Fans push for Larry Kwong's Hockey Hall of Fame induction 75 years after he broke the colour barrier

Nearly 75 years after Larry Kwong broke the colour barrier in the NHL, a group of dedicated fans is pushing to have him inducted posthumously into the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF). 

Kwong was born in Vernon, B.C., and earned accolades for his skill as a centreman, leading his minor hockey team to a provincial championship at age 16. 

In 1948, as the leading scorer for the minor-league New York Rovers, Kwong was called up by the New York Rangers and played one shift late in the third period in a game against the Montreal Canadiens at the old Montreal Forum.

The move by the Rangers to put Kwong on the ice is now seen widely as a publicity stunt, but with that 60-second shift Kwong became the first person of colour to play in the NHL.

His NHL career was short-lived, however, with the Rangers sending Kwong back to the minors following the game.

Disappointed by his brief stint in the NHL, Kwong left the Rangers to play professional hockey in Quebec, facing off against the likes of hockey legend Jean Beliveau. In 1957, Kwong moved to Europe where he played and coached hockey for more than 15 years.

It's a story elementary school teacher Chad Soon has been telling to his students for more than a decade in Kwong's hometown of Vernon.

"I just want to keep sharing this story because as a teacher I really see how inspiring it is to kids," Soon said. 

Soon learned about Kwong from his grandfather. He contacted Kwong after he moved to Vernon, eventually developing a close friendship with Kwong, who was in his late 80s at that time and living in Calgary, Alta.

"Larry was very modest. That was the thing with his generation and my grandparents' generation ... they didn't speak about the discrimination they faced," Soon said.

"He always