A story about former Trail Smoke Eater Larry Kwong, the first Chinese-Canadian player in the NHL, has won the BC Historical Federation’s Anne and Philip Yandle Best Article Award.
“The Legend of Larry Kwong and His Legions,” by Chad Soon, appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of British Columbia History magazine. It was chosen by a panel of judges from among 25 eligible articles published in the magazine last year.
The story profiled Kwong, who grew up in Vernon, where he played minor hockey. He went on to senior hockey in Trail in 1941-42 and 1945-46 and played a single shift for the New York Rangers in 1948, then continued his playing and coaching career in Quebec, the US, and Europe. The story is available at https://www.bchistory.ca/news/13558227.
One judge called the story “Highly engaging and accessible. This article excels in storytelling and narrative cohesion, making it a compelling read for a broad audience. It successfully recovers an important but underrepresented figure in Canadian sport history.” Another called it “Well researched and well written about a true Canadian original.”
“I’m such a fan of British Columbia History magazine, so I was thrilled to be able to contribute an article,” Soon said. “Each issue is a treasure trove of BC stories, full of fascinating facts and thought-provoking perspectives. The publication team deserves a ton of credit. I’ll be renewing my subscription!”
Soon is a Vernon teacher who serves on the board of the BC Historical Federation and the Okanagan Historical Society (Vernon branch). He is also the author of The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey, published in 2024.
The award was announced Saturday during the BCHF’s awards gala in Vancouver and comes with $250 and a certificate. Honorable mentions were also presented to “A Case History of Bringing Back a Species on the Verge of Extinction,” by the Okanagan Nation Alliance; and “Shipbuilding in the West Kootenay and Okanagan: A Historical Overview,” by Michael A. Cone.
Cone’s story was also praised as “Well-researched and clearly structured, demonstrating solid historical methodology and effective use of primary sources.”
