choppinbroccoli
Registered Trader
Hi, everyone!
It was nice to see the recognition Willie O'Ree got as he recently celebrated his 50th anniversary of breaking the colour barrier.
March 13 will be the 60th anniversary for another such pioneer, Larry Kwong.
Late in the 1947-48 season, Kwong, who was the leading scorer on the New York Rangers' farm team, got the call he had been waiting for. Kwong was ready to prove himself in the big league. Heartbreakingly, he would ride the bench in his first game until late in the third period. At last his turn came -- one mere minute of ice. But his lone shift in the Montreal Forum made history. He was the first player of Asian ancestry to crack the NHL, and he was a hero to Chinese communities on both sides of the border. "King" Kwong was presented with the keys to New York's Chinatown. Back in his home province of BC, my grandfather recalls following Kwong's progress in the news and taking heart in his achievement. After that one game, the Rangers demoted Kwong, and the NHL would not see another player of Asian descent for more than 40 years.
The numbers that Larry Kwong put up in the minors are impressive; he was the Quebec Senior League MVP in 1951. It certainly seems that Kwong, like Herb Carnegie, was not given a fair chance to realize his dream. I think Larry Kwong, now 84, deserves some notice too. I approached both card companies, but nothing is definite at this stage.
What do you think? Fukufuji made for a great story last year. Would you care to see Kwong get his cardboard due after 60 years? I guess this is a petition....
Cheers,
Chad
It was nice to see the recognition Willie O'Ree got as he recently celebrated his 50th anniversary of breaking the colour barrier.
March 13 will be the 60th anniversary for another such pioneer, Larry Kwong.
Late in the 1947-48 season, Kwong, who was the leading scorer on the New York Rangers' farm team, got the call he had been waiting for. Kwong was ready to prove himself in the big league. Heartbreakingly, he would ride the bench in his first game until late in the third period. At last his turn came -- one mere minute of ice. But his lone shift in the Montreal Forum made history. He was the first player of Asian ancestry to crack the NHL, and he was a hero to Chinese communities on both sides of the border. "King" Kwong was presented with the keys to New York's Chinatown. Back in his home province of BC, my grandfather recalls following Kwong's progress in the news and taking heart in his achievement. After that one game, the Rangers demoted Kwong, and the NHL would not see another player of Asian descent for more than 40 years.
The numbers that Larry Kwong put up in the minors are impressive; he was the Quebec Senior League MVP in 1951. It certainly seems that Kwong, like Herb Carnegie, was not given a fair chance to realize his dream. I think Larry Kwong, now 84, deserves some notice too. I approached both card companies, but nothing is definite at this stage.
What do you think? Fukufuji made for a great story last year. Would you care to see Kwong get his cardboard due after 60 years? I guess this is a petition....
Cheers,
Chad
Nice story and definitely needs to have more press about this trailblazer. Honestly, this is the first I've ever heard of Kwong and I hope it's not the last. Good luck with your attempts with the card companies... I hope they do come forward with a King Kwong card 
