Ng Boon Bee

In this Chinese name, the family name is Ng.

Dato' Ng Boon Bee DPTJ AMN (Chinese: 伍文美; pinyin: Wǔ Wénměi; 17 December 1937 – 3 August 2022) was a Malaysian badminton player who excelled from the 1960s through the early 1970s. His success in doubles earned him recognition as one of greatest doubles players in badminton history.^[1]

Ng Boon Bee
Personal information
Country	Malaysia
Born	(1937-12-17)17 December 1937 Ipoh, Perak, British Malaya
Died	3 August 2022(2022-08-03) (aged 84) Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Years active	1960–1973
Handedness	Right
Event	Men's doubles & mixed doubles
Medal record Representing  Malaysia Men's badminton Thomas Cup 1967 Jakarta Men's team 1970 Kuala Lumpur Men's team Asian Games 1962 Jakarta Men's doubles 1966 Bangkok Men's doubles 1970 Bangkok Men's doubles 1970 Bangkok Mixed doubles 1966 Bangkok Men's team 1962 Jakarta Men's team 1970 Bangkok Men's team Commonwealth Games 1970 Edinburgh Men's doubles 1966 Kingston Men's doubles Southeast Asian Games 1961 Rangoon Men's doubles 1965 Kuala Lumpur Men's doubles 1965 Kuala Lumpur Men's team 1965 Kuala Lumpur Mixed doubles 1967 Bangkok Men's doubles 1969 Rangoon Mixed doubles 1971 Kuala Lumpur Men's doubles 1971 Kuala Lumpur Men's team 1961 Rangoon Mixed doubles 1971 Kuala Lumpur Mixed doubles 1967 Bangkok Mixed doubles Asian Championships 1962 Kuala Lumpur Men's doubles 1962 Kuala Lumpur Men's team 1969 Manila Men's doubles 1969 Manila Men's team

Early life

Boon Bee started to play badminton when he was ten years inspired by his badminton-playing father. His first success in badminton came in 1955 when he became Perak schoolboy champ in the singles and doubles. A year later, he won the Perak junior. He also excelled in all types of sports beside badminton such as athletics, tennis, rugby, and playing association football at the national level. It was some time in 1961 that he finally decided to concentrate on badminton.

Career

During the 1960s, Boon Bee and his partner, Tan Yee Khan formed one of the most successful men's doubles teams of the decade, winning most of the sport's biggest titles including the coveted All England, Asian Games and Asian Championships.^[2] Known for his quickness, power, and anticipation, Boon Bee was a member of the Malaysian squad that won the 1967 Thomas Cup, in a 6–3 controversial victory over Indonesia at the Istora Senayan Stadium.^[3]

After Yee Khan retired in 1969, Boon Bee formed a successful partnership with Punch Gunalan. One of their biggest achievements was beating Indonesia's combination of Rudy Hartono/Indra Gunawan in the 1971 All-England final. There were other accomplishments too, including winning the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games and 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.^[4]

Achievements

Olympic Games (demonstration)

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1972	Olympiapark, Munich, West Germany	Punch Gunalan	Ade Chandra   Christian Hadinata	4–15, 15–2, 11–15	Silver

Asian Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1962	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Tan Yee Khan	Tan Joe Hock   Liem Tjeng Kiang	15–13, 18–17	Gold
1966	Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Tan Yee Khan	Ang Tjin Siang  Tjoa Tjong Boan	12–15, 15–8, 18–16	Gold
1970	Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Punch Gunalan	Junji Honma   Shoichi Toganoo	5–15, 15–8, 15–7	Gold

Mixed doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1970	Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Sylvia Ng	Achara Pattabongs   Bandid Jaiyen		Gold

Asian Championships

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1962	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Tan Yee Khan	Teh Kew San   Lim Say Hup	15–9, 15–10	Gold
1969	Rizal Stadium, Manila, Philippines	Punch Gunalan	Ippei Kojima   Yukinori Hori		Gold

Southeast Asian Peninsular Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1961	Yangon, Myanmar	Tan Yee Khan	Narong Bhornchima   Raphi Kanchanaraphi	15–8, 6–15, 15–10	Gold
1965	Selangor Badminton Hall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Tan Yee Khan	Narong Bhornchima   Raphi Kanchanaraphi	15–8, 15–11	Gold
1967	Bangkok, Thailand	Tan Yee Khan	Narong Bhornchima   Raphi Kanchanaraphi		Gold
1971	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Punch Gunalan	Ng Tat Wai   Ho Khim Kooi		Gold

Mixed doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1961	Yangon, Myanmar	Ng Mei Ling	Pankae Phongam   Raphi Kanchanaraphi	18–14, 8–15, 9–15	Silver
1965	Selangor Badminton Hall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Teh Siew Yong	Tan Yee Khan   Rosalind Singha Ang	15–11, 15–5	Gold
1967	Bangkok, Thailand	Teh Siew Yong	Chirasak Champakao   Sumol Chanklum	6–15, 10–15	Bronze
1969	Yangon, Myanmar	Rosalind Singha Ang	Khaw Gaik Bee   Yew Cheng Hoe		Gold
1971	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Rosalind Singha Ang	Ng Tat Wai   Teh Mei Ling		Silver

Commonwealth Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1966	Kingston, Jamaica	Tan Yee Khan	Tan Aik Huang   Yew Cheng Hoe	14–15, 5–15	Silver
1970	Edinburgh, Scotland	Punch Gunalan	Ng Tat Wai   Tan Soon Hoi	15–3, 15–3	Gold

International tournaments

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1963	Malaysia Open	Tan Yee Khan	Teh Kew San   Lim Say Hup	14–17, 15–9, 15–7	Winner
1965	All England	Tan Yee Khan	Erland Kops   Oon Chong Jin	15–7, 15–5	Winner
1966	Denmark Open	Tan Yee Khan	Tan Aik Huang   Yew Cheng Hoe	15–13, 15–10	Winner
1966	All England	Tan Yee Khan	Finn Kobberø   Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen	9–15, 15–9, 17–15	Winner
1966	Canadian Open	Tan Yee Khan	Svend Pri   Yew Cheng Hoe	12–15, 15–1, 17–14	Winner
1966	U.S. Open	Tan Yee Khan	Don Paup   Jim Poole	15–6, 15–12	Winner
1967	Singapore Open	Tan Yee Khan	Indratno   Mintarja	15–3, 15–8	Winner
1967	Denmark Open	Tan Yee Khan	Svend Pri   Per Walsøe	8–15, 18–16, 17–15	Winner
1967	Malaysia Open	Tan Yee Khan	Indratno   Mintarja	15–9, 15–10	Winner
1968	All England	Tan Yee Khan	Henning Borch   Erland Kops	6–15, 4–15	Runner-up
1968	Malaysia Open	Tan Yee Khan	Ippei Kojima   Issei Nichino	11–15, 15–9, 15–9	Winner
1968	Singapore Open	Tan Yee Khan	Sangob Rattanusorn   Chavalert Chumkum	15–9, 15–1	Winner
1968	German Open	Tan Yee Khan	Sangob Rattanusorn   Chavalert Chumkum	15–9, 15–2	Winner
1969	U.S. Open	Punch Gunalan	Ippei Kojima   Channarong Ratanaseangsuang	15–3, 15–7	Winner
1969	Singapore Pesta	Punch Gunalan	Indratno   Mintarja	15–5, 15–5	Winner
1971	Poona Open	Punch Gunalan	Lee Kok Pheng   Lim Shook Kong	15–4, 15–5	Winner
1971	German Open	Punch Gunalan	Roland Maywald   Willi Braun	15–12, 15–8	Winner
1971	Denmark Open	Punch Gunalan	Rudy Hartono   Indra Gunawan	11–15, 15–4, 15–8	Winner
1971	All England	Punch Gunalan	Rudy Hartono   Indra Gunawan	15–5, 15–3	Winner
1971	Canada Open	Punch Gunalan	Raphi Kanchanaraphi   Channarong Ratanaseangsuang	15–10, 15–11	Winner
1971	U.S. Open	Punch Gunalan	Don Paup   Jim Poole	2–15, 18–13, 15–7	Winner
1972	Denmark Open	Punch Gunalan	Sangob Rattanusorn   Bandid Jaiyen	15–6, 15–6	Winner
1972	German Open	Punch Gunalan	Derek Talbot   Elliot Stuart	15–9, 15–12	Winner
1972	Singapore Open	Punch Gunalan	Tan Aik Huang   Tan Aik Mong	11–15, retired	Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1967	Singapore Open	Rosalind Singha Ang	Darmadi   Minarni	4–15, 5–15	Runner-up
1969	Canada Open	Retno Koestijah	Darmadi   Minarni	5–15, 15–17	Runner-up
1970	Singapore Open	Sylvia Ng	Chirasak Champakao   Pachara Pattabongse	15–11, 15–12	Winner
1971	Poona Open	Sylvia Ng	Joke van Beusekom   Piet Ridder		Winner
1971	Canada Open	Sylvia Ng	Rolph Patterson   Mimi Nilsson	15–11, 15–4	Winner
1971	Singapore Open	Sylvia Ng	Thongkam Kingmanee   Bandid Jaiyen	15–6, 15–9	Winner

Awards

• 1968 Malaysia's Sportsman of the Year^[5]
• He was inducted into the World Badminton Hall of Fame in 1998.^[6]
• Olympic Council of Malaysia's (OCM) Hall of Fame 2015.^[7]

Honours

•   Malaysia :
  •   Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (A.M.N.) (1972)^[8]
•   Negeri Sembilan :
  •   Knight Commander of the Grand Order of Tuanku Ja’afar (D.P.T.J.) – Dato' (2008)^[9]

Personal life and death

Boon Bee is the third child from five siblings. He was married to Tong Yee Cheng. Together they had 2 children – Gillian and Thomas. Thomas was named after the prestigious Thomas Cup.^[10]

On 3 August 2022, he died at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital due to aneurysm.^[11]

References

1. Pat Davis,The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 107.
2. "Yee Khan: Good understanding the key to our success – Other Sports | The Star Online". Retrieved 8 July 2016.
3. Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J.A. Jennings Ltd., 1971) 78, 84.
4. "Other Sport: Boon Bee recalls the joy of his partnership with Punch | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
5. "» Anugerah Sukan Negara Majlis Sukan Negara Malaysia | National Sports Council of Malaysia". www.nsc.gov.my. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
6. "BWF Hall of fame members".
7. "Thomas Cup teams among new inductees into OCM Hall of Fame – Badminton | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
8. "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat".
9. "Former doubles ace Boon Bee receives Datukship". The Star. 19 July 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
10. "Malaysian Sports' Loose Cannon: Datuk Boon Bee, finally". rizalhashim.blogspot.my. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
11. Noorshahrizam, Shahrin Aizat (3 August 2022). "Malaysian Thomas Cup legend Ng Boon Bee dies aged 84". Malay Mail. Retrieved 3 August 2022.