Just over one year ago, Larry Kwong passed away at the age of 94. Kwong, born Eng Kai Geong, caught the attention of the New York Rangers while playing hockey for the Canadian army during World War II. Not long after that, against all the odds, the Chinese-Canadian forward made history.
On March 13, 1948, Kwong became the first person of color to play in the NHL when he made his debut with the Rangers. Less than a year before, Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Unlike Robinson, Kwong did not stay in the show after proving himself more than worthy in the farm league.