Reg Fleming facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Reg Fleming
Reg Fleming in the penalty box at Madison Square Garden, circa 1965
Born	(1936-04-21)April 21, 1936 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died	July 11, 2009(2009-07-11) (aged 73) Arlington Heights, Illinois, U.S.
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Defence Left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins New York Rangers Philadelphia Flyers Buffalo Sabres Chicago Cougars
Playing career	1956–1978

Reginald Stephen "Reggie" Fleming (born April 21, 1936 – died July 11, 2009) was a professional ice hockey player. He played for over 20 years! Reggie was known for being a tough and strong player. He could play in different positions, like defence and forward. He also helped his team when they were a player short, which is called "killing penalties."

Reggie played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Buffalo Sabres. He also played for the Chicago Cougars in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and for many other smaller league teams.

Reggie's Early Hockey Days

Before joining the NHL, Reggie played junior hockey. He spent two seasons with the Montreal Junior Canadiens. Then, he played one year with St. Michael's in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA).

After junior hockey, Reggie started his minor league career. He played for teams like Shawinigan in the Quebec Senior Hockey League. He also played for Rochester in the American Hockey League and Kingston in the Eastern Professional Hockey League.

His strong and tough playing style got him a short tryout with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1959-60 NHL season. That summer, Reggie was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks in a big trade involving nine players.

Playing in the NHL and WHA

Reggie Fleming played four full seasons with the Chicago Black Hawks. He was on a very talented team with famous players like Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Glenn Hall, and Pierre Pilote. Reggie's tough style of play added important physical strength to the Blackhawks. This helped the team win the Stanley Cup in the 1960–61 season, which was his first year in Chicago.

He even scored an important goal in the final game of the NHL finals that year. The next season, he helped Bobby Hull score his 50th goal, which tied an NHL record. Reggie was a popular player in Chicago because of his determination and team spirit. He was known around the league as a very tough and competitive player.

Before the 1964–65 season, Reggie was traded to the Boston Bruins. In Boston, he mostly played as a forward. He had his best season there, scoring 18 goals and making 23 assists in 1964–65.

Midway through the next season, he was traded to the New York Rangers. He played for the Rangers for three and a half seasons. He was a popular and reliable player there. However, he was traded again to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 1969–70 season. His experience and fighting spirit helped the Flyers, who were a smaller and less aggressive team at the time.

In the 1970 expansion draft, Reggie was picked by the Buffalo Sabres. In the 1970–71 season, his last in the NHL, he had his highest number of penalty minutes.

After his time in the NHL, Reggie played in minor leagues again. He played for the Cincinnati Swords and the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in 1971–72. Then, he returned to Chicago to play for the Cougars in the new WHA league. In 1972–73, he scored 23 goals and played his usual tough game. However, injuries started to affect him the next season, which was his last in the WHA. Reggie played a few more seasons in minor leagues in the mid-western United States before retiring in 1978.

Later Life and Health

Reggie Fleming faced health challenges later in his life. He had a stroke and a heart attack. For five years, he lived at the Claremont Rehab and Living Center. During this time, his son, Chris Fleming, filmed their conversations. He hoped to share his father's memories with fans online. These videos showed Reggie's fight with illness and his efforts to remember his favorite moments.

Reggie passed away at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois on July 11, 2009. Six months after his death, brain doctors at Boston University found that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E.). This is a brain disease that can happen after repeated head injuries. Reggie was the first hockey player known to be tested for this disease. It had mostly been linked to sports like boxing and American football before. Reggie is survived by his two children, Chris and Kelly Fleming.

Career Statistics