen years earlier, Fred was killed instantly,
and John died later in hospital. Fred was 89 and John was 50. They are buried in the cemetery at St-John's
Anglican Church in Windsor.
*
I have also heard that Newsy Lalonde was the player who checked Bergdinon
into the boards, ending his career. However, statistics show that Lalonde played the 1925-26 season in
Saskatchewan, so he and Fred likely never met on the ice. Do you have information on Fred or his career?
Drop me a line at Comments@losthockey.com
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Player Facts
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NHL Seasons
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1
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Goals
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0
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Assists
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0
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Born
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June 22nd, 1906
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Died
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March 18, 1995
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Nickname
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None
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Team
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Bruins
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Stats
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