THE

GUIDE TO CHINATOWN INTRODUCTION CREDIT: ANDREW HUYNH CREDIT:

verything we love about the game Since I began filming the sport over five years ago, I’ve fallen for the gritty game and its fluid, mercurial spirit—despite is what makes the 9-Man Guide to the fact that it made documentary production infinitely more Chinatown next to impossible to difficult. The 9-Man Guide to Chinatown is the result of an E exhaustive survey of players but will always be a work-in- produce. The sport is disorienting, dynamic progress subject to the mutability of the community and an ever-changing definition of Chinatown. From grimy parking and chaotic. As unpredictable as the offense lots and dollar dumplings to soap-less bathrooms and air- conditioned suburban eateries, here are the places you’ll find is, so are the movements and whims of the nine-man athletes—right now, at least. These pit stops may not make your local Zagat guide, but they are homes away from players. But we’ve tried our best to lock them home for this community. We hope you’ll pack your patience down so that neophytes can gain access to and curiosity and explore them. We also hope you’ll learn to love the players, culture and sport as much as we do. the community and see nine-man in person. —Ursula Liang Typically the season runs Memorial Day to Director Labor Day and is punctuated by an end-of- “9-Man” season tournament (go to nacivt.com) that rotates between the major nine-man cities.

Designed and produced by Neel Yalamarthy and the 9-Man Documentary Team, summer 2013. If you find any incorrect information or items in need of update, please let us know: [email protected] NEW YORK

WATCH DINE DRINK “It’s a fast-paced game—kind of like New York. If you hesitate, PRACTICES BUDGET PICK GALAXY 45 the play is already over. Give 45 Mott St DELPHI PROSPERITY DUMPLING Fri, 7:30pm-10:30pm 46 Eldridge St WINNIE’S BAR it a chance and don’t be Seward High School 104 Bayard St Ludlow St & Grand St BEST FOOD intimidated. Once you catch

Sun, 2pm-7pm CONGEE VILLAGE 100 Allen St on, you’ll be hooked and there Leif Ericson Park & Square CLUBS 8th Ave & 66th St (Brooklyn, NY) MING’S CAFE is no return.” 28 Canal St FREEMASONS DELPHI Fri, 7:30-10:30pm BEST DIM SUM —Allen Wong, Freemasons Seward High School FREEMASONS Ludlow St & Grand St JING FONG 20 Elizabeth St Sat, 9am-1pm MOHEGAN SUN Seward Park STRANGERS Canal St & Essex St BATHROOMS VIKINGS STRANGERS Sat & Sun, 9am-12pm Seward Park COLUMBUS PARK Canal St & Essex St Worth St & Mulberry St LOCAL TOURNAMENTS SEWARD PARK NEW YORK MINI Canal St & Essex St Usually third weekend of July 2013: July 20th-21st www.nymini.com Seward Park Canal St & Essex St CREDIT: JONATHAN JEONG JONATHAN CREDIT:

WATCH DINE DRINK “Park in a garage. You will get a door PRACTICES BUDGET PICKS THE CORNER PUB* 162 Lincoln St ding or scratches on FREEMASONS CHINATOWN CAFE Wed, 6:30pm 262 Harrison Ave THE ESTATE your bumper if you Jackson Mann K-8 School 1 Boylston Pl 500 Cambridge St HO YUEN BAKERY park on the street.” 54 Beach St GYPSY BAR HURRICANES 116 Boylston St Sat, 6:30pm-8:30pm PEACH FARM 4 Tyler St ­—Alex Ng, Hurricanes West Newton Armory SCHOLARS 25 School St 1137 Washington St NEW GOLDEN GATE (Newton, MA) 66 Beach St SHOJO 9A Tyler St Tues & Thurs nights BEST FOOD CLUBS Reggie Wong Memorial Park TAVERN IN THE SQUARE Kneeland St & Lincoln St HEI LA MOON 161 Brighton Ave (Allston, MA) 88 Beach St FREEMASONS KNIGHTS Tues & Thurs, 7:30pm-10pm WINDSOR North Quincy High School 10 Tyler St HURRICANES 316 Hancock St (Quincy, MA) (Try the ja lerng) KNIGHTS Sat, 9:30am-12pm BEST DIM SUM Josiah Quincy Upper School CHINA PEARL* 152 Arlington Street 9 Tyler St Sun, early morning Reggie Wong Memorial Park Kneeland St & Lincoln St BATHROOMS LOCAL TOURNAMENTS

AUGUST MOON DONG KHANH Usually early August 81 Harrison Ave 2013: August 11th Reggie Wong Memorial Park SOUTH STREET DINER Kneeland St & Lincoln St 178 Kneeland St

*nine-man-friendly owner CREDIT: BOSTON FREEMASONS CREDIT: TORONTO

WATCH DINE DRINK “Find a local team and see when they’re having tryouts or PRACTICES BUDGET PICK MOMOFUKU 190 University Ave if you can attend one of their CONNEX SQUARE-BOY DRIVE-IN Mon & Tues, 7pm-10pm 875 Danforth Ave REAL SPORTS BAR & GRILL practices. If you don’t know Bishop Allen Academy 15 York St 721 Royal York Rd BEST FOOD anything about nine-man, Thurs, 7pm-10pm KA KA LUCKY* 349 Broadview Ave have a look on YouTube to see Monsignor Percy Johnson Catholic CLUBS Secondary School MI MI RESTAURANT videos from past tournaments. 2170 Kipling Ave 688 Gerrard St E CONNEX • FLYING TIGERS Playing nine-man is a great Fri, 7pm-10pm (Try the pho) Our Lady of Sorrows NEW HO KING* way to meet new people and it Catholic School 416 Spadina Ave NGUN LAM • OUTTAHAND 32 Montgomery Rd gives you a reason to travel!” SANG HO PHOENIX • RONIN • SABRES FLYING TIGERS 536 Dundas St W Sun, 1pm-4pm (Try the Chinese seafood) —Jason Yong, Phoenix Bayview Glen School WARRIORS • ZHEN QI 275 Duncan Mill Road BEST DIM SUM

WARRIORS ROL SAN Sat, 12pm-3pm 323 Spadina Ave Tues & Thurs, 6:30pm-9pm PEARL COURT St. Gabriel Catholic School 633 Gerrard St E 396 Spring Garden Ave PHOENIX Sun, 11:30pm-2pm L’Amoreaux Community Centre BATHROOMS 200 McNicoll Ave MCDONALDS RONIN Thurs, 7pm-10pm 160 Spadina Ave Toronto Police College TIM HORTONS 70 Birmingham St 477 Dundas St W LOCAL TOURNAMENTS CANADA DAY Usually Canada Day weekend 2013: June 29th-30th Toronto Police College 70 Birmingham St *nine-man-friendly owner CREDIT: ROSANNA U CREDIT: SAN FRANCISCO

9-MAN ADVICE WATCH DINE DRINK “Come in with an open mind PRACTICES BUDGET PICKS LI PO COCKTAIL 916 Grant Ave ACEHOLES/INC!/RAGE/RAWR/ CAPITAL RESTAURANT ready to try new RENEGADES/SMASH 839 Clay St ROUGE NIGHTCLUB Tues & Sun, afternoons (Try the salt & pepper chicken or chicken 1500 Broadway things. And wear Sacred Heart Cathedral wings) Preparatory High School sunblock.” 1055 Ellis St GOURMET KITCHEN 1051 Stockton St —Penuel Barrina, Ace Holes Sat & Sun, mornings (Try the rice plates or chow mein) CLUBS West Sunset Playground 3223 Ortega St HANG AH Lowell High School 1 Pagoda Pl ACE HOLES • INC! 1101 Eucalyptus Dr BEST FOOD PAAI KAU SMASH • RAGE DRAGONS R&G LOUNGE Sat, mornings 631 Kearny St. Bladium Sports and Fitness Club (Try the salt & pepper crab) RAWR • RENEGADES 800 Ave F (Alameda, CA) BEST DIM SUM TIEN LUNG DRAGONS DIM SUM KING BATHROOMS 99 Skyline Plaza (Daly City, CA) WESTCOAST

WILLIE “WOO WOO” WONG PLAYGROUND Sacramento St & Stockton St PORTSMOUTH SQUARE PLAZA Kearney St, between Washington St & Clay St CREDIT: MIKE FAN CREDIT: MONTREAL

WATCH DINE DRINK “It’s very fast. Get low. Triple PRACTICES BUDGET PICKS L2 LOUNGE 71 Rue de la Gauchetière W FREEMASON & HUNG YING AMIGO commit, because Wed, 6:30pm-8:30pm 1027 Boulevard Saint-Laurent LE ROUGE BAR Stayner Park (Try the famous “Hot Sale”) 7 Prince Arthur St W it’s a big f*cking Rue Staynor (Westmount, QC) RESTAURANT BEIJING* CONFESSIONALS court.” Fri, 7:30pm-9:30pm 92 Rue de la Gauchetière W 431 Rue McGill 1001 Rue Saint Dominique St. (basement) MON SHING EN CACHETTE SPEAKEASY —Danny Ly, Freemason 90 Rue de la Gauchetière W 1765 St Denis St PHOENIX (Try the $7 pad see-ew & chow mein) Sun, 4pm-6pm SHARX Centre William-Hingston BEST FOOD 606 Sainte-Catherine St W 419 Rue Saint-Roch RESTAURANT MONNAN* 43 Rue de la Gauchetière E RESTAURANT RUBY ROUGE BATHROOMS 1008 Rue Clark (Try the Peking duck with pancake wrap- pers and fried salt & pepper squid) COMPLEX DESJARDINS 150 Sainte-Catherine St W TONG SING 43 Rue de la Gauchetière E HOLIDAY INN SELECT MON- BEST DIM SUM TREAL CENTRE VILLE 99 Viger Ave W KAM FUNG 1111 St Urbain St PALAIS DES CONGRÈS DE MONTRÉAL 159 St. Antoine W CLUBS

FREEMASON

HUNG YING

PHOENIX

*nine-man-friendly owner CREDIT: MONTREAL FREEMASON CREDIT: PHILADELPHIA

WATCH DINE DRINK “Using hands is better than PRACTICES BUDGET PICKS ALFA 1709 Walnut St CIA M KEE* no hands in Sun, 1pm-4pm 1002 Race St Livingston Tennis Courts, Rutgers (Try the fish fillet with string beans & black nine-man—chai University bean sauce) CLUBS 62 Rd 3 (Piscataway, NJ) the ball when PHO XE LUA* SUNS 907 Race St passing for Thurs, 7:30pm-9:30pm (Try the pho beef special) CIA Sat, 10am-12:30pm better control.” Sun, 5pm-7pm YUMMY LAN ZHOU HAND SUNS Chinese Christian Church and Center DRAWN NOODLE HOUSE —Harry Leong, Suns 225 N 10th St 131 N 10th St (Try the seafood noodles) Fri, 6pm-8pm Lloyd Hall BEST FOOD 1 Boathouse Row BANANA LEAF 1009 Arch St LOCAL TOURNAMENTS PHILLY MINI (younger clubs) DINIC’S Usually second or third week of 1136 Arch St August (Try the roast pork or roast beef with 2013: August 17th broccoli rabe) 330 N Franklin St SINGAPORE KOSHER VEGE- TARIAN RESTAURANT* 1006 Race Street BATHROOMS BEST DIM SUM OCEAN CITY HOLY REDEEMER CHURCH 234 N 9th St 915 Vine Street (Try the rice noodles)

*nine-man-friendly owner CREDIT: PHILADELPHIA SUNS CREDIT: WASHINGTON D.C.

WATCH DINE DRINK “Nine-man continues the PRACTICES BUDGET PICKS GORDON BIERSCH 200 E Middle Ln (Rockville, MD) tradition of a game CYC WONG GEE Sun, 12pm-5pm 2417 University Blvd W that was played Montgomery College, Lot 13 Mannakee (Silver Spring, MD) St & RT 355/Hungerford Dr BATHROOMS by our fathers and (Rockville, MD) YURAKU JAPANESE RESTAURANT grandfathers who Wed & Fri, 8pm-10:30pm 19773 Frederick Road LEE’S FEDERAL CREDIT Blair High School (Germantown, MD) UNION brought the sport 51 University Blvd E (Silver Spring, MD) 611 H Street NW (D.C.) BEST FOOD to the U.S. when MVP RENAISSANCE WDC HOTEL Sun, 12pm-4pm EAST PEARL* 999 9th St NW (D.C.) University of 838 Rockville Pike (Rockville, MD) they emigrated from (College Park), Parking Lot 11b HOLLYWOOD EAST* TONY CHENG’S SEAFOOD Toisan, China.” Paint Branch Dr & Stadium Dr 11160 Veirs Mill Road (Wheaton, MD) RESTAURANT (Try the Seafood Pan Fried Noodles) 619 H St NW (D.C.) Tues, 7:30pm-11:00pm —Wallace Lee, CYC Rockville Sportsplex MANDARIN WOK 60 Southlawn Ct (Rockville, MD) 5268 Nicholson Ln (Kensington, MD) Thurs, 7:30pm-10:00pm (Try the steamed chicken w/ ginger scallion Bohrer Park Activity Center sauce, crispy beef or crispy eggplant) 506 S Frederick Ave (Gaithersburg, MD) BEST DIM SUM LOCAL TOURNAMENTS MARK’S DUCK HOUSE 6184 Arlington Blvd (Falls Church, VA) 69TH ANNUAL NACIVT Usually Labor Day weekend and rotates cities 2013: August 31st-September 2nd www.dc.nacivt.com CLUBS 999 9th St NW (D.C.) CYC

MVP

*nine-man-friendly owner CREDIT: TIMOTHY MOY CREDIT:

WATCH WATCH DINE DRINK “Be ready to get a little bloody The clubs in Los Angeles do BUDGET PICKS GRAND STAR JAZZ CLUB 943 Sun Mun Way not practice on a regular basis, AMY’S BAKERY because you’re making watching nine-man 633 N Spring St HOP LOUIE 950 Mei Ling Way playing on here quite the challenge! QUICKLY However, you can usually 750 N Hill St asphalt.” catch players practicing (Try the boba) a couple weeks before BEST FOOD CLUBS —Ching Ly, Mad Dogs tournaments in Chinatown. GIGO’S CAFE & DELI 853 N Broadway FRESH HOAN KIEM BATHROOMS 727 N Broadway (Try the chicken pho) MAD DOGS

ALPINE RECREATION HOMEGIRL CAFE CENTER 130 Bruno St 817 Yale St HOP LI 526 Alpine St BEST DIM SUM OCEAN SEAFOOD 750 N Hill St CREDIT: CHING LY CREDIT: ABOUT THE FILM “9-Man” is an independent feature documentary Nine-man punctuates each summer with a about an isolated and exceptionally athletic vibrant, aggressive, exhausting bragging-rights Chinese-American sport that’s much more than tournament that unites thousands of Chinese- a pastime. Since the 1930’s, young men have Americans and maintains traditional rules and played this gritty streetball game competitively in customs. the alleys and parking lots of Chinatown. When the community was a Bachelor Society (men “9-Man” introduces the history of the game and a outnumbered women 4-to-1) at a time when diverse cast of modern-day characters from 6’7” anti-Chinese sentiment and laws like the Chinese Olympian Kevin Wong to a 91-year-old pioneer Exclusion Act forced Chinese restaurant workers combining direct cinema and interviews with and laundrymen to socialize exclusively amongst never before seen archival footage and photos themselves, nine-man offered both escape sourced directly from the community. Pivoting and fraternity for men who were separated between oil-spotted Chinatown parking lots and from their families in China and facing extreme jellyfish-filled banquet scenes, the film captures discrimination and distrust. Today, some 80 the spirit of nine-man as players not only battle years later, nine-man is a lasting connection to for a championship but fight to preserve a sport Chinatown for a community of men who know that holds so much history. a different, more integrated America and it’s a game that has grown exponentially in athleticism. WWW.9-MAN.COM