Alex Decoteau Historical Timeline, contribution from Izola Mottershead, niece of Alex DeCoteau
Date: November 19, 1887 - 2002
Alex Decoteau was Canada's best long-distance runner.
Alex Decoteau was a long-distance runner, Canada's first Aboriginal police officer and a local hero.
Alex Decoteau was born in Saskatchewan on the Red Pheasant Reserve
November 19 th , 1887: Alexander Decoteau (pronounced Alec Dakota) was a Cree Indian, born on the Red Pheasant Reserve near North Battleford, Saskatchewan. His family name was most likely "Dakota" originally. His father (Peter Decoteau) was one of Poundmaker's warriors at the battle of Cut Knife Hill on May 2, 1995. His mother was from the Wuttunee family, whose descendents included lawyers and university professors.
Feb. 3, 1891: The death of Alex's father caused Alex to attend the Battleford Industrial School in Saskatchewan. Alex participated in and excelled in boxing, cricket, soccer and running.
Alex was encouraged to become an athlete when he was young
1903: Alex was encouraged to become an athlete by a group of visiting Irish police. They taught the mission school children to play soccer. Alex and his brother Peter become members of the Battleford Industrial High School soccer team. The team became Provincial soccer champions of Saskatchewan.
Alex won a violin in one of his races in Saskatchewan
While in Battleford, Saskatchewan, Alex purposely placed second because the second place prize was a violin. Alex knew that his mother loved music and particularly the violin, se he asked his cousin Peter to win the race. The violin is stamped inside "Made in Cremona, Italy, 1645".
Alex Decoteau lived with his sister Emily and her husband David Latta who was a blacksmith
1909: Alex had two brothers and one sister. Alex left Battleford to live with his sister Emily in Edmonton. Emily was married to David Latta, an Irish born former member of the North West Mounted Police. David had retired from the police department and opened a blacksmith shop. Alex was later hired by the City of Edmonton Police Department in 1911.
Alex lived in Edmonton
1909: Alex Decoteau lived with his sister Emily and David Latta during the time he was a police officer with the Edmonton Police Department. They lived in a home at 91 st Street and Jasper Avenue. The house no longer remains, but the historic Latta Bridge marks the site.
Alex won second place against policeman Dan Fraser
May 24 th , 1909: Alex competes in a one-mile race at Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta and places second to policeman Dan Fraser.
Alex won his second competitive race
June 29 th , 1909: Alex won his second competitive race in 28 min. 41 sec., which was the five mile race that marked the opening of the Edmonton Exhibition. He broke the previous record, which had been set by an Olympic athlete.
August 5 th , 1909: At the Caledonian Sports Event in Edmonton, Alex won the five-mile race in 27m31s and the one-mile race in 4m49s. One month later at the Provincial games in Calgary he won both the five and one mile races again.
1909: C.W.Cross, Alberta's first Attorney General, established the Cross Cup race to be run four times a year, along the same course. The course consisted of running to the Y.M.C.A. building, going north on First Street for two and a half miles and returning back. Alex easily won the five-mile race, which had a field of seven competitors and managed to set a new record of 26m34s.
May 24 th , 1910: Alex won the ten-mile and the one-mile races at the Fort Saskatchewan meet. Alex was also the first winner of the Edmonton Journal's Special Prize in the event for winning both races on the same day.
Alex Decoteau won four races in one day
July 1 st , 1910: Alex entered the Provincial championships in Lethbridge. In the course of one day, he won the four events he entered - the half-mile, the one-mile, the two-mile and the five-mile. Two days later in Lloydminster, Alex would set a new Western Canadian record for the same event covering five miles in 27m45s, winning the Mayberry Cup.
1910 Alex entered the Calgary Herald Christmas Road Race for the first time. The race was held on December 25 th of each year. It was the biggest sporting event of the year. The trophy was highly coveted by all distance runners. Alex ran a magnificent race and won by setting a new record that was never broken in the history of the race.
Alex Decoteau was Canada's first Aboriginal police officer
1911: Alex became the first Aboriginal police officer in Canada when he went to work for the Edmonton Police Force. For the month of January, Alex worked for the last half of the month and was paid $33.55 for his police work.
Alex won the Cross Cup race for the fifth time
1911: The Cross Cup was permanently awarded to Alex after he won the race for the fifth time in six years.
Annie Jackson was Canada's first female police officer
1912: Annie Jackson becomes Canada's first female police officer, joining the Edmonton Police Force. Annie's hiring was considered so remarkable that she was mentioned in newspapers as far away as Toronto and London, England. She resigned from the police force in 1918.
May 24 th , 1912: At the Olympic trials in fort Saskatchewan, Alex won the ten-mile race in 59 minutes, one full minute under the Olympic qualifying time.
In 1912 Alex Decoteau competed at the Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden
1912: Alex was granted leave from the police force to compete in the 5,000-metre race at the Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the only Albertan on the Canadian team. In the final, Alex was in third place during the first part of the race but he developed leg cramps and had to withdraw. He was back at his job the day after his return from Stockholm.
Alex Decoteau was one of the first motorcycle policemen in Canada
1913: Alex was part of the police escort for the party of dignitaries that opened the High Level Bridge. He was later assigned to lock the bridge each night, riding a motorcycle to carry out his duty. He was one of the first motorcycle policemen in the city and in Canada.
July 1, 1913: Alex won the one-mile race at the Alberta Championship meet.
World War I begins in Europe
1914: World War I begins in Europe. A folklore legend exists about Alex being enthusiastic about the war effort and wanting to enlist with the Canadian Army. At that time, the services of Aboriginals was absolutely voluntary.
Alex was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the Edmonton Police Department
1914: Alex was the first Aboriginal Canadian to be promoted to the rank of Sergeant in any municipal police force. He was put in charge of the No. 4 Station at 121 Street and 102 Avenue.
Alex set a new Alberta record for the 2-mile run in Edmonton
1914: Alex sets a new Alberta record for the 2-mile run at the city's Amalgamation Day sports event, which celebrated the uniting of Edmonton with Strathcona in 1912.
Alex won the Calgary Herald Road Race again
1914: Alex is again winner of the Calgary Herald Christmas road Race. He won the race easily.
Alex won the Calgary Herald Road Race trophy permanently
1915: Alex won the Calgary Herald Christmas Road Race for a third time and was awarded the trophy permanently. Alex protected himself against the cold wind with a toque pulled down over his face. He also protected his legs with stockings and his hands with gloves.
Alex joined the Canadian Army
April 24 th , 1916: Alex resigns from the Edmonton Police Department. He joins the Canadian Army as a private in the 202 nd Battalion also nicknamed "Edmonton Sportsmen's Battalion". He was later transferred to the 49 th Edmonton Regiment.
King George V gave Alex his gold pocket watch
During the time Alex was stationed in Europe, he participated in two memorable races in England. Alex entered a five-mile race in a military sports day in England and won. King George V, who attended the event, awarded Alex his own gold pocket watch because the trophy was late arriving. Alex treasured this watch as one of his finest awards and carried it with him throughout his stay in Europe. The next day, thinking that the race he entered in was a foot race, Alex ran to the location of the event. Upon arrival, he discovered it was a bicycle race. Alex borrowed a bike and won the race.
Alex wrote a war letter to his sister from Belgium
Sept. 10, 1917: Now stationed in Belgium, Alex wrote a letter to his sister. He wrote about the many acquaintances from home he had met, including the Aboriginal runner Tom Longboat. He also related his experience with trench fever, wartime conditions, missing his country and the soldiers' attitudes.
October 30 th , 1917: Alex was killed in battle at Passchendale by a sniper's bullet. There is a folklore legend about how a German sniper who shot Alex managed to take the pocket watch that Alex received from King George V and the watch being later recovered when Alex's comrades killed the enemy sniper. The watch was sent back home to Alex's mother as a memento of her son. Alex was buried in Flanders Field at Ypres, Belgium. He was only 29 when he died, at a time when he was Canada's greatest marathon runner.
November 1917: An article in the Edmonton Bulletin read, "Decoteau's Name in the List." Alex's name was included under the heading "Killed in Action" in the weekly casualty list. "In all probability this is none other than Alec Decoteau, Edmonton's premier middle and long distance runner, whose next of kin reside at Battleford, Saskatchewan."
1966: Edmonton police officer Sam Donaghey helps revive the story of Alex Decoteau. While helping to move files, Sam discovers news clipping about Alex in the bottom of a file drawer. Sam begins to research and write about the story of Alex Decoteau.
1967: Alex was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in Track and Field events.
1977: Sam Donaghey was inducted into the city of Edmonton Historical Hall of Fame for his research on the history of the police service in Edmonton and on Alex Decoteau.
1983: the Alberta Native Education Foundation organized The Alex Decoteau Run. It was established to raise funds for Alberta Aboriginal students and to commemorate Alex's athletic legacy.
1985: A special ceremony was held by the Red Pheasant First Nation on the Red Pheasant Reserve in Saskatchewan to bring Alex's spirit home from Belgium for a proper Aboriginal burial. It was believed that without an Aboriginal burial, Alex's spirit would be left to wander the earth.
2000: Alex was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, honoured for his play with the Provincial soccer champions in 1903.
2001: The theatrical play, "Running - the Alex Decoteau Story" written by playwright and teacher Charlotte Cameron, was premiered at the Edmonton Fringe Festival and received great acclaim. The play chronicled the life of Alex Decoteau.
2001: Alex was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum by the efforts of retired police officer Sam Donaghey. Alex was awarded the Pioneer Award posthumously.
May 4 th , 2001: The Alex Decoteau Run at Rundle Park was organized as a way of celebrating his life and legacy for all students.
May 3 rd , 2002: The 2 nd Annual Alex Decoteau Run at Rundle Park was attended by the Edmonton Police Chief and children from eight schools including a school from Saddle Lake. More than 1,000 kindergarten to Grade 9 school children participated in the event running distances from 400 to 5,000 metres.
Alex Decoteau was a great Canadian athlete
Alex Decoteau was an outstanding athlete and served his community as a police officer, family member, friend and soldier. He overcame many challenges and made many contributions to his city, province and country.
The Heritage Community Foundation developed this timeline with generous help from Izola Mottershead.