Wally Yonamine
Wally Yonamine | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hawaii Territory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died: February 28, 2011 Honolulu, Hawaii | (aged 85)|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NPB debut | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
June 19, 1951, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 12, 1962, for the Chunichi Dragons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NPB statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting average | .311 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hits | 1,337 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home runs | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Runs batted in | 482 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As Player
As Manager | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of the Japanese | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Baseball Hall of Fame | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Induction | 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wallace Kaname Yonamine (与那嶺要, Yonamine Kaname, June 24, 1925 – February 28, 2011) was a Japanese American multi-sport athlete who played in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Early life
Kaname Yonamine, a Nisei Japanese American, was born in Olowalu, Maui,[1] Hawaii to parents Matsusai (September 1, 1890 – July 31, 1988) and Kikue (February 14, 1901 – February 26, 1999). Matsusai was an uchinānchu immigrant and Kikue came from Hiroshima.[1] Yonamine attended Lahainaluna and Wallace Rider Farrington High School.[2] The name of his high school was the origin of his nickname, originally Wallace, but quickly changed to Wally,[3] which would later become his legal name.[1]
Professional football career
Yonamine signed a $14,000 contract, playing
Professional baseball career
In
Yonamine was the first American inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame, admitted in 1994 for his achievements during his 12-year career with the Giants and Dragons.[1]
Post-career
Yonamine operated a highly successful pearl store, "Wally Yonamine Pearls", with his wife, Jane. The store is located in Roppongi, Tokyo. They also had a branch of their store in California run by their children.[5] In 2008, Yonamine joined the Japanese Master League team Nagoya 80 D'sers as a coach/part-time player.[6]
After an extended battle with prostate cancer, Yonamine died on February 28, 2011, aged 85, in Honolulu.[2][7]
Yonamine's nephew, Micah, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 29th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[8][9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Weber, Bruce (March 4, 2011), "Wally Yonamine, 85, Dies; Changed Japanese Baseball", The New York Times
- ^ a b Lewis, Ferd (March 1, 2011). "Hawaii sports pioneer Wally Yonamine dies". Star Advertiser. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ Fitts 2008, p. 20
- ^ Fitts 2008, p. 33
- ^ Gustkey, Earl (June 18, 1989). "WARMING UP TO WALLY : Yonamine, First American to Play in Japan, Was Not an Instant Hit". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ Carlson, Michael (June 2, 2011). "Wally Yonamine: Sportsman who fought prejudice in two sports and in two countries". The Independent. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ Song, Jaymes (March 1, 2011), "'Nisei Jackie Robinson' dies at age 85", The Washington Post
- ISBN 978-1-932391-94-7. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
- ^ "Micah Yonamine Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
Further reading
- Fitts, Robert K. (2008). Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0-8032-1381-4.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- (in Japanese) Japan Baseball Hall of Fame
- Dodgers to celebrate Japanese American Community Night
- "Densho interview: Wally Yonamine". December 16, 2003. Retrieved June 13, 2021.