Norman Kwong

Kwong, Norman L.
Norman L. Kwong, "The China Clipper," football player, businessman, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta (b Lim Kwong Yew at Calgary, Alta, 24 Oct 1929). Kwong was born in Calgary to Chinese grocers who, in the early 1900s, had immigrated to Canada from Canton, China, despite the $500 head tax the Canadian government required of Chinese immigrants. Kwong began his CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE (CFL) career in 1948 as Canada's first professional Chinese Canadian player, just one year after Chinese Canadians were granted the franchise. At 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, Kwong was an unlikely threat on the football field, but together with teammate Johnny BRIGHT, Kwong gave the EDMONTON ESKIMOS a potent running attack and soon rose to the top of his sport.

When Kwong retired from his 12-year career in 1960, he had won 6 GREY CUPS with both the Edmonton Eskimos and CALGARY STAMPEDERS, had been named All Canadian Fullback 5 times and had been awarded 2 Schenley trophies (1955 and 1956) as the CFL's most outstanding player. Overall, the once-unlikely football star set 30 league records during that time and has since been inducted into both the CFL HALL OF FAME and CANADA'S SPORTS HALL OF FAME .

Kwong remained active in both sporting and community activities after his retirement and has since become a strong advocate for both multiculturalism and health and wellness in the province of Alberta. He was named the National Chairman of the Canadian Council on Multiculturalism (1979 to 1980) and served as Chairman for the Calgary Easter Seals Campaign. He returned to football in 1989 to revitalize the financially troubled Calgary Stampeders franchise. As president and general manager, he brought the team back to respectability and a Grey Cup appearance in 1991 before resigning in 1992. He was a member of the ownership group of the Calgary Flames hockey team from 1980 to 1994, helping them to their first STANLEY CUP victory in 1989. He received the ORDER OF CANADA in 1998 in recognition of his groundbreaking career in the CFL.

On 20 January 2005, Kwong succeeded Lois HOLE as Alberta's 16th Lieutenant Governor, becoming the first Chinese Canadian to hold the position in Alberta. In 2005, the Queen appointed him Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, the UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY endowed the "Normie Kwong Bursary" in his honor, and the Canadian Embassy in Beijing named their gymnasium in his honor. The UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA awarded Kwong an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2006. Kwong's term ended in 2010, and on 10 May he was succeeded by Donald ETHELL.

Author GERALD REDMOND Rev: LORRAINE SNYDER

Links to Other Sites
LOST YEARS
The website for the documentary "LOST YEARS," which chronicles the lives and travails of the Chinese diaspora in Canada.