Willie Wong (1926-2005)
Willie "Woo Woo" Wong Playground (830 Sacramento Street, San Francisco)
Willie Wong grew up on Sacramento Street in San Francisco Chinatown. He was five-feet, five-inches tall and weighed 125 pounds. Before he received a basketball from his uncle, Willie used to practice with a tennis ball. He was the only Chinese American player to be named to the 1945 All-City Prep Team. He received the nickname "Woo Woo" when his fans chanted "Woo Woo" every time he scored. Willie was recruited by Pete Newell to play for the University of San Francisco. In 1950, he was the first Chinese American to play in Madison Square Garden at the NIT (National Invitation Tournament). After his death, Willie was inducted to the USF Hall of Fame and the city honored him by renaming the playground across the street from where he grew up.
(Portrait by Jin En Cai, SFSU 2013)