Ted Wong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ted Wong
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Wong practicing Chi Sao with Bruce Lee
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| Born | November 5, 1937 |
| Died | November 24, 2018 (aged 81) |
| Occupation | Martial arts Instructor |
| Spouse(s) | Krina Wong |
| Parent(s) | Poi Wong Wei Wong |
Ted Wong (born November 5, 1937 – died November 24, 2018) was a famous martial arts expert. He is best known for being a student of the legendary martial artist Bruce Lee.
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Ted Wong's Early Life
Ted Wong was born in Hong Kong in 1937. His father was from California and served in the U.S. Navy there. In 1953, his family moved to San Francisco, California. A few years later, they moved to San Diego.
After finishing high school and college, Wong joined the U.S. Army. He served as a Lieutenant for two years in West Germany. In 1962, he returned to San Diego after his service.
Learning Martial Arts with Bruce Lee
Ted Wong first met Bruce Lee in 1967 in Los Angeles. Bruce Lee was giving a Kung Fu seminar. At that time, Ted Wong had not trained in martial arts, but he was interested in boxing. He was so impressed by Bruce Lee that he decided to study at Lee's school, the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute.
Soon after starting, Bruce Lee chose Ted Wong as a private student. Wong became Lee's main sparring partner and a very close friend.
Developing Jeet Kune Do
Ted Wong was there as Bruce Lee created his unique martial art, Jeet Kune Do. He watched Lee train other famous martial artists. These included Karate Champion Joe Lewis and basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Ted Wong was one of only a few people to receive a special rank in Jeet Kune Do directly from Bruce Lee. He never learned any other martial art besides what Lee taught him. Because of this, he only taught what he had learned from Bruce Lee.
Teaching and Legacy
Ted Wong continued to teach martial arts privately and gave seminars until he passed away. He also helped write several books about Jeet Kune Do. One of his students was Bruce Lee’s own daughter, Shannon Lee.
Wong was a lifelong board member of the Bruce Lee Foundation and the Jeet Kune Do Society. He also certified several long-time students as instructors. These instructors, like Lewis Luk and Albert Grajales, continue to teach Jeet Kune Do as Ted Wong learned it from Bruce Lee.
In 2006, Ted Wong was honored by Black Belt Magazine. He was inducted into their Hall of Fame as the "Man of the Year."
