Lee It right where yoo found it

Much like Yoo said it not ming, this post was inspired by a conversation I had with a coworker.

Bruce, Brandon, Jason Scott, Ang, and Jet all have two things in common: they’re of Chinese descent and have

“Lee” (or “Li” in Jet’s case) for a last name.

As for the Korean Lees, there’s Lee Minwoo from Shinhwa.  Lee JungHyun.  Lee ByungHun.  Lee Sora.

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But, as Spike, Sara*, Ben, Amy, and Robert E. will attest, not all Lees are Asian. I decided to compile a list of Asian Lees and non-Asian Lees.  Wikipedia has saved me lots of surmising and brainstorming.  Here, you will find links to Lee as an English last name, Lee as a Korean last name, and Lee as a Chinese last name.  Nevertheless, since Sitting Pugs is a sports blog, I’m going to put down “Lee” athletes on the collegiate and professional levels.

On va commencer avec Football.

And what d’ya know?  UGA center Dallas Lee is not Asian.  And by the way, UGA wiped off some Vanderbilt smiles 34 to 10.

Clyde Lee is a wide receiver for  Boston College, who happened to conk the heads of the players for NC State 54 to 20.

Andy Lee punts for the San Francisco 49ers.

Donald Lee is a tight end for the Green Bay Packers.

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Way Joe Lee, a Malaysian, swims for GaTech.

Jing Li also swims for GaTech.

Ben Lee dives for Emory.

By the way, GaTech slingshots over Virginia Tech 28 to 23.

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On to the NBA.  Meet David Lee and Courtney Lee.

As for the MLB, Carlos Lee, Cliff Lee, and Derek Lee.

NHL has Brian Lee.

MLS has none.

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When I was googling, I came across a neat article about a Chinese-Canadian man’s experiences with having the last name of Lee.  Here’s an excerpt:

When Lee received his science degree from the University of B.C. in 1960, he was one of just three students named Lee in a graduating class of 445.  When he began applying for teaching positions in Ontario, he said, employers would often look at his resume and assume he was white — then look disappointed when a Chinese man showed up for the interview…And while Don Lee may have once been mistaken for English or Irish, the shoe is now very much on the other foot.  Mario Lee, a social planner at the City of Vancouver, is an immigrant from Chile who got his last name from his great-grandfather, who was Irish.  He said he regularly gets mail delivered to him at city hall that is written entirely in Chinese — and at election time gets hassled by Chinese-speaking campaigners targeting the ethnic vote.

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*Google image search reveals that Sara(h) Lees come in Asian and non-Asian varieties.

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