Larry Kwong

[Romero]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9D94wWEHATA/TVydt7a5SKI/AAAAAAAALhA/T5CgeH4qdsM/s1600/kwong.jpg">



http://www.mhso.ca/tiesthatbind/images/interviewee_galleries/LarryKwong/LarryKwong_4_xl.jpg">



L@rry Kwong, born Eng Kai Geong (born June 17, 1923 in Vernon, British Columbia), was the first Chinese Canadian to play in the National Hockey League, and broke the colour barrier. He was also the first NHL player from Vernon, BC, and the Okanagan region. Born to immigrant grocer parents, Kwong played as a forward and was called the "China Clipper" (name later used for CFL player Normie Kwong) and "King" Kwong.



Kwong powered the Vernon Hydrophones to the midget hockey championship of BC in 1939 and then to the provincial juvenile title in 1941. As an 18-year-old, Kwong jumped the junior ranks to play senior hockey for the Trail Smoke Eaters, who had won the 1939 World Ice Hockey Championships. In Trail, he was denied a job working with his teammates at the smelter because of his Chinese heritage.



In 1944, Kwong was drafted into the Canadian Army. Instead of being deployed overseas, he was selected to join "Sugar" Jim Henry and Mac Colville on the Red Deer Wheelers of the Central Alberta Garrison Hockey League. The Wheelers defeated the Calgary Combines (starring two-time NHL scoring champion Sweeney Schriner) in the playoff semi-final, before falling to Calgary Currie Army (whose roster included Hart Trophy winners Max Bentley and Tommy Anderson) in the final series.



After World War II, Kwong returned to Trail and won the provincial senior hockey championship with the Smoke Eaters in 1946. In that BC Final series against the New Westminster Royals, Kwong led the Smokies in scoring and scored the Savage Cup-winning goal. Later that year, Lester Patrick scouted Kwong and was impressed, signing him for the New York Rovers, a farm team of the New York Rangers. Kwong scored a goal in his debut for the Rovers against the Boston Olympics in Boston on Oct. 27, 1946. At Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17, 1946, Shavey Lee presented Kwong with the Keys to New York's Chinatown. Kwong went on to lead the New York Rovers in scoring in 1947–1948 with 86 points in 65 games.



Less than a year after Jackie Robinson shattered the baseball colour line, L@rry Kwong broke the barrier in hockey. On March 13, 1948, Kwong made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers, wearing number 11, against Maurice Richard and the Montreal Canadiens in the Montreal Forum. Kwong waited until late in the third period before seeing the ice for his only shift of the night. He tallied no points in what would be his only big-league game.



Kwong went on to have a long and distinguished career in senior leagues in Canada and the United States. Coached by Toe Blake, Kwong was named as an assistant captain of the Valleyfield Braves. In 1951, Kwong won the Vimy Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the QSHL. That year, he led the Valleyfield Braves to the league championship and then to the Alexander Cup, the Canadian major senior title. In the following QSHL season (1951–52), Kwong's 38 goals were topped only by Jean Béliveau's 45 tallies. In his nine-year tenure in the Quebec League, competing against future NHL All-Stars such as Béliveau, Jacques Plante, Dickie Moore, Gerry McNeil and Jean-Guy Talbot, Kwong averaged better than a point per game.



http://oi47.tinypic.com/13zy0ed.jpg">



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kwong">//http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kwong







Awards:

QSHL First All-Star Team

QSHL Byng of Vimy Trophy (MVP)

Calgary Asian Heritage Award

Society of North American Hockey Historians and Researchers Heritage Award

Okanagan Hockey School inaugural Pioneer Award

2013 BC Sports Hall of Fame Inductee



http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ClRyWvwVy_M/TFmX0n13GpI/AAAAAAAABQA/ztNpbvQR1R0/s320/Larry+Kwong+and+Trevor+Linden.jpg">    http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4798283379_81733d6bd8_m.jpg">







CBC The National profile: King Kwong



http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/ID/2362342507/">//http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/ID/2362342507/

[Anonymous]

That is a fascinating story Romero. I always thought Willie O'Ree was the first pro minority player. Normally I would be more excited, but I just can't help but think of the impact the Iginla trade will have on this year's Stanley Cup. I can't see anything stopping Pittsburgh now.

[Gary Oak]

Chinese complaining about racism in sport is extreme hypocracy. They love how they backstab non chinese in sport and deem it cleverness as long as we don't find out how horrible sportmen they are. My boxing experiences in CHhina are far beyond anything chinese or blacks had to endure. They simply wouldn't allow me to compete unless it was ridiculously rigged [ yet they all including those involved want to move to Canada and hate us here ]  When the chinese Hong Kong police  packed the gloves with iron ballbearings when the audience was about 200 British police really exposed them for how fanatically racist they are. The British police must have been astounded when I lost the decision and then when they found out that they PACKED THE GLOVES WITHH IRON BALLBEARINGS  there must have been some humiliation going on. What were they thinking ? A chinese cop told me that "it is a major disgrace for chinese to lose to a white person"

[Laughing Out Loud]

Chinese complaining about racism in sport is extreme hypocracy. They love how they backstab non chinese in sport and deem it cleverness as long as we don't find out how horrible sportmen they are. My boxing experiences in CHhina are far beyond anything chinese or blacks had to endure. They simply wouldn't allow me to compete unless it was ridiculously rigged [ yet they all including those involved want to move to Canada and hate us here ]  When the chinese Hong Kong police  packed the gloves with iron ballbearings when the audience was about 200 British police really exposed them for how fanatically racist they are. The British police must have been astounded when I lost the decision and then when they found out that they PACKED THE GLOVES WITHH IRON BALLBEARINGS  there must have been some humiliation going on. What were they thinking ? A chinese cop told me that "it is a major disgrace for chinese to lose to a white person"

That is an incredible story. Do they pack ballbearings into the material of the gloves and then sew them back up again?

[Romero]

That is a fascinating story Romero. I always thought Willie O'Ree was the first pro minority player. Normally I would be more excited, but I just can't help but think of the impact the Iginla trade will have on this year's Stanley Cup. I can't see anything stopping Pittsburgh now.

It's gonna be something else with a renewed Iginla playing with Crosby. And the Pens also just got top playoff performer Brenden Morrow a few days ago. They're really going for it!

[Romero]

I'm not into team sports, but I was also intrigued by what I saw on last night's National. He was obviously a gifted athlete, but due to rampant racism he is a footnote in hockey history.



He should be given a special spot at the Hockey Hall of Fame. Maybe not an induction, but at least something showing his historical contribution to breaking the colour barrier.

I wish they gave him at least one full game. Oh well, his career was pretty spectacular nonetheless. Most NHL'ers could only dream of such accomplishments.

[Anonymous]

That is a fascinating story Romero. I always thought Willie O'Ree was the first pro minority player. Normally I would be more excited, but I just can't help but think of the impact the Iginla trade will have on this year's Stanley Cup. I can't see anything stopping Pittsburgh now.

It's gonna be something else with a renewed Iginla playing with Crosby. And the Pens also just got top playoff performer Brenden Morrow a few days ago. They're really going for it!

Pittsburgh is on a tear lately too winning 14 in a row and that is without Iginla. Chris Kunits is second in the chase for the Art Ross and James Neal has got over 30 points. Malkin is still a given. After that they have Letang, Dupuis and Martin who all add some offense. Pittsburgh is the team to beat.

[Gary Oak]

Chinese complaining about racism in sport is extreme hypocracy. They love how they backstab non chinese in sport and deem it cleverness as long as we don't find out how horrible sportmen they are. My boxing experiences in CHhina are far beyond anything chinese or blacks had to endure. They simply wouldn't allow me to compete unless it was ridiculously rigged [ yet they all including those involved want to move to Canada and hate us here ]  When the chinese Hong Kong police  packed the gloves with iron ballbearings when the audience was about 200 British police really exposed them for how fanatically racist they are. The British police must have been astounded when I lost the decision and then when they found out that they PACKED THE GLOVES WITHH IRON BALLBEARINGS  there must have been some humiliation going on. What were they thinking ? A chinese cop told me that "it is a major disgrace for chinese to lose to a white person"

That is an incredible story. Do they pack ballbearings into the material of the gloves and then sew them back up again?

    They make a slit at a certain place, [ I was shown ] and after taking the padding out replace the padding with iron ball bearings. They will do it if they believe that they can get away with it, even against each other.

[Gary Oak]

are you a moron ?

[Anonymous]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9D94wWEHATA/TVydt7a5SKI/AAAAAAAALhA/T5CgeH4qdsM/s1600/kwong.jpg">



http://www.mhso.ca/tiesthatbind/images/interviewee_galleries/LarryKwong/LarryKwong_4_xl.jpg">



L@rry Kwong, born Eng Kai Geong (born June 17, 1923 in Vernon, British Columbia), was the first Chinese Canadian to play in the National Hockey League, and broke the colour barrier. He was also the first NHL player from Vernon, BC, and the Okanagan region. Born to immigrant grocer parents, Kwong played as a forward and was called the "China Clipper" (name later used for CFL player Normie Kwong) and "King" Kwong.



Kwong powered the Vernon Hydrophones to the midget hockey championship of BC in 1939 and then to the provincial juvenile title in 1941. As an 18-year-old, Kwong jumped the junior ranks to play senior hockey for the Trail Smoke Eaters, who had won the 1939 World Ice Hockey Championships. In Trail, he was denied a job working with his teammates at the smelter because of his Chinese heritage.



In 1944, Kwong was drafted into the Canadian Army. Instead of being deployed overseas, he was selected to join "Sugar" Jim Henry and Mac Colville on the Red Deer Wheelers of the Central Alberta Garrison Hockey League. The Wheelers defeated the Calgary Combines (starring two-time NHL scoring champion Sweeney Schriner) in the playoff semi-final, before falling to Calgary Currie Army (whose roster included Hart Trophy winners Max Bentley and Tommy Anderson) in the final series.



After World War II, Kwong returned to Trail and won the provincial senior hockey championship with the Smoke Eaters in 1946. In that BC Final series against the New Westminster Royals, Kwong led the Smokies in scoring and scored the Savage Cup-winning goal. Later that year, Lester Patrick scouted Kwong and was impressed, signing him for the New York Rovers, a farm team of the New York Rangers. Kwong scored a goal in his debut for the Rovers against the Boston Olympics in Boston on Oct. 27, 1946. At Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17, 1946, Shavey Lee presented Kwong with the Keys to New York's Chinatown. Kwong went on to lead the New York Rovers in scoring in 1947–1948 with 86 points in 65 games.



Less than a year after Jackie Robinson shattered the baseball colour line, L@rry Kwong broke the barrier in hockey. On March 13, 1948, Kwong made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers, wearing number 11, against Maurice Richard and the Montreal Canadiens in the Montreal Forum. Kwong waited until late in the third period before seeing the ice for his only shift of the night. He tallied no points in what would be his only big-league game.



Kwong went on to have a long and distinguished career in senior leagues in Canada and the United States. Coached by Toe Blake, Kwong was named as an assistant captain of the Valleyfield Braves. In 1951, Kwong won the Vimy Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the QSHL. That year, he led the Valleyfield Braves to the league championship and then to the Alexander Cup, the Canadian major senior title. In the following QSHL season (1951–52), Kwong's 38 goals were topped only by Jean Béliveau's 45 tallies. In his nine-year tenure in the Quebec League, competing against future NHL All-Stars such as Béliveau, Jacques Plante, Dickie Moore, Gerry McNeil and Jean-Guy Talbot, Kwong averaged better than a point per game.



http://oi47.tinypic.com/13zy0ed.jpg">



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kwong">//http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kwong







Awards:

QSHL First All-Star Team

QSHL Byng of Vimy Trophy (MVP)

Calgary Asian Heritage Award

Society of North American Hockey Historians and Researchers Heritage Award

Okanagan Hockey School inaugural Pioneer Award

2013 BC Sports Hall of Fame Inductee



http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ClRyWvwVy_M/TFmX0n13GpI/AAAAAAAABQA/ztNpbvQR1R0/s320/Larry+Kwong+and+Trevor+Linden.jpg">    http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4798283379_81733d6bd8_m.jpg">







CBC The National profile: King Kwong



http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/ID/2362342507/">//http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/ID/2362342507/

Thank you for posting this Romero..



I am embarrassed to admit that I have never heard of Larry Kwong.

[Romero]

Don't feel embarrassed! I'm supposed to be a big hockey fan and I only found out about him a few days ago.



And his career was a long time ago. It's so nice to see his accomplishments being recognized.

[Anonymous]

Don't feel embarrassed! I'm supposed to be a big hockey fan and I only found out about him a few days ago.



And his career was a long time ago. It's so nice to see his accomplishments being recognized.

I am going to print the op and show it to my husband..



He's also a big hockey fan, so I am curious if he has even heard of Larry Kwong..

[Romero]

Cool. And let him know(if he doesn't already) that the Women's World Hockey Championship starts tomorrow night on TSN!

[Anonymous]

Cool. And let him know(if he doesn't already) that the Women's World Hockey Championship starts tomorrow night on TSN!

Shit, I forgot all about that. Thanks dude.

[Romero]

The women's and juniors can really sneak up on ya sometimes.