China Clipper

Pro football's first Chinese-Canadian player, Normie Kwong

Kids, People and Places, Biography, Non-Fiction, Sports and Recreation, Football, My Family, My Feelings, My Friends, Social Issues

• Author: Richard Brignall
• ISBN: 9781552775264
• Publisher: James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers
• Publication: February 22, 2012
• Imprint: Lorimer
• Language: English

Normie Kwong's parents immigrated to Canada from China in the early 1900s. For them, and many other Asian immigrants, moving meant having to face both the government's anti-Asian policies and society's attitude of Chinese exclusion. But Normie overcame it all and, despite his small stature, in 1948 he became the youngest footballer ever to play in a Grey Cup game. Nicknamed the "China Clipper" as a nod to both his Chinese heritage and his record-setting speed on the football field, Kwong went on to become a hero and popular sports role model for generations of football fans in the West. After retiring from football, Kwong entered politics and was later appointed Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. [Fry Reading Level - 4.9