Larry Kwong
Canadian ice hockey player / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lawrence Kwong (born Eng Kai Geong; Chinese: 吳啟光; June 17, 1923 – March 15, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who was the first player of Asian descent in the National Hockey League (NHL),[1] playing a short shift at the end of the third period. He was the NHL's first player who was neither white, nor Aboriginal North American, debuting ten years before Willie O'Ree. Although denied much playing time in the NHL, Kwong was a top player in senior hockey leagues outside the NHL throughout his entire career and battled the likes of Jean Beliveau for the scoring race in Quebec.
Larry Kwong | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
(1923-06-17)June 17, 1923 Vernon, British Columbia, Canada | ||
Died |
March 15, 2018(2018-03-15) (aged 94) Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||
Weight | 150 lb (68 kg; 10 st 10 lb) | ||
Position | Forward | ||
Shot | Right | ||
Played for | New York Rangers | ||
Playing career | 1941–1959 |
Kwong came from a Cantonese-speaking family, and was also the first NHL player from Vernon, British Columbia, and the Okanagan region. Kwong's nicknames included the "China Clipper" and "King Kwong".[2]
After his playing days, he lived in Europe and became the first ethnic Chinese coach of a professional hockey club in Switzerland. In his later years, he returned to Canada and operated a supermarket, following his father's footsteps.