BIRTHPLACE: Grand Forks, ND.

BORN: September 26, 1914

DIED: February 21, 2001

TEAMS/ASSOCIATIONS: St. Louis Eagles, St. Louis Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, St. Paul Saints

When Fido Purpur stepped on the ice with the St. Louis Eagles in 1934, he had become North Dakota’s first native son to play in the National Hockey League. Purpur made the NHL when he was just 20 years old and when the Eagles folded after the 1935 season, he signed with the American Hockey Association’s St. Louis Flyers. He stayed with the Flyers until 1942, when he returned to the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks.

In St. Louis, Purpur was idolized by the fans not only for his gutsy play, great speed, and small stature, but also because he always took time out to talk to the fans and sign autographs for the youngsters. His best year of many good years in St. Louis was 1939, when he scored 35 goals and 43 assists in the regular season and three goals and three assists in the playoffs, as St. Louis won the Harry F. Sinclair trophy, which was emblematic of the league championship.

The Blackhawks obtained Purpur with the idea of teaming him on a line with Max and Doug Bentley. He was also the player they used to shadow the great Montreal player, the legendary Maurice “Rocket” Richard.

“I followed him everywhere,” recalled Purpur. Playing all 50 games for the 1934 Blackhawks, he scored 13 goals and 16 assists. The following year the Hawks made the Stanley Cup finals, losing to Montreal 4 games to 0, but in the semifinals, Purpur had a strong series against Detroit, scoring a goal in the fourth game of the five-game series. He played with both Chicago and Detroit in 1945, appearing with the latter in the finals against Toronto.

Completing his professional career with St. Paul of the United States Hockey League in 1947, Purpur returned to North Dakota, where he served as the coach at the University of North Dakota from 1949-1956. As a resident of Grand Forks, Fido was also the father of six hockey playing sons.