Didier Pitre

Who was Didier Pitre?

Joseph George Didier "Cannonball" Pitre was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was nicked named "Cannonball". One of the first players to join the Montreal Canadiens, Pitre's French-Canadian heritage helped give his line-mates the nickname the Flying Frenchmen, brought upon by his exceptional speed. As well as playing for the Canadiens, Pitre played for several other teams in various leagues such as the International Professional Hockey League, the first professional hockey league, and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. A prolific scorer, Pitre helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 1916. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1963. He was the uncle of Vic Desjardins, a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.