Siddhesh Joshi (Editor)

Willie Woo Woo Wong

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Name
  
Willie Woo"

Role
  
Basketball Player

Willie
Died
  
2005, Fremont, California, United States

Education
  
University of San Francisco

Willie "Woo Woo" Wong


Willie Wong (traditional Chinese: 黃顯護; simplified Chinese: 黄显护; pinyin: Huang Xianhu; Jyutping: Wong4 Hin2wu6) (1926 - 2005) was an American basketball player who was born and raised in Chinatown, San Francisco. Though Wong was only 5'5" tall, he excelled, and was known as one of the finest Chinese American basketball players in the 1940s. He was nicknamed Willie "Woo Woo" Wong by a local sportswriter because fans would shout "Woo Woo" when he scored.

Contents

He studied at the St. Mary's School, and then starred at Poly and Lowell high schools in San Francisco before being recruited to the University of San Francisco (USF). After playing for USF, Wong continued to compete at various local and national tournaments as part of the San Francisco Saints team. Wong died on September 5, 2005 at the age of 79 in Fremont, California.

Legacy

To honor Wong's athletic achievements, local Chinatown residents successfully petitioned the City and County of San Francisco to rename the "Chinese Playground", where he played as a child and developed his basketball skills, to "Willie "Woo Woo" Wong Playground".

The University of San Francisco posthumously inducted Wong into its Hall of Fame in the spring of 2007. Wong's family accepted the honor on his behalf.

References

Willie "Woo Woo" Wong Wikipedia