Great article.
I never even realised Chinese players had done so well at footy ...
hope the Demons stuff in Taijin goes well, we may see some more
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I never even realised Chinese players had done so well at footy ...
hope the Demons stuff in Taijin goes well, we may see some more
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You're a champ China
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/06/26/1151174134585.html
June 27, 2006
Australian football has been supplied with some of its most memorable talent by the Orient, John Harms reports
IN A column earlier this season, I mentioned I had been to Kardinia Park with 3RRR breakfast presenter Sam Pang, who once pronounced he was the greatest Chinese footballer of all time.
Following that claim, research uncovered the careers of two superior Chinese players, Wally Koochew and Les Fong, and hence Sam was given the soubriquet "Third Greatest". Or 3G.
At the end of that column, I called for nominations for the greatest Chinese footballer of all time and was overwhelmed by the response. I received almost 100 emails, and quite a few phone calls.
Nominations poured in from all around the world: Bangkok, St Louis, Hong Kong, Shanghai, London and Abbotsford, from people clearly enthused by the quest. Hence, I am now in a position to offer a more extensive list.
In recent times, Koochew has been considered the greatest. The son of a Chinese immigrant who arrived in Australia from Whampoa in Guangdong province near Guangzhou (Canton) in 1865, Wally played four games for Carlton in 1908. Not a lot is known about his performances, but at the time, a member of the Ancient Order of the Druids returned his Blues' membership saying that by including a Chinaman, Carlton was "dealing a death blow to the White Australia Policy". It was a typical attitude.
His great-grandson James responded to my call for nominations ("Wally Koochew for No. 1 Chinese footballer!"), as did Wally's grandson, Ian, who told me of Wally's son, also named Wally. "He was also a renowned footballer," wrote Ian, "having started with Melbourne reserves and being lured to Northcote as the VFA's youngest-ever playing coach."
He was also a fine athlete, and the subject of controversy at the 1934 Stawell Gift, when he crossed the line first in the 100 yards, only to have the race taken from him on a technicality. James was also a footballer and his uncle Les a senior VFL umpire. "Maybe," wrote Ian, "the Koochews can put in a vote as the greatest Chinese footballing family of all time!"
AFL commissioner and Cats fan Colin Carter contacted me to say he was a close friend of Dr Neale Fong, brother of Les. No dud brother, Neale played 12 WAFL games himself, heads up the Department of Health in Western Australia, has a masters in theology and is chaplain to West Coast and chairman of the WA Football Commission.
Les Fong was a brilliant rover. In a career that began in 1973 (he was coached at an early stage by Dennis Cometti), Les played 284 games for West Perth and numerous times for WA. He fielded many offers to play in Victoria, particularly after his performance in the 1980 state-of-origin match. But he had a young family, was making his way as a physical education teacher, and decided to stay in the West.
The Fongs' grandfather was from Guangzhou and their grandmother was part-Chinese. In 1960s Australia, their appearance made for some tough moments.
"I copped a barrage as a kid, both on and off the field," Les recalled. "But I handled it well. It made me more determined."
These days, Les is a financial planner. A member of the WA Chinese Chamber of Commerce, he identifies strongly with his heritage. He sometimes wishes he'd had a crack at the VFL.
The most nominated player by a long way was Dannie Seow. He was nominated by a number of members of the Hong Kong Dragons AFC, where he still plays occasionally. Sam Pang, who was in the Collingwood under 19s when Seow was at the club, had always claimed Dannie was not Chinese.
The Pang thesis was soon quashed when Dannie emailed — from Shanghai, in Chinese. "Ni Hao, John!" he began. "Wo hen gao xing ni gei wo da dianhua. (Or should I say, 'I'd be happy if you gave me a call'.)" So I did.
Dannie's father is full Chinese. His grandfather is from Xiamen and his grandmother from Beijing. After 18 games with Collingwood and seven with Melbourne from 1986-90, Dannie took a football scholarship to the University of North Carolina as a wide receiver but wound up the punting coach with a degree in economics and Japanese. He lives in Shanghai where he owns a media and entertainment company and is studying Chinese law. He signed his email "Regards, Xiao Xiong". (I'm not sure Sam Pang got that one right.)
Les Kew Ming was mentioned by quite a few emailers. He played at North Melbourne in the 1920s and was famous for a mighty 73-yard drop kick (for many years listed in great sporting achievements in Miller's Guide).
According to historian Father Gerard Dowling, Les is associated with R.K. Ming, who donated the hot water service and other facilities to the club. Various correspondents remember Les playing in the Bendigo and Echuca areas. Ron Wee Hee from Bendigo was also nominated, a correspondent remembering his name on the local radio call in the 1950s.
At my local pub, the boys told me of Roy Poy. A character of Albury, he wasn't hard to find. His forebears are from Guangzhou, and the family is spread throughout the world. A cousin was governor-general of Canada. Roy played under Murray Weideman at Albury and was, by all reports, a fine rover.
He gave up football, not because of the racial taunts he copped regularly from the crowd, but to help his father as a bookmaker. "The Poys are mad punters," he told me. He regrets not playing longer. He has a nephew, Gavin, ("the tallest Poy in captivity") who rucks for Lavington in the Ovens and Murray league.
Trevor O'Hoy, it seems, is the forgotten man of Chinese football. Playing for St Kilda in 1973, he was runner-up in the Gardiner Medal. He was also a member of the Victorian Colts cricket side. A real all-rounder, he is now head of Foster's.
A nomination came for Richard Pang (no relation to Sam), who was best and fairest for Perth in the WAFL in 1999.
Stuart O'Neill wrote to say there had been so many brilliant Chinese footballers in the Northern Territory over the years that he could really send Sam spiralling down the list. But he didn't name any. "I'm happy to keep my gob shut for 3G's sake," he said. Very Territorian.
Another Darwin nomination came from Kirk Whelan, who remembers Joe Sarib, captain of Darwin FC just after the war. Sarib won many best and fairests and a Nichols Medal in 1949-50, footy being the summer sport up there.
Craig "Bogan" Francis, a key member of the Hong Kong Dragons, nominated former teammate Matty Wu. "Matty played a handful of games for Fitzroy under 19s before going on to greatness in the international arena," "Bogan" wrote.
"A veteran of 20 games for the HK Dragons, Wu capped off a fine 2003 season with selection in the All-Asian side chosen after the annual Asian Aussie Rules Championships." I suspect there is a rich vein to be mined there.
There were also many nominations for Gary O'Donnell, so I rang him. "I get asked that a lot," he chuckled. "I remember one time I did a clinic at Camberwell Grammar. The principal introduced us: Dale Weightman, Doug Hawkins and then he pointed at me and Dannie Seow." But Gary is not Chinese. This didn't stop a few of the Bombers, especially John Barnes, calling him "China". They said he looked like a character from the Kurt Russell film Big Trouble in Little China.
Mike Fitzpatrick was also nominated. At school, he was sometimes mistaken for being Chinese and still is asked occasionally. The family is looking into its heritage but doubts there is any Chinese ancestry. "At the moment, though," the AFL commissioner said, "I can't confirm or deny being Chinese."
Even potentially great Chinese footballers were nominated. The current skipper of the Sandringham Dragons has a Chinese heritage on one side of his family. The son of Wayne, we are likely to hear quite a bit more of Tomi Johnston (related on the Chinese side to Sam Pang).
3G's credentials also copped a hammering in the correspondence. TOK, from the Clifton Hill Hotel, pointed out that the week after 3G had kicked nine goals for Tongala against Benalla, a few of the regulars hired a bus "to watch the mercenary in action".
He failed to deliver. "One of the lads reckoned they saw Sam kick one off the ground in the second quarter," writes TOK, "but, many years later, this has yet to be confirmed."
The highlight of the day came after the final siren.
"We went out on the ground for some kick-to-kick," TOK says.
"The local kids were impressed with Paddy, how he could mark and kick the Ross Faulkner with a stubby in one hand and a beer in the other."
It seems, however, the day did little for 3G's case.
All things considered, the accompanying panel, based on correspondence, ranks the greatest Chinese footballers of all time.
But keep your eye on young Tomi Johnston. He could really add to what is a wonderful tradition.
GREATEST CHINESE FOOTBALLERS OF ALL TIME
1. Les Fong
2. Dannie Seow
3. Wally Koochew
4. Les Kew Ming
5. Trevor O'Hoy
6. Neale Fong
7. Wally Koochew jnr
8. Roy Poy
9. Ron Wee Hee
10. Sam Pang
