William James Bernard Shaw (September 20, 1877 – March 1, 1939), also known as Bill Shaw, was an American entrepreneur and philanthropist based in the
Philippines.
Shaw worked as a busboy on a
US Army transport ship to pay his passage to
Manila, arriving in 1901 and never leaving hence. He eventually became part owner of
Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific. He also served as President of the
Rotary Club of Manila
The Rotary Club of Manila is the first and oldest Rotary Club in Asia. After its establishment, the Rotary Club of Manila sponsored other organizations, including the Rotary Club of Cebu (1932), the Rotary Club of Iloilo (1933), the Community Ch ...
from 1925 to 1926.
Shaw is known for being the founder, organizer and president of
Wack Wack Golf and Country Club. Shaw started Wack Wack in 1930 – because he was disgusted that Larry Montes, a
caddie
In golf, a caddie (or caddy) is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives the player advice and moral support.
Description
A good caddie is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the ...
who had won the 1929
Philippine Open tournament and later many subsequent tournaments at the Manila Golf Club, of which Shaw was a member, had been asked to leave the tournament celebration, by virtue of a rule against the presence of caddies inside the Manila Golf Club. He was also married to a Filipina, which was a controversial issue to the members of exclusive clubs like Manila Golf Club.
Shaw was a member of the board of the
Boy Scouts of America Philippine Islands Council No. 545.
A small monument of Shaw stands along the namesake
Shaw Boulevard in
Mandaluyong, the
Shaw Boulevard MRT station
Shaw Boulevard station (also called Shaw for short) is an elevated Manila Metro Rail Transit (MRT) station situated on Line 3. The station is located in the Mandaluyong portion of Ortigas Center and is named after Shaw Boulevard, since the stat ...
, the now-defunct William J. Shaw Theater at
Shangri-La Plaza
Shangri-La Plaza is a shopping mall located in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Philippines. It is owned and operated by the Kuok Group of Companies, the owner of the worldwide chain of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. Shangri-La Plaza opened on No ...
, and the William Shaw Little Theater at
De La Salle University–Manila were named after him.
References
Bibliography
Gleeck, Lewis Edward Jr.(1912–2005), ''Bill Shaw: The Man and the Legend'',
San Juan, Metro Manila: William J. Shaw Foundation, 1998.
* ___, ''The Manila Americans (1901–1964)'', Manila: Carmelo & Bauermann, 197
* ___, ''Over Seventy-five Years of Philippine-American History: The Army and Navy Club of Manila'', Manila: Carmelo & Bauermann, 1976.
* Zafra, Jessica, ''The Life and Legacy of William J. Shaw'', San Juan, Metro Manila: William J. Shaw Foundation, 2009.
American expatriates in the Philippines
1877 births
1939 deaths
Businesspeople from Vermont
American philanthropists
People from Barnet, Vermont
People of American colonial Philippines
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