Louis Comfort Tiffany and Sarah Wyman Whitman stained glass image courtesy of First Parish in Brookline
By Curtis Narimatsu
Generational Mentors
Beautiful to see recurring theme of positive mentorship from generation to generation, w/prior generation’s charges/students become great leaders for the next generation. Mo`o ali`i succession of immense leadership traits. Kalani o`puu was uncle & military mentor to Kamehameha the Great. Chun Ah Fong was entrepreneur/mentor to Tong Ai Yee, whose progeny include Aima Nawahi [Joseph's wife] & swim coach legend Sparky Kawamoto. Chinatown’s young turks at the turn of the last century were enabled by YMCA avatar Frank Atherton, then Lloyd R. Killam, just as YMCA founder J. Ballard Atherton [Frank's dad] worked w/Chun Ah Fong. Tremendous altruist Bob Dye’s deceased wife was Chun’s progeny. Then YMCA’s John Young came & got touted as messiah to kids born at turn of last century like Hung Wai Ching. Chinn Ho actually worshipped Young’s predecessor Lloyd R. Killam as Ho’s hanai father. Leadership all!! Walt Dillingham was Matsujiro Otani’s alter ego, as Charley Rice was Charley Ishii’s guru, as Bob Shivers was Mas Marumoto’s sempai/older role model, as Saburo Hayashi was Kiyo Okubo’s master, as Jack Hall was Luso George Martin’s idol, as Ernest Gomes De Silva was Beans Afook’s “fear of God” lightning rod, as Stephen Alencastre was Henry Gouveia’s patron saint, as George Martin is Bobby Command’s quiet hero, as Ted Tsukiyama is Earl Arakaki’s arbitrator standard bearer, as Horace Mann was Charles Hemingway’s educator symbol, as John Dewey was Oren Long’s action hero, as Johnny Bellinger was Walt Dod’s mentor, as Rudy Peterson was Jim Evans’ hero, as Ruddy Tongg was Hung Wo Ching’s pathfinder, etc. — Love, Curt
Sir Galahad Herb Isonaga
Kaua`i native Herb Isonaga (born 1921) modest to a fault, inspires consistent/creative vitality & idyllic reveries of antiquity — Herb is my Sir Galahad, who symbolizes humble virtue/purity of heart/peace-community prosperity. Herb’s spiritual papa Hung Wai Ching (1905-2002) is Sir Lancelot, chalice of gallantry. Hung Wai’s leader is Charles Hemingway (1875-1947), antiquity’s King Arthur. Camelot’s field is not situated in place or population, but in knights’ hearts, for these are where the holy grail derives elixir. Yes, Rapture is not physical, but spiritual. Miraculous but sagacious powers come from the hearts & souls of quiet/tender servants like Herb Isonaga. Folklore spreads throughout the diaspora of the titan victories of the segregated regiment of Japanese-American soldiers of the 442. But ideals of mercy & compassion tempered amid cold steel of battle nestle in invisible peasant/disciple Herb Isonaga, Chivalry incarnate. Do you know that Jesus’ apostles were backwater Galilean Jews/fishermen? Nobodies from nowhere?! Yes, Sir Galahad embodies the simple virtues of Jesus, to love & to serve one another as your own family. To Herb, to Sir Galahad, Divinity is enriched thru you. — Love always, Curt
Everybody’s Equal
Bks. of Daniel/Revelation show the metamorphosis of Christianity. Just as Old Testament’s David/Noah/Abraham emoted the God of Love, so did Peter/Paul transition from Old Testament fire/brimstone to New Testament peace/goodwill to all. Thru such sequences, we come to know that everybody’s equal before God. Which is why the hegemonic pharisees persecuted Jesus. Fast forward to William of Normandy who became King of England in 1066 A.D., who ruled via feudalism, but such baron knight crusades bankrupted the monarchy, which resulted in the Magna Carta in 1215 A.D., that guaranteed the rights of freemen [but in fact limited the King's power to protect the rights of barons]. The Anglican Church resulted from Henry VIII’s repudiation of the Pope’s refusal to allow Henry to divorce in 1540. Of course, the “divine right of kings” creed thereafter resulted in the outbreak of England’s Civil War in 1642 & divine king Charles I’s execution in 1649. Such liquidation of divinity stemmed from Elizabeth I’s Poor Law signalling government relief for the destitute in 1601, also fueling grassroot jury trial redux [intro'd by Normans in 1066 A.D.][1670 trial of Quakers William Penn/Mead known as jury foreman Bushell's Case that established independent jury verdicts unmoved by abusive elitist judges]. Nonetheless, our American Revolution was caused by our colonial repudiation of Monarchal economic exploitation. France followed suit in 1789 via incendiary Voltaire/Rousseau [both of whom died in 1778, right after the American Revolution]. But Marx’ seeds of communism [public's ownership of means of production--land/labor/capital--vs. feudalism's control by landowners; vs. capitalism's control by investors; vs. socialism's control by laborers] resulted in 2 epochal genocides unmatched a century ago — Stalin’s purges/Mao’s “cultural revolution” — which did nothing but concentrate power in a supertyrant/despot, destroying each society’s social progress/aspirations. USSR disintegrated via economic collapse in 1991, & Red China has incorporated capitalism to shore up its economy. Communism as precept never fulfilled itself in reality. Everybody’s equal via the American Dream, rooted firmly in antiquity via Scripture. We are reminded via Matthew/Isaiah, & via Francis of Assisi/Erasmus of our Social Gospel. Alms-giving/Divine Grace a la King David/Jerusalem 1000 B.C. — Curt
Discouragement, A Part Of Life
It’s too bad that Terry Shima chose not to go public w/Terry’s experiences w/Uncle Jesse Shima. I propagated Terry’s anecdote on Jesse before Terry pulled back on it. So goes the untold legacy of Jesse Shima. Terry is a Laupahoehoe buddahead who was WWII conscript/then to Georgetown, & to foreign service. Terry’s 442 “JAVA” story is an “oracle” all its own, but my focus solely is on Jesse, whose crossroad in history is unmatched. It’s about the fullness of time. The theme [even if one dabbles in Scripture] is everybody’s equal, which Jesse’s life personifies. Ted Tsukiyama is the very one who extolled about the legacy of River St. Church. His dad/okasan attended it, Dan Inouye’s okasan met Dan’s otosan there, & “the rest is history,” so to speak. My upshot on Ted’s militant buddaheads [unlike on shin Issei Jesse Shima] is that in being born 1920/thereafter, this outfit was able to graduate from high school [thanks to DPI egalitarian Oren Long post-1934], unlike my otosan’s generation [my otosan born 1913/Wainaku mill villager/plantation kids stopped at the 8th grade]. Ted’s gang’s high school diplomas set that gang on its audacious run into history [442/GI Bill/Statehood/extraordinary leadership-mentorship]. My heart rests w/the generation that had it much harder, my otosan’s gang. — Curtis
Hugh Clark On Bill Paty
Your mention of Bill Paty reminded me what a great land board chair he was. Best in my book. He respected the public and its input. While I do not know how he wound up on your sub-blog on Japanese martial arts, I think he was the best of the old sugar managers, though I know Pete L’Orange’s father Hans had a good reputation.
(Curtis Narimatsu is a lifelong resident of Hilo who writes about the forgotten past such as the old plantation days & untold heroes.)
September 20th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Thank you, gracious editor Tiffany Edwards Hunt, for publishing my notes above, and for your beautiful photo accompaniment. My typo: Charles Hemenway 1875-1947, UH founder/Merchant St. baron, from Congregational New England [back to Mayflower/Pilgrims], great enabler of Christian Grace/beneficence, whose son Charley died tragically as a Punahou student, & from 1922 thereon dad Charles went on a mission to have the underclass of society arise to inherit the earth, so to speak, which is why dad Charles took in Hung Wai Ching 1905-2002 as Charles’ own spiritual son. Herb Isonaga 1921-2009 was a spiritual leader of the 442, Hung Wai’s acolyte, 2nd batt. anti-tank, who stated dryly that the 442 was a fortune of circumstance, or to use Biblical Joseph’s example, what set out for segregation/exclusion [segregated 442 a la excluded Joseph] turned out well for humanity [442 resulted in the 1952 INS Naturalization Act allowing Japanese aliens to become U.S. citizens; Joseph became Egyptian leader who never forgot the downtrodden]. Kamehameha the Great’s uncle is Kalani o pu’u. Sorry for the misplaced okina. Thank again, editor Tiffany, for allowing publication of my notes. Aloha always, –Curt
September 20th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Kamehameha Ave. was called Motomachi [main street] by Japanese immigrants a century ago. Issei/immigrant merchants sold rice/noodles/shoyu, but most of all, fish. Our wholesale fish market was today’s Suisan. Our Issei/immigrant inns were the Matano/Yamato/Koizumi/Okino hotels, w/eateries Baigetsu/Anegawa/Nomura/Daikoku/Seaside. Our theaters incl. Yuraku-Kwan [the largest Nippon house in the territory][today's Mamo theater]/Yamatoza/Kaisui/Teikoku Gekijo [Imperial]/Mooheau-za/Kilauea-za. Our temples incl. Yamato shinto shrine [Daijingu Manono/Kuawa Sts.]/Hongwanji/Jodo Meishoin/Hooganji-Odaishisan/Shinmachi Taishoji/Christian church at Lincoln Park. Our 3 Issei dailies/newspapers were Mainichi [Nobuji Tokushiro, exemplar-assimilationist]/Asahi/Shinpo. Our weekly was the Kazan. Our 7 Hilo Japanese schools were the Hongwanji middle school-girls’ school-elementary school/Jodo sect girls’ school/3 independent elementary schools. Aloha, –Curt
September 20th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
To compare Al Toody Souza to Tommy Kaulukukui is like comparing Luso Walt Pereira Dods to our greatest Hawaiian statesman Curtis Piehu Iaukea 1855-1940. Dods born 1941 is our greatest modern entrepreneur. Curtis Piehu Iaukea calmed international relations in his steady hands amid Kalakaua/Lili’u reigns, not to mention Piehu’s post-monarchy stabilization [Republic emissary/territorial solon/1920 sugar strike peacemaker/1930 HHA enabler/etc.]. Dods is commerce alone, Iaukea is humanity’s messiah in perpetuity. Night/day. Just the same, Al Toody Souza is a businessman, whereas Tommy Kaulukukui is Jesus incarnate among us teeming masses. Tommy singularly advanced upward society’s underclass/unspoken masses. In Toody’s wildest dreams, Toody could not imagine accomplishing what Tommy had done off the sports dirt/field. Destiny. Tommy is a child of destiny. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 20th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
No need to knock anyone to make the point. But, Dods and Al have both done and spent their fair share on philanthropic duties. How do I know? Al, Dods, and Tony Guerrero are pals.
But again, I am not keeping tally on a scoreboard. And these men have all done their share to help others in this state, meaning they all deserve our respect. No need to compare one over the other in who did the most. Aloha.
September 20th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Tommy Kaulukukui 1913-2007 [died age 94 yrs. old]. The 3rd of 10 sons, a positive role model to Tommy’s sibs, Dad was custodian, Tommy often called upon to mentor Tommy’s sibs. Tommy born w/tremendous equanimity, always encouraging others/boosting their self-worth. Tommy was the darling of the Waiakea Pirate barefoot weight class teams, always inspiring his teammates. Tommy is God to Richard Nakamura born 1921. To Richard, you cannot discuss Tommy without also discussing Jesus Christ [Japanese Christian Church-Church of the Holy Cross]. Tommy was beloved in all levels of schooling. My dad 1913-1998 was Tommy’s Hilo Intermediate classmate, & Dad said that Tommy never took credit upon himself, but always gave it to others. For example, girls went crazy over Tommy’s divine looks. So when girls fainted from Tommy’s hair cut [any new look gave girls weak knees], Tommy would say that credit goes to whoever cut Tommy’s hair. Tommy was anti-vanity, anti-narcissism. As Tommy progressed thru sports, Tommy always gave credit to his coaches/handlers/team crew/teammates, never being selfish/pompous. Which is why a legend like hoopster Ah Chew Goo worships Tommy as the Saint which Ah Chew is incapable of being, given Ah Chew’s self-attentive nature. What Ah Chew is not [selfless], Tommy is. Tommy had no ego. Tommy never dwelled on Tommy’s iconic stature. Tommy’s mission was to be of service/help to others, knowing how hard life was for Tommy while growing up during the Great Depression!! Toody Souza is a whole different DNA. Toody is but another word for Luso-Portuguese temooj, stubborn a la Ted Williams, never-say-die a la Michael Jordan. The killer instinct plain & clear. Yes, an athlete to the bone. Opposite of Tommy Kaulukukui, who was competitive but had more on the ball in terms of life overall, of humanity’s plight. Toody was about Toody, Tommy exemplified the teeming masses. After all, Tommy was a shortie like my dad, 5′3″ in shoes, 125 lbs. dripping wet butt naked, nothing titanic vis a vis others, especially fellow jocks/sportsters. But in heart, in spirit, Tommy was unbeatable!! Not temooj, but touching/tender in feelings, in sensitivity for others. Let me tell you about the kind of guy Tommy was. Froggie Yoneda 1907-1985 was the Lincoln Wrecker oyabun/godfather, but Froggie’s own Wreckers were too self-absorbed to hold a testimonial for Froggie. So what does Tommy do?? Tommy/Tommy’s prodigy Rich Nakamura, Waiakea Pirate prides–mortal enemies of the Wreckers–throw a Pirate testimonial for Froggie!! Imagine, Tommy comes home to Hilo to honor today’s forgotten superman Froggie!! Talk about compassion/empathy/kindness of heart!! This is Tommy!! Of course, little do pseudonyms “Anonymous” [a Kai-Carter DNA] & “Pua” know that Tommy helped avert wholesale relocation of buddaheads WWII, all re-classified as “enemy aliens” despite two-thirds of our 160,000 buddaheads being U.S. citizens born in Hawai’i. Tommy was willing to give up his life/die for the survival of our buddaheads. Lt. Kaulukukui had been raised among buddaheads, our Waiakea Pirates. Lt. Kaulukukui, like WWI doughboy Harry Kaina Brown [Harry K. Brown Park, elected County auditor 1924-1953, died in office], was not going to turn his back to the buddaheads whom he had grown up with. This is Tommy Kaulukukui. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 20th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
When I bespeak thy Tommy Kaulukukui, no words effuse name dropping celebrities whom Tommy squared shoulders with. But if I must, go ahead & ask the Gaisons/Medeiros/Wedemeyer ohana their opinions of Tommy. Do you know that when Herman Squirmin’ Flyin’ Hawaiian Wedemeyer 1924-1999 died, Tommy [ll yrs. older than baby Herm] said that all of Hawai’i looked up to St. Mary’s College products, the most famous being Herman Wedemeyer. Tommy went on to describe how phantom-like gifted athlete Herm was the greatest-ever athlete to come out of the Hawaiian Islands. Tommy spoke in reverential fashion about Herman. Of course, you readers today don’t know Herm, because Herm had no front line to protect him, which is why Herm ended up nondescript as a pro from injuries, just like how Archie Manning ended up injured in the NFL, w/no front line to protect Archie. Of course, Herm had the deepest respect/veneration for fellow Hilo boy/kupuna Tommy. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 20th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Are you able to name 160,000 buddaheads who worshipped Tommy Kaulukukui 1942?? Are you able to name 160,000 sports fans who worship Toody Souza today, whence Toody is at Toody’s peak of fame/fortune, as is emphatically displayed by Toody’s kin “Anonymous?” Love, –Curt
September 20th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Tommy was willing to die in the service of his country, to make real that “everybody’s equal.” This is selfless pride. WWII, our gravest moment in history. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 20th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
I have never compared who worships who? I am not comparing anything. The topic was athletes. I wrote an opinion from my own inside eyewitness accounts of, Al, Reed S, etc. and you wrote your opinions based on your experiences.
I respect your opinions and you were on the money with your observations and it was great information to learn personally, Curtis, sincerely, thank you.
These two guys, Al and Tommy were giants, big guys. They made their mark by their time on earth.
These guys never cheated anyone, hurt anyone, lied or screwed anyone over. They were achievers (and not in the status/whatever way) but the multi-talent that they displayed in so many parts of their life. Al and Tommy will have legions of friends who will express how much they have helped people. And since I learned about Tommy, I will do my research with my sources and learn about his accomplishments.
Let’s not recognize Tommy by criticizing or comparing Al Souza. It’s away from the respect both of these men deserve.
I know Al very well and I am almost certain he would have nothing but beautiful things to say about Tommy.
September 21st, 2009 at 9:08 am
This is what Tommy Kaulukukui had to say about Toody Souza, essentially how one legend bestows reverence upon another one who is equally situated– “You know, the reason I look up to St. Mary’s [College] products is their dedication to teaching [St. La Salle, Patron Saint of teachers], which is why going back to Nick Ho’opi’i [Tony Morse's older brother 1920s] & up to Herman Wedemeyer, I always look up to our students who were fortunate enough to go to St. Mary’s. Al Souza, USF, the Jesuits are always compassionate and kind men. Al is lucky to be part of this tradition. He must’ve been a great athlete to be among USF’s best sports alumni. It’s too bad that not as many of our local products have the kinds of opportunities to do well like Al did on the Mainland. Al was lucky to go to St. Joseph school [in Hilo].” Love, –Curt
September 21st, 2009 at 9:52 am
I regret that I do not know who is “Anonymous” on this post. I am sorry that I mistook Tax Office head Herb Kai [Kai Store] for the Dept. of Labor George Kai, who is father of Pee Wee & John Kai [John a heady athlete], & Pee Wee is father of Keoki Kai [Uncle Mikey's nightclub]. Pseudonym Ivan Tatum denied that Ivan is Keoki Kai. Ivan Tatum is “Anonymous” here in my opinion. Aloha, –Curt
September 21st, 2009 at 7:42 pm
The way Kolten Wong is progressing, Mr. “Carter-Kai” [I take him to be pseudonym "Anonymous"] & his uncle Toody Souza are right on the mark in projecting Kolten as our Big Island’s 2nd major leaguer. Aloha, –Curt
September 21st, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Yes, baseball pundit Nel Okino [Hilo High '64] rates Kolten Wong 4.5 as a 5 tools player [hits for average/hits for power/strong arm/good defense/can run], with hitting for power Kolten’s only weakness, which to Nel is not a problem for big leaguers, who are impressed with Kolten’s other 4 tools. Kolten has awed scouts at the college D1 level, & Nel feels that Kolten is major league material. Aloha, –Curt
September 21st, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Grooming successors the key to continuity of great leadership. Eichi Oki born 1925 442nd RCT is not a groomer because he doesn’t regard himself an icon, yet he is 442 Chaplain Hiro Higuchi 1907-1981 incarnate [Eichi's amazing 3 men in the 442 are Chaplains Israel Yost/Hiro Higuchi/Masao Chicken Yamada; Eichi's alltime hero is Albert Schweitzer, renaissance man]. Quiet heroes Wayne Kamitaki born 1952 [owner Ben Franklin/Ace Hardware] & Les Seto born 1949 [HCEOC prodigy to oyabun/godfather George Yokoyama born 1926, whose earlier acolyte Larry Manliguis died of cancer] typify renaissance exemplar Grif Frost’s born 1957 “Life Quality” philosophy [balance/harmony in all facets of life]. Irony is that Kamitaki/Seto/Frost, the holy trinity/consecrated mortals, are self-made men, so to speak. Aloha, –Curt
September 21st, 2009 at 8:15 pm
No, a person doesn’t have to taste depths of despair to ascend providentially. Look at Pastor Roy Kim born 1946, clean/pure from day one on this earth. But it helps that a Les Seto was pure/ordained Lutheran minister to steady the rough ride thru life. Of course, Wayne/Grif experienced tremendous despair/failure & are better [metaphysically] today for them. Aloha, –Curt
September 21st, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Yoshin Ryu Jujitsu [Willow branch--yield to allow snow to fall off, thus saving the tree] is what nondescript genesis in America/Western Culture Kichimatsu Tanaka 1875-1954 carried on from Jigoro Kano 1860-1938, so-called modern judo founder in Japan. Of course, Kichimatsu’s most famous pupil Seiichiro “Henry” Okazaki 1890-1951 morphed Yoshin Ryu into an amalgam of various styles called Danzan Ryu. Notice the 15 yr. age difference between these 3 holy men in the jujitsu world. Yes, grooming the successor was critical to the evolution of judo as we know it today. So when vaunted Sports Illustrated magazine credits Okazaki as contempo superman BJ Penn’s alter ego/forebearer, it forgets that Tanaka preceded Okazaki, & that Kano started it all in its modern form in Japan. Aloha, –Curt
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Eichi Oki born 1925 praises the French Revolution 1889 & its slogan “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.” But the French Revolution copycat’d our American Revolution w/Thomas Jefferson’s “life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness.” We Americans have much to be thankful for, including our Revolution/Declaration of Independence. Aloha, –Curt
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:06 pm
HCEOC’s George Yokoyama’s born 1926 greatest strength is George’s grooming of his successor [originally Larry Manliguis, who died of cancer], namely acolyte Les Seto born 1949, an amazing disciple of Matthew 5/Isaiah 58/Micah 6:8, Les an ordained Lutheran minister. Of course, Les came ready-made to George, being that Les is a self-made person whose mother Carol is Les’ spiritual inspiration. Wayne Kamitaki’s dad/uncle were Wayne’s alter egos, though Wayne also was self-made [altruist/empathetic/thoughtful]. Aloha, –Curt
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Wayne Kamitaki & Les Seto exemplify Abraham Maslow’s self-transcendence — martyr-calibre selfless giving/sacrifice, the highest order of fulfillment/peace of mind a la Jesus/Buddha/Muhammad. Grif Frost born 1957 is a Maslow who comprehends that a Matson/A&B Bob Pfeiffer who is partial to subordinates who put in 80 hr. workweeks is not a positive exemplar of Frost’s Life Quality equanimity/pono-balance. Pfeiffer micromanaged without building up his cadre’s own self-actualization a la Maslow. Martyrdom in today’s terrorist vernacular is not Maslow’s lexicon. Terrorists/suicide bombers kill innocent helpless civilians. This is heinous murder, not self-transcendent martyrdom. Self-transcendent martyrdom is John 15:13 metaphor — hath no greater love than a person who lays down that person’s life for another. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:36 pm
A Wayne Kamitaki/Les Seto are not thoust Carl Okuyama/Harvey Tajiri, who still cling to material/ostentatious adornments unnecessary to self-transcendence. In themselves, Okuyama/Tajiri are okay, no need for status tripping/social climbing. No need. Love always, –Curt
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
A Jimmy Arakaki born 1940, orphaned/rough life, but blessed by the most loving grandparents, still unduly rough re: strangers, needs to loosen up a la Jesus incarnate Wayne Kamitaki born 1952/Les Seto born 1949. Age chronology/birth order/so-called maturity not factors here. An Arakaki could really gain insight/wisdom from Kamitaki/Seto. Love, –Curt
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Still on cafe internet time. Signing out, love, –Curt
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:03 pm
To answer our County’s question of Statehood at our half century mark for posterity another half century from now, bottom line is that Statehood brought us tremendous prosperity w/Wall St./Stateside investments in our secure/stable Statehood status, coupled incredulously with inaugural commercial jet travel 1959 which cut flying time in half, & which eventually allowed middle class folks to fly affordably to Hawai’i, which made our tourist industry our dominant income producer, after which military spending picked up the rear [especially during the Vietnam War]. Helene Hale born 1918 touted commonwealth status in Helene’s summer 1954 run for non-voting Delegate to Congress [like Puerto Rico, no need to pay federal income tax, vs. our territorial status which charged a federal income tax], only because Helene, being an FDR African-American from the deep South, didn’t think that the Eastlands/Southern Bloc Dems ever would allow Hawai’i Statehood [Hawai'i non-contiguous/too Oriental/too left wing]. After GOP Statehood Joe Farrington’s death June 1954, Helene even more didn’t think we had a chance to get Statehood. But we got Statehood thru the incredible machinations of non-voting Delegate to Congress Jack Burns 1956-1959. Of course, little does the public know that Helene’s greatest legacy is that she cleaned up 50 yrs. of Hawaiian-only ethnic cronyism at the highest levels of County government when she beat GOP Lofty Cook for County Chair[mayor] 1962. Yes, her Merry Monarch genesis 1963 via George Naope/Gene Wilhelm revived Hawaiian culture/heritage & set in motion our Hawaiian Renaissance, but Helene’s untold strength is her 1962 upending of the Hawaiian-only status quo. Aloha, –Curt
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Life Quality? Grif Frost’s original paradigm, about pono/balance, the exemplars being Wayne Kamitaki/Les Seto. Grif’s strength is that Grif sees that money is not everything, & it’s not the only thing [Lombardi euphemism]. Family life/empathy for others/generous spirit/indulgent nature-compassion/agape love are more important than material wealth/status-tripping/social climbing. Others who have come & left wonderful legacies as transcendent avatars a la Kamitaki/Seto include Galen Fisher & his son Gerald [Wilcox kin]/Rev. Albert W. Palmer of Central Union Church/Curtis Piehu Iaukea/Charles Hemenway/Pastor Hung Wai Ching & his son KingLit Ching/Kanaka Johnny Wilson/Walter C.K. Victor/Richard Pablo Chinen/Richard Nigga Tong/etc. Aloha, –Curt
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Yes, sportsters/altruists include Nobu Yamauchi/George Okino Thompson [Uncle Willy's older brother]/Dottie Soares Thompson [George's ex-wife]/Harpo Saiki [Dottie's ex-husband]/Dickie Furtado/Doc Wong/Richard Yamanoha/Nobu Maruyama/CT Nakamura/Don Pakele/etc. Aloha, –Curt
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Eleanor Soares Conner, Dottie Thompson’s sister, was a great athlete like Dottie. Eleanor/Dottie as athletes beat boys 2 on 2 hoops or whatever other sport you put them in. Aloha, –Curt
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Julian Yates/Minoru Gabby Inaba were great Kona altruists. Sakuichi Sakai Dem turned GOP of Kohala an integrationist, not a Japanese master race promoter. Tsuneo Koike a Ka’u altruist. Aloha, –Curt
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Wow, Melissa Fletcher is an incredibly sensible person. Her contemplative nature is to behold!! She is the reincarnation of extraordinary peacemakers Curtis Piehu Iaukea & Rev. Albert W. Palmer. Aloha, –Curt
September 23rd, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Curtis, I can’t tell you how much your comment touched my heart. Thank you for your humbling words, I will try to learn more about these people you speak of.
Aloha~
September 24th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Walt Dudley & Jeanne Mason Johnston are the duo who created our great Pacific Tsunami Museum. Community icons Tuck Wah Lee & Robert Steamy Chow lent their 1st hand tsunami experiences, & Jim Wilson & Donna Saiki continued the educational tradition of the museum. Aloha, –Curt
September 24th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Ironically, Ho Chi Minh 1890-1969 used Jefferson’s 1776 Declaration of Independence’s “life, liberty, & the pursuit of happiness” in breaking away from colonial France. Each time WWI/WWII eras, Ho Chi Minh beseeched our U.S. to intercede to endorse Vietnam independence from France, to no avail. Our Seattle polyglot Miles Cary 1895-1959 is McKinley High School’s greatest educator 1924-1948, being the spiritual guru via Cary’s hero John Dewey’s progressive education to untold students, including Gladys Brandt. Riley Allen 1884-1966 is a Southwestern Texan who revolutionized the Star-Bulletin 1912-1960 to vow that for the meek of the earth, theirs is the kingdom of heaven, so to speak, like George Chaplin 1914-2003, Southern Jew who upended the Advertiser by going grassroot all the way, such as endorsing Dan Inouye over Advertiser board chair Walt Dillingham’s son Ben II for U.S. Senate 1962, after which Walt promptly resigned in protest. Walt died broken-hearted a year later. The world was a changin’. Scribe Bud Smyser from York PA. 1920-2001 also was a Dewey progressive activator. Aloha, –Curt
September 24th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Gene Wilhelm 1914-1997 was a newspaper man who served as Helene Hale’s chief of staff, so to speak, in Helene’s sole term as County Chair/mayor 1962-1964. He was a fine administrator. Shun Kimura was w/the Bd. of Education & was able to proxy Helene’s fellow teachers to support oratical/eloquent speaker Shun [sounded like Spark Matsunaga 1916-1990], which is how Shun beat Helene for County Chair 1964. Helene got rid of labor man Ed Bento as fire chief [NCAAI hoops All-American Eddie's dad], because of Bento’s rampant cronyism, which resulted in the ILWU going all out for Shun Kimura vs. Helene 1964. Aloha, –Curt
September 24th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Curtis-
Did Gene Wilhelm live on Wailuku Drive (in the huge Tudor house) and if he did, he must be related to Steve Wilhelm who also lived in that house.
The former Hanley home (owners of Orchid Island Car dealership) was next door.
I own the former Yadao house, next door to the Hanley’s, one property up the street.
Was this really a segregated neighborhood?, like you had mentioned.
September 24th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Hi Anonymous [of the former Yadao home, not the supposed Carter-Kai pseudonym]: Gene Wilhelm was Trib editor & lived on Wailuku Drive. His former wife was the Lyman of Kapoho Rufus Lyman’s progeny. He then married Elaine Ludloff. I don’t know who is Steve Wilhelm. Wailuku Drive neighborhood is the euphemism for this subdivision, which really is upper Waianuenue heights, where the M.D.s lived. After Wailuku Drive augmented Waianuenue Ave., then the Chinese M.D.s moved in. This was not a segregated neighborhood by design. It was a rich neighborhood, a class-conscious cluster, of well-to-do haoles, augmented later by Chinese. Aloha, –Curt
September 24th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Yeah-Dr. Goo, Dr. Chang, Dr. Ludwig, back in the day. And Buddy Soares.
Now Dr. Irvine, Dr. Millet, Dr. Gerber.
With former Police Chief Ernest Fergestrom (deceased) in the neighborhood and with former Police Chief Wayne Carvalho still presiding.
All within one block on Wailuku Drive.
September 24th, 2009 at 10:36 am
And Dr. King, next door.
September 24th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Hi Anonymous: My apology. I just spoke w/Gene Wilhelm’s ex-wife Elaine Ludloff born 1929. Gene born 1924 still is alive & on Maui. I mistook namesake Gene as born 1914 who died in 1997. Elaine’s/Gene’s son is Steve Wilhelm, whom I do not know, who works for the County purchasing dept. Gene’s daughter from Jewel Lyman is deceased. Elaine wants us to know that Elaine’s parents purchased their Ludloff home in 1934 or so, & that Gene Wilhelm has nothing to do with the acquisition/maintenance of this home. This home has since been acquired by neighbor Ludwig, & now a dermatologist Mauro(?). Aloha, –Curt
September 24th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Thank you, Curtis-
Much appreciated. Did not know who bought the Ludloff/Wilhelm mansion. Being I do not live in the neighborhood and rent the home to a tenant, I was wondering who purchased it.
I do know Dr. Gerrick Ludwig, bought the home and did major renovations to Elaine’s former home, which is a Nationally Registered Home because of architechture and period it was built, and major landscaping and renovations to his three properties across the street.
I was wondering if you know anything about the Beck family who owned a home across from the Buddy Soares/ former Nasa astronaut’s home. Beautiful house. They were affiliated with a church in Keaau.
September 25th, 2009 at 8:36 am
Hi Anonymous of Wailuku Drive: I just placed a call to Curtis Beck at Helco to see if he is from the Beck family you refer to. Elaine Ludloff grew up on Wailuku Drive & is the most knowledgeable person to speak with. You can check your phone book to get a hold of her. Aloha, –Curt
September 25th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Elaine’s grandpa & his brother from Germany worked for Scot Love’s Bakery on O’ahu, then moved to Hilo where they opened their Crescent City Cracker Co. in a 2 story wood frame bldg. in the heart of Shinmachi on Kam Ave. [by today's DLNR aquatic structure off Emma St. lane]. In 1922 the Ludloffs opened their huge 2 story concrete bldg. NW corner Kam/Pi’opi’o St., which withstood the 1946/1960 tsunamis. After the 1946 tsunami, Doc Hill opened the original Hilo Shopping Ctr. w/the Ludloff bldg. as the anchor structure, at which point Gary Ichino[tsubo]’s Pick N’ Pay supermarket occupied the Ludloff bldg. After the 1960 tsunami wiped out that area again, Doc Hill opened up Doc’s current Hilo Shopping Ctr. on Kilauea Ave. [former Waiakea mill camp], w/Ichino’s Pick N’ Pay being the anchor tenant [mall where Kope Kope/Miwa Restaurants/etc. are]. The Ludloffs carried over the hard tack saloon [for large throng of eaters] pilot [for seafarer-- sea biscuit] cracker to Hilo, though the Shiro Ikeda family gives credit to WWI German ship baker for introducing the hard tack to Hilo. Aloha, –Curt
September 25th, 2009 at 8:59 am
Transcendent leaders per Abraham Maslow’s paradigm [Grif Frost born 1957 has Grif's own Life Quality paradigm a la Maslow which blows one's mind in a beautiful way] include Hawai’i forgotten heroes Charles M. Hyde/Ted Richards/Elsie Wilcox/Horace Vaughan/Andrew Lind/Les Hicks/Gil & Minnie Bowles/Gustav Olson/Blake Clark/August Vollmer/Ted Trent/James Chamberlain Baker/Newton E. Moats/Robert A. Millikan/Ray Lyman Wilbur, & Statesiders Dillon S. Myer/Milton Eisenhower/Pearl S. Buck/John J. McCloy. Aloha, –Curt
September 25th, 2009 at 10:41 am
When one looks at the Shinmachi photos [Shinmachi kumiai/org photo collection], one can see the name Crescent City Cracker Co. on the false front of the 2nd story woodframe bldg. between Emma St. [DLNR structures today] and Ke’elikolani St. [by where the Shinmachi wood post is today along Kamehameha Ave.]. These old photos were taken in the 1930s. Of course, the 1946 tsunami scoured out this whole area along Kam Ave. & to the rear along Wailoa pond. Thence my moniker “the Lost City of Atlantis,” or the “city which sunk beneath the sea.” Aloha, –Curt
September 26th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Gen. Matthew Ridgway 1895-1993 argued against our involvement in Vietnam, stating that Vietnam was not vital to our national security, contrary to John Foster Dulles’ domino theory. Ridgway’s prescience/foresight foretold the later Weinberger doctrine about limited objectives instead of widespread imperialism. Aloha, –Curt
September 26th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
I dedicate the following excerpt from Suzanne Case, archivist-historian for Central Union Church, who happens to be the mother of Nature Conservancy’s local executive director Suzanne Case, to transcendent souls Melissa Fletcher/Don O’Reilly: “Dr. Albert W. Palmer was born May 18, 1879, in Kansas City, Missouri, but spent his early years in California. He graduated from the University of California Berkeley in 1901, and from Yale Divinity School in 1909. He served two California churches before coming to Central Union, most notably Plymouth Church in Oakland, from which he was called to Central Union. He was pastor of Central Union from December 5, 1918 until June 1, 1924, and then accepted a call from First Congregational Church in Oak Park, Illinois, which he served until 1930. On January 1, 1930 he became the President of Chicago Theological Seminary, serving there 16 years until he retired on December 21, 1945. He returned to California, and served the First Church of Los Angeles, 1946-1949. Dr. Palmer died December 16, 1954 in Altadena, California, a Los Angeles suburb.”
Do you know that irascible Hung Wai Ching 1905-2002 followed in Dr. Palmer’s footsteps, going from Union Theological Seminary, to Chicago Theological Seminary, & finally to Yale Divinity?? Frank Atherton & Charles Hemenway made it possible for footloose Hung Wai to ascend up the seminary ladder. Suzi Case above, thank you, & much aloha for your wisdom & information!! Love always, –Curt
September 26th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Oops, Suzi Case above also said of Dr. Palmer, “He wrote 12 books, from 1911 to 1949.” Wow!! Love, –Curt
September 26th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Yes, Suzi Case is Ed Case’s mom. Ed’s dad Jim is an intellectual guru, Jim’s baby brother Dan a gregarious disarming chap. Aloha, –Curt
September 26th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
When Bill Blanchette was denied entry into the only game in town, the AJA baseball league, it reminded Earl Nakasato of ex-ILWU head Bobo Lapenia being denied entry to the Pepe’ekeo AJA team. So when Nel Okino came to Hilo 2 days ago on behalf of the Japanese Cultural Ctr. to interview AJA stalwart member Richard Nakamura, I asked Nel if Nel was on the wrong team. Yikes!! Love everlasting, –Curt
September 26th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Of course, in the Japan baseball major league, outsiders/gaijin were limited to 2 players per team, or something like that. Which is why guys like Honomu’s Rich De Sa didn’t last long, inasmuch the Japan teams picked up ex-major leaguers in the U.S. Of course, local buddaheads/kotonks weren’t considered outsiders/gaijin for roster purposes. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Yes, Nelson Okino is Hilo High ‘64 grad, retired as NEA West Region director, was on the ‘63 Big Isle American Legion baseball team w/Tommy Ishigo-Clayton Fujie-Fred Entilla which fared well in the West Regionals. Nel says that the eventual titlist had roster calibre akin to having every starter equal to or better than our 3 best starters/#s 2-3-4 in our batting order. Tommy Ishigo, though regarded as a blazer/fastballer here, would be like a Shane Komine today or a Kenso Nushida 1900-1983 a century ago of downtown Hilo across Mo’oheau Park — just too small to pitch big league ball, being 5′8″ 145 lbs. Of course, Nushida is the 1st AJA [not Nikkei overall, whose Japanese Nationals played Triple A ball long before Nushida] to play Triple A ball, as a novelty to draw Kotonk fans amid the Great Depression, Sacramento Senators 1932, Nushida only 5′0″ 100 lbs. per actual Kotonk scribes [Kotonk enabler Zenimura of O'ahu was small like Nushida]. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Kotonk enabler Zenimura in 1923 or so had 3 of our best Hilo buddaheads play Kotonk bush league ball for a season in California, led by former YMI pitcher Yasu Nakamura, 5′8″ fastballer, who eventually was deported back to Japan Prohibition. Windmill windup pitcher Ironman Morimoto 1900-1977 was unable to go to California because of family commitments. Ironman was Kenso Nushida’s brother in law. No pitcher back then was accomplished like Derek Tatsuno, who was Triple A calibre, per baseball pundit Richard Kiyota [Helene Hale's deceased husband]. Today’s baseball guru Nelson Okino born 1946 of Waiakea [not related to conceited Fat Okino of Okino Hotel][Tom Okino/Uncle Willy Okino Thompson & Willy's older brother George are Nelson's kin] succeeds yesterday’s guru Richard Kiyota. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Obviously, big league AJAs Kurt Suzuki & Shane Victorino of Maui far exceed our buddahead/kotonk stars of yesteryear. Heard that Mike Lum is AJA, don’t know for a fact. If Lum is AJA, then Lum is the 1st AJA big leaguer, not Kalani High’s Ryan Kurosaki [Lenny Sakata's teammate pitcher]. Onomea’s Hisashi Koshimoto is in the Japan baseball hall of fame as a coach, Koshimoto playing ball in Japan long before Wahiawa’s Bozo Wakabayashi or Kaiser Tanaka/Jim Horio. Of course, Pa’ahau outfielder Jack Ladra played Japan pro ball post-WWII. Jack is in my mythic outfield of our Big Island’s best-ever squad, along w/En Sue Charley Pung [a speed burner a la Shane Victorino] & Al Toody Souza ["Anonymous" communicant's uncle, I take "Anonymous" to be a Carter-Kai family member in his 40s age group]. My infield consists of Blondie Hiraishi/Bob Ota [retired Bank of Hawaii/Ag Dept. exec]/haughty Stan Costales/Henry Lai Hipp [Anna Perry Fiske's ex hubby], w/Kolten Wong as catcher [major league prospect per Toody Souza's nephew "Anonymous" commentator & per current baseball pundit-guru Nelson Okino], & Swede Desha as lead pitcher [our only major leaguer Onan Masaoka born 1977 is right behind Swede, Swede having been recruited as an 18 yr. old by the Big League in 1913]. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Our most underrated U.S. military General Matthew B. Ridgway 1895-1993 felt that our United Nations forces could have gotten to Korea’s Yalu River, but that our U.S. leaders would not have committed the manpower to hold that line or to cross it. Ridgway’s unusual awareness of limited war/objectives, & his stragic grasp & battlefield leadership, are unmatched in U.S. military history. Of course, WWII German Generals feared Patton more than any other Allied General because of Patton’s boldness & instinct for war strategy a la Genghis Khan 1162-1227 A.D./Saladin 1138-1193 A.D./Nobunaga Oda 1534-1582/William Slim 1891-1970 British commander]. The greatest siege? Jericho by the Israelites 1350 B.C. Vietnam War’s Gen. William Westmoreland was constrained by numbers cruncher/”systems analyst” Bob McNamara’s civilian-imposed limits on operations in fighting a limited war on difficult terrain to contain communism. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Yes, Alexander the Great 356-323 B.C./Hannibal 247-182 B.C./Napoleon 1769-1821 A.D./Helmuth von Moltke 1800-1891 A.D./William Sherman 1820-1891 A.D. also were great military Generals. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 9:41 am
The greatest war movie? Probably the greatest anti-war movie “All Quiet on the Western Front” 1930 about WWI trench warfare directed Lewis Milestone based on Erich Remarque’s novel. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Directed by Lewis Milestone. A war memoir? “With the old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa” 1981 by E.B. Sledge. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Military innovations? Gunpowder China 1000 A.D. Steam power/propulsion 1800 A.D. Rifled musket 1850 A.D. stretched lethal range from 250 ft. to 900 ft. Quick-firing artillery & internal combustion engine 1900 A.D. Radar 1940 A.D. Nuclear weapons/nuclear power 1945/1960 A.D. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Kazuma Hisanaga 1918-1998 never lived down his AJA dad Hisakichi Hisanaga’s 1890-1978 alleged run of vice activities/wealth. Kazuma was a multi-sport athlete/442 Silver Star recipient/longtime educator known as a disciplinarian-tough heel, alter ego for Kiyo Hamakawa born 1929, another tough hombre but opposite of Kazuma via Kiyo’s soft touch/gentle nature, Kiyo also a longtime educator. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Wally Yonamine/Andy Miyamoto/Kurt Suzuki/Shane Victorino all Maui boys. Angel Maehara/Island Movers’ Don Takaki sports enablers from Maui. Old Maui took sports seriously. For others, sports are just recreation. Old Maui more plantation era/rigid code of behavior a la bushido. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Masuo “Monjou” [moniker from his French teacher, not Nippon manju] Masutani 1909-1993 was a renegade drunk whom Richard Nakamura born 1921 couldn’t stand, per Rich. Rich says that Monjou never did anything for the Waiakea Pirates other than play/coach the Pirates squads. Yet Manjou’s wife/kids are scholars. Nobu Maruyama 1903-1996 was the quintessential philanthropist/altruist, per Rich. Rich is not related to C.T. Nakamura, who worked w/Nobu & Monjou at Davies. C.T. assisted Nobu for the Pirates. Big 5 commercial giants took in our athletes for their sports teams, the elite senior leagues. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Yes, our greatest Hawaiian leader Curtis Piehu Iaukea 1855-1940 was born in Waimea on Hawai’i Island, whose mother was Lahapa Nalanipo. Mythic names Liloa/’Umi must’ve resonated w/Iaukea. Irony is that Iaukea’s great-grandson Curtis “the Bull” Iaukea III of rasslin’ fame [Iaukea's son was not named Curtis] in projection is the sheer opposite of our greatest statesman/internationalist Iaukea. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Isamu Kanekuni born 1921, impetuous militant A-hole typical of post-1920 born aggressive AJAs armed w/high school diplomas, thanks to magnanimous DPI chief Oren Long 1934-1946, is not Hawaiian, though the name Kanekuni might mean man on fire/fiery person in Hawaiian. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Usually you’re catcher, second baseman, shortstop, and centerfielder are on the field for fielding prowess. Not necessarily hitting. But, with Kolten, I agree with the analogy that he can run, field, good arm, hit for average but he can also hit for power. If you watched last years game with Loyola Marymount University (where he had a 3 homerun game, his coming out party at the UH), the first homerun was with no one on base. The first homerun, Kolton was behind in the count (1 ball, 2 strikes). So the pitcher has the luxury of being ahead in the count which makes it easier to pitch around the hitter and he still found a pitch and cranked it out of the park. And he did it three times in this game. This is against major Division 1 pitching.
Kolton’s versatility as a player comes from the fact he can play 4 or 5 positions on the field (second, third, anywhere in the outfield outfield, and catch) and he can bat anywhere in the lineup from 1 thru 6 at the college level. This makes him a special player.
As far as determining whether at a young age (16 to 18) a player is a major leageue hitter, unless you have an exceptional case like Ken Griffey Jr. or this high school phenom, Bryce Harper, it’s hard to gauge. When I was in college, I took a graduate management class and once a week we had business owners and management speakers come to lecture the students. One of the speaker was Herm Winkleman, who was the owner of the Stockton Ports, Single A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers MLB team. Winkleman talked about the minor league farm systems, marketing and management of professional franchise in a small market like Stockton, and along with other subjects the evaluation and scouting of baseball players. This was my favorite part of the discussion. Winkleman said it is hard to determine a major league hitter when a male athlete is in his teens.
A future NBA player can be projected at the age of 13 or 14 based on athletic skills like speed, quickness, jumping ability, hand eye coordination, etc. So if you project this player growing a couple of inches, with sophistcated coaching, weight training and diet, scouts can see the likelihood of a young athlete making it to the NBA. Kobe and Lebron, and I saw Lebron play in person (at 16) in August of 2001 at an Addidas camp at the UC-Berkeley campus, were projected as future NBA players in intermediate school.
In high school football, a scout has to project putting 30 to 40 pounds on a skill player (running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, defensive backs) thru sophistcated weight training and diet to project over 3 or 4 years, whether that player will have the size and bulk without losing speed and agility to play in the NFL.
The quarterback position is the hardest to evaluate as anyone who follows the NFL knows. Many recent draft busts at this position (Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, Akili Smith, and my team’s number 1 pick of Alex Smith, of the San Francisco 49ers.) Football is a litter harder than basketball.
In baseball, and I still remember Winkleman’s talk like yesterday, he said it takes a grown male to be about 23 to 25 years of age for that athlete to hit a round object (baseball) coming at them at 90 plus miles an hour with a sphere object(baseaball bat). Winkleman said it takes a grown man to be of a certian age to be able to do this consitently with success. Than you factor in a curve ball and a slider, thrown unpredictably, sometimes major league pitchers are throwinig junk at 1-2 or 0-2 in the count and it makes it tougher. The MLB pichers are so skilled. Winkleman called it the hardest single athletic skill to acquire. It is not necessarily the most athletic skill or the athletic skill that takes the most endurance but he stated the hardest skill to acquire.
That is why a major league hitter is considered successful if he is batting .300. What other profession are you considered successful at your craft when you are good 30 percent of the time, Winkleman had said.
That is why it is very hard to determine how far a high school player/hitter will ascend in profesional baseball until he is able to play worthy competition and be of a certain age.
September 27th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Philosopher Ernie Jungden just showed me the daruma daishi cup, where 400 A.D. bodhidharma has a mosquito flying around him, whilst he’s enveloped in clothes w/no arms to swat away the mosquito, point being that perseverance/devotion to meditation/task at hand help one achieve Nirvana/enlightenment. Sheez, meditating in a cave, though arguably ego-less, does nothing for humanity. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 11:51 am
“Anonymous” [I take it he is Carter-Kai family member in his 40s age group] is on the mark in analyzing/scouting a player. Break down the count on Clayton Fujie, Uchinanchu Wainaku athlete born 1946, 5′10″ or so, 165 lbs. of pure muscle. Clayton was our most lauded athlete in his time, yet word is that he tried out for Japan major league baseball team which trained on Maui, but didn’t make it. Clayton’s forte was baseball as an outfielder. Clayton was adequate in the 5 tools [hit for average/hit for power/strong arm/foot speed/defense], but not overarching in any tool. Simply, Clayton was average to high calibre play/scouts. On the other hand, look at Clayton’s unheralded Wainaku mate, Fred Entilla Jr. [Jr's dad was an outstanding transplant from Maui] of Camp 2, same age, 6′0″ stringbean skinny. Freddy evolved into the killer player/instinct by the time Freddy played in the top-level Honolulu Baseball League, w/5 tools better than star-studded renowned Clayton. To peer/analyst Nelson Okino also born 1946, Freddy could’ve gone up to Double A by the time Freddy was 25 yrs. old, but unlikely to move up to Triple A/major league [not dominant enough like today's Kolten Wong]. Clayton probably would’ve languished at Single A subclasses B/C/D. Tommy Ishigo born 1944, big fish in small pond, so to speak, would be too small as a pitcher to get beyond the lowest farm system ranks of Single A subclasses B/C/D. Tommy himself concedes that despite Tommy’s crafty nature/great ball control/good curve-passable fast ball, Tommy pretty much lost his arm as an adult [overuse] & guys like Tommy are dime a dozen to scouts. Which is why Kenso Nushida 1900-1983 was called “Boy Wonder” half a century before Tommy got this moniker [17 yr. old Tommy single-handedly won the State AJA title for Waiakea Pirates vs. grown men from O'ahu], but Kenso just was too small/frail to power Kenso’s way to the top of the minor league ranks. As a novelty, Triple A Sacramento had Kenso pitch to draw more gate amid the Great Depression 1932, nothing more than about ticket sales [Sacramento had large kotonk population]. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Thanks again, “Anonymous” [I suppose Carter-Kai family member], for your tremendous insight/know-how. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Break down baseballer Stan Costales. Adequate in 5 tools, butter-smooth form, but form alone not sufficient to move up the minor league ranks. Like Fujie, Stan probably would languish in Single A system, just as Stan’s antecedent Bob Ota would [Bob better long ball hitter]. Ancient Henry Lai Hipp from Nushida’s era could fare at Double A in his time, w/1st baseman Blondie Hiraishi of Kona just a power hitter at Single A [Blondie's pitching arm gave out at Michigan State]. Baer Ikeda [for boxer Max Baer] & King Kitaoka were Kona’s other prides/joys, but only Ikeda could’ve gone beyond Single A at best. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Again, Al Toody Souza was no hoopster like teammate Ed Bento, & USF’s baseball program was no star quality like USF’s hoops [Russell/Jones] & football [Matson/Marchetti/St. Clair] programs. Toody Souza had butter-smooth form & major league height/strength, but the level of his competition averted needed look-see as to his big league potential. Remember that the Giants had just moved from NY & were in no state/condition to scout adequately. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Honomu’s Rich De Sa had the Ironman pitching arm & played Japan pro ball. Rich had top speed/control & could’ve gone up to American Triple A. But Japan dispensing him in due time showed that U.S. major leaguers [even though on the down arc] were more desirable than a Triple A guy like Rich. Gerry Meyer/Loeffler/etc. were top local pitchers who probably were at Single A calibre. In the minor leagues, the jump is hardest from Single A to Double A, such that Double A players have a chance to make the Big League. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Yes, Rich De Sa is same kin as Onan Masaoka. Asahi owner Angel Maehara had Japan contacts, so that Rich was able to play Japan pro ball. Among the players of half a century ago, De Sa/Toody Souza/Stan Costales had tremendous butter-smooth form. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I take it that “Anonymous” is Carter-Kai ohana. Herbert U. Kai [moved to Kaua'i?] was a great athlete almost a century ago, just as Johnny Kai was a great athlete for St. Joseph High nearly half a century ago, & Johnny was looked at by pro scouts in baseball when Johnny went to play Stateside for our local all-star squad. Lenny Kai was an outstanding hoops guard of recent vintage. Aloha, –Curt
September 27th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
But, Al played for four years at USF (proving he was not a high school flash in the pan nor a bush league player) and was a conference leader in homeruns and steals. Showing speed and strength. He also played basketball, his freshmen year.
So if I am not mistaken, you are right the SF Giants did draft him but a hand injury (caused in a dorm incident) resulting in him joining the Navy as an officer. He graduated two years after Candlestick Park (now the Giants play at Pac-Bell near the Embarcadero in the City) was built (and where the 49ers play).
But Al played on US National Team at the time, which I heard from him. The Giants had an idea of the type of player he was because most the top baseball and players of that time were on the West Coast. Plus, he already showed what type of player he was by putting up the numbers he did playing UCLA, USC, Pepperdine, UC Berkley, that USF played. Hence, his induction to their Athletic HOF with who you mentioned, above.
The USF baseball program was not of the calibre of Arizona State and Arizona, and it’s struggled since than, but it was a quality program and he showed he could play at a higher level against top college pitching. Just like when Reed S., stepped up and showed he could compete at UCLA and got invited to try out for the ‘88 Olympic team. Same thing. He stepped up and excelled.
My question would be how many baseball players from the Big Island competed and excelled at the high school level, major college level and than got drafted by an American major league team? All three criteria.
I can’t think of anyone else besides Al and soon Kolton. Who I have insisted to Al and my cousins that Kolton is the best pure hitter from Hilo considering his great success as a freshmen at UH. So early. Now some of my uncles (from Al’s generation) have disagreed but after this kid put up the numbers he did as a freshman, you have to give Kolton his props. Along with Kaha.
September 27th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Curtis-
I am surprised you knew that fact about Johnny because not many would know that but you are right, he got offered a contract to play minor league ball for the St. Louis Cardinals.
September 28th, 2009 at 8:44 am
Hi “Anonymous” [supposed Carter-Kai ohana]: Johnny Kai’s greatest asset was his astute mind, not his all-around athleticism, nor his congenial loving personality. In this sense, Lenny Kai really is a Johnny Kai, or in hoopsdom, a Lenny Wilkens, a heady/crafty floor leader. What every coach wants in a player. Of course, Johnny’s older brother PeeWee broke down game situations like a computer, but like Toody Souza, PeeWee was temooj/utterly stubborn, unlike easy-to-get-along with baby brother Johnny. It’s too bad “Anonymous” doesn’t reveal himself. He has a great family. “Anonymous’” ancestor John Kai owned the Peoples Garage SW corner Keawe/Kalakaua Sts., which later became National Sales/Service [logo still visible on false front facing Kalakaua St.]. Aloha, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I’m sorry I’m sparse in my replies to brilliant mind/memory man “Anonymous” [supposed Carter-Kai ohana]. My computer is broken so I’m on disjointed/long gap intervals time. I’ll quote Waiakea native Nelson Okino born 1946 [lives in Honolulu; lived in Frisco for eons as NEA regional director] on our Nikkei [Japanese] baseball tradition: “In 1923 Kenichiro Zenimura 1900-1968 [a Hawai'i native son] formed an all-star [buddahead] baseball team to barnstorm the West Coast, composed of a number of former Mills College [today's Mid-Pac High] players [Zenimura is Mills College alumnus-baseballer, though only 5'0" 105 lbs.]. Zenimura encouraged some of our local players to remain in the Fresno area [where Zenimura relocated to from Hawai'i, Zenimura being an importer/trader of Japan goods/stock]. Zenimura is considered the ‘Father of Nisei [2nd generation AJAs] baseball’ on the Mainland, who worked tirelessly to create greater community interest in Nisei community leagues and baseball parks, because they were denied access to public facilities. If the barnstormers of 1923 were like other visiting squads before, they received a negotiated portion of the gate receipts as a guarantee, but most of the money for the visiting squad might have come through ‘friendly wagering’ between the visiting squad and the home team, incl. event organizers. This tended to ensure that the visiting squad was serious about winning its baseball games.” Aloha, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Why is AJA baseball the only game in town?? Go back to the source/origin. AJA baseball started because “J_ps” were excluded/outcasted from main fare ball/play, so we started our own leagues [such as immigrant Issei ball] over a century ago. Our very security/protection from outside ethnicities [haoles/Luso-Portuguese] ensured our perpetuation as self-reliant baseballers. Thence, our J_p only policy still survives today, remnant of oldtime prejudice directed vs. our buddaheads by mainstream ethnicities. But thankfully in Hilo, because of polyglot Richard Nakamura born 1921, our major baseballers are non-AJA. Sadly, on O’ahu, the Billy Blanchette rule still reigns [Billy wanted to play AJA ball, the only game in town, but was denied entry because he was non-AJA, & was told that for the sake of perpetuating AJA ball, don't sue, just walk away quietly, which apparently he did, to his dismay]. “Self-reliant” is the vocab to describe AJA ball today, but since Stan Taguchi/Yasu Iwasaki died, our long-serving AJA league also will fold up, unless jocks like Harvey Tajiri [pals w/Island Movers loner Don Takaki] can preserve our AJA ball tradition. Aloha, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Congregational Pastor Hung Wai Ching 1905-2002 was enabled by UH founder Charles Hemenway 1875-1947 & Merchant St. godfather Frank Atherton 1878-1945 to ascend up the seminary ladder, attending Union Theological, the most amazing nerve center of learning/inspiration, positively exposed to Reinhold Niebuhr 1892-1971, Missouri-born German [Serenity Prayer author], & German-born Paul Tillich 1886-1965 [acolyte of Denmark's Soren Kierkegaard 1813-1855, father of existentialism--concrete human experiences/free will--who postulated the "leap to Faith" as all or nothing supplanting of cognitive thought], then to Chicago Theological Seminary [Hawai'i Albert Palmer's fold/grounds], then to Yale Divinity [like alter egos Niebuhr/Palmer]. Aloha, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
In early 1942 when Ted Tsukiyama’s ROTC gang revulsed at being disbanded because of being reclassified as “enemy aliens” even though these were U.S. citizens born here, Pastor Hung Wai Ching told these forsaken boys to turn the other cheek & go the 2nd mile, to show their patriotism with shovels as a labor batallion. Hung Wai’s sage Scripture quotes calmed down these boys, who eventually resulted in the formation of our 442 RCT. Cicero said that “poor is the nation that has no heroes, but poorer still is the nation that having heroes, fails to remember them.” Hung Wai Ching 1905-2002 was the son of southern Chinese farm immigrants, & grew up in rough tenement Emma tract. Hung Wai gave up all he had for the sake of our boys. Hung Wai was enabled to fame and modest fortune by UH founder Charles Hemenway 1875-1947 & Merchant St. godfather Frank Atherton 1878-1945. Lionized for Hung Wai’s Divinity degree from Yale, for Hung Wai’s in-crowd connections with the Big 5, for Hung Wai’s social position and political clout, Hung Wai graced our society pages among our wealthy kamaaina. Yet here was an ancient foe of the Nippon race, a chinaman who gave up everything for our forsaken people. And as befits Pastor Hung Wai Ching, Hung Wai fought the good fight and kept the faith, per Timothy 2 4:7, the faith in everybody’s equal. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Hung Wai Ching 1905-2002 typifies Shakespeare’s Henry the 5th, who, on the eve of the last great battle of the One Hundred Years War, suffused to his beleaguered and outnumbered soldiers, “We few, we band of brothers, for he who sheds his blood with me this day until the ending of the world is my brother.” Hung Wai instinctively led his boys to fight the good fight, to finish the task at hand, however daunting it was, & to keep the faith in America/humanity’s nobleness. Amazing leader for all eternity, Hung Wai Ching. You remember the black badges which Nikkei/Japanese/AJAs had to wear to federal work sites WWII martial law?? And the immigrant Issei mothers who silently/stoicly hung gold stars in their windows to symbolize/remember their sons who died fighting for the Issei immigrants’ adopted country, the U.S.?? For these boys’ motherland, our U.S.?? Love everlasting, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
What sets apart our soldiers from everyone else in our society is their willingness to sacrifice their lives to preserve our democratic way of life. These veterans constitute 5% of our population, a most cherished exclusive fraternity for the sake of humanity. Their numbers may be small, but their shoulders of inspiration are as wide as the sky. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
The obscene face of war dispels any romantic notion a soldier has about combat. There is no glory in the carnage of a minefield which numbs you with fear. And when you want to give up and die, you somehow remember that in a previous war, some soldier before you had it even tougher, and didn’t quit and die. Now this is revelation/Providence. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Curtis-
Lenny was an athlete, pure and simple. This guy could run, jump, shot, pass, handle the ball and take it to the basket and guard people. He almost single handedly carried Kamehameha in 89, led the ILH in scoring, and took them within one shot of winning their first state championship in almost 30 years. Than he went to Palos Verdes J. C., Pacific College in Forest Grove, Oregon and was an all conference player. Trust me this guy was a baller. I am surprised he did not go overseas to play pro ball, because he had offers.
John Kai, the partriarch, not only owned the garage but the old Empire Theatre, the Palace Theatre (partners in both with E.K. Fernandez), a tour company, Kalakaua cleaners, and also one of the first developers of the Volcano Golf Course. He had 5 sons, all college graduates, with the oldest Ernest and John, attending Yale, and George attending Whittier as a classmate and friend of Richard Nixon. There was an old picture of George and Nixon, with Pat, taken at the Hilo Boy’s Club when Nixon visited in the 70’s, before or after resignation.
George was the Chief Hearing Officer of the Labor Board/Department of Labor who sat as the judge on the labor and workers comp cases. George presided on labor board, heard the case and had final say on the cases when it came to percentage of disability, settelment awarded and how much and how long medical benefits and pay benefits were to be paid out. A lot of responsibility. He protected the working man for many years and always sided with labor over management. Ask Akira, the old man who works out at Spencers who used to be with ILWU, what he has to say about George Kai. “Beofore he was on the labor board, plantation workers had no chance in arbitratration, no chance, the labor was screwed. This was back in the 60’s. When George took over, it changed. This kid, this poor laborer in front of the board could be your son, nephew, grandson, and he made sure the kid was protected. These workers did not need a labor attorney representing them because the “judge” would protect them. I saw Big 5 and plantaion attorneys walk in (haoles from Honolulu) and try to throw therir weight around and he would have this look on his face and smile and chuckle take it all in. And I knew him well enough to know what he wouldn’t be impressed with these jackasses. I saw it to many times to count. If they got disrespectful or belligerent, he would throw them out of the hearing. He took no shit from those guys. A lot of the working class were indebted to him. Amazing guy. ” Ask Akira, he told me that story. Word for word, Curtis. These were workers who lost arms, legs, had psychological issues (like Cris Autor, who was working for the feds and got lost for 7 days on Mauna Loa, no food and water, and retired out from it because of mental health issues) were paralyzed (one of my classmates fathers who fell off Naniloa (? Mark) who was compensated and protected by George Kai’s interpretation of the Labor Laws.
Even when he retired, a lot of these workers that came before him at the board would come by the house and bring gifts in appreciation, all these years later. Every nationality, Japaneese, Chineese, Hawaiian, Portugeese, Filipinos. People would bring things grown in their garden, fish that they caught, dishes and jams that they made. When he died, 2,000 people showed up to pay their respects at Dodo.
September 28th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Curtis Piehu Iaukea 1855-1940, our greatest modern Hawaiian pathfinder, Kamehameha the Great being our greatest ancient pathfinder, period. Piehu’s life truly exemplifies 2nd Book of Timothy, 4:7, “The time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.” Though this passage was begotten over 2 millennia ago, it befits Piehu, who kept the faith in humanity and in liberty & the pursuit of happiness, a la Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. Look how the timeline of the U.S. as a living organism analogs the Hawaiian Islands, with Capt. Cook coming to Hawai’i in 1778, just 2 yrs. after our breakaway from England. Impetuous as the U.S. was in 1893, with its imperialist adolescence, so was Lili’u struggling with a failed inherited monarchy, anathema to a freedom-loving people like our Hawaiians. Yes, a federal constitutional amendment is needed to right the wrong of 1893. Hawaiians by nature are loving/compassionate/empathetic/generous of heart-materialism. –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Wow, great remembrances from “Anonymous” [why the anonymity?] about his unmatched Kai ohana. Of course, if you’ve read Sugar Master Tong Ai Yee’s history in the Hawaiian Islands, you’ll recognize Annie, patriarch John Kai’s lovely irascible wife, as Ai Yee’s progeny. I’m sorry for not being in lockstep w/”Anonymous’” comments, inasmuch my computer is broken & I’m on cafe time, so to speak. But man, oh man, “Anonymous” has memories to behold!! Amazing!! Supplement: Patriarch John Kai also was the first to show religious slides at Kalapana & other Puna area churches. Kai single-handedly brought projector technology to Hawai’i. Kai also owned the Gaiety theater where today’s Caravan Town Vietnamese store is on Kam Ave. [Doc Hill's former Realty Investment bldg. built when 1,000 seat Gaiety theater was demolished 1928 or so]. The original Empire theater was in former atty Bob Lau’s parents’ bldg. near corner of today’s Furneaux Lane/Kam Ave. parking lot; new Empire still is across today’s Palace theater, w/its stage taking up the rear parking lot along Furneaux Lane. There’s no end to patriarch John Kai’s holdings!! But I ask rhetorically, why should a person be lionized for his/her great wealth, or high social position, or vast political clout, or celebrity status via the entertainment industry??? Certainly, patriarch John Kai was no more a man than today’s biggest local philanthropist, Barry Taniguchi. Why thoust not “Anonymous” reveal himself?? Patriarch John Kai was a businessman with a soft touch for his Hawaiian brethren, but like “Anonymous,” patriarch John Kai could get carried away with being lionized for his great wealth/highest social position/political clout w/Haw’n-only government leaders/celebrity status. Kai also was a street fighter, grappling to the concrete floor vs. business foes for literal muscle control of the fabled Gaiety theater. No matter how you slice it, “Anonymous” is a walking wikipedia, amazing breadth of life experiences/knowhow, a lot having to do w/”Anonymous’” legendary backdrop as a Kai/Ai Yee. Love always, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Patriarch John Kai’s most accomplished son [in societal stature] is Ernie Kai, destined to be Territorial Governor but for Jack Burns’ purloined letter supplanting Kai with Oren Long, Burns’ subterfuge. Ernie was a Democrat in GOP Hawai’i. Does this tell you about the Kai grassrooter character/epiphany?? Yes, & as “Anonymous” intones, Ernie’s brother George was a grassrooter for the little guy. Later prodigy Jimmy Minato carried on this grassrooter gift/blessing to the little guy/gal, so to speak. Love, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Signing out for today. Sorry I can’t keep up w/”Anonymous’” comments. Love always, –Curt
September 28th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Curtis-
I’m not impressed by wealth but more by people who stand for up for their convictions (no matter what the consequences), protect those that need our protection, and give back and help others in their business/political career. That is what impresses me and wins my respect. I’ve seen enough wealth and been around enough wealthy people (wealthy is to have net worth of over $10 million to me) not to be hung up on it and/or jaded by it but I like colorful and interesting personalities. And I include these stories and facts to be as accurrate as possible to the retelling of it.
Hell, I could right another thread about my college experience, at an exclusive private university in Northern California (hell I could write a book about that expererience and my life), which consists of wealthy scions of the rich and wild of Northern and Southern California families and the experiences coming from a local Hilo boy in my interactions with them and in California and Hawaii. What a time and what fun.
That would be a good book and fun stories to tell. That room that Ben Rothlesburger is “accussed” of raping that women in at Harrah’s, Lake Tahoe. My business partner had his bachelor party there in ‘92. Bill Harrah’s private room. At the time, the only person who also used that room reagularly was an Middle East oil sheik who instead of checking in at the front when in town to play and gamble, would go directly to the room.
Again I tell the complete story to be as accurrate as possible. I have to sit down and write my thoughts before it’s too late.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Sports disconnected from social/political history are NO fun at all!! WHY was patriarch John K. Kai born 1878 a generation ahead of other Asian assimilationists? Because our Chinese were the 1st Asian immigrants to Hawai’i 1852, followed by Japanese 1885 [though Lofty Cook's Naichi/Japan grandpa came as an isolated sojourner 1868]. Luso-Portuguese came in 1878. Thence, Kai’s dad, also known as John Kai, had dad’s own draying/wagon transport business, among the 1st in Hilo, where John learned his trade as a 14 yr. old after leaving St. Mary’s School, among the 1st w/an upstart education. Kai started the new County Gov’t 1905 as deputy clerk, staying there till 1915, meanwhile organizing our National Guard 1907 at new Armory Hall [predecessor site on same grounds as our current Armory], & also chairing our GOP 1908. Of course, Kai’s Hawaiian blood [e.g., Mom Kanealoha] connected him to our Haw’n-only rulers [ethnic oligarchy which lasted to 1962, when African-American Helene Hale stunned incumbent Haw'n Lofty Cook for County Chair/mayor]. Kai left gov’t to start his Peoples Garage & tend to his burgeoning real estate developments, which were ongoing from the turn of the last century. Kai’s Peoples Garage was the largest operation downtown, w/Volcano Garage being the largest operation at “outpost” Kumu/Kam NW corner, back in 1911 being the only huge structure amid Alenaio/Waiolama swamps. Of course, faladoo/incessant noisebox Wilbert Souza’s kin started the Hawaii Garage, which outdid later garage outfit Nat’l Sales/Service out of O’ahu. Kai belonged to the all-Luso/Haw’n AOF [1925 bldg. NW corner Furneaux/Keawe Sts.]/Kamehameha Lodge/omnipotent Hilo Bd. of Trade [so reactionary was this org that it ousted Pete Beamer for violating our Sunday Blue law for Pete's Sunday baseball games at the forerunner of Mo'oheau Park, the Hackfeld lot where Cow Palace was built 1916]. Ahhh, now reduxing John Kai, the so-called local baron of a century ago, makes worthwhile digressing to utterly insignificant sports. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Oldtimers [all gone now] as young squirt kids remember retired teacher Annie Akamu Kai, John K. Kai’s wife, as an old nasty bag who constantly berated the kids walking by Haili St. mauka of Haili Church, where Annie/John had their palatial home, to shoo away the mischievous kids from teaching the F word to Annie’s parrot who guarded Annie’s front porch. Yikes!! Yet, in her youth Annie was a gorgeous lass & a petal of beauty among genesis Tong Ai Yee’s lovely flowering progeny. Mauka of Annie’s/John K. Kai’s mansion still stands the mansion [today's Reed & Jay photo studio] of our top-shelf Luso-Portuguese banker/investor, Michael de Spinola, who was John K. Kai’s St. Mary’s classmate/alumnus. Aloha, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Somehow, mirror image neighbors John K. Kai & fellow Luso Michael de Spinola were hung up on the word “People,” inasmuch Spinola helped organize the People’s Bank, just as Kai started the Peoples Garage!! Aloha, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Hung Wai Ching’s parents came to Hawai’i from southern China in 1892, the difference being that Hung Wai’s dad became a merchant seaman, not a shopkeeper/farmer, which gave a sense of internationalism, not insularity, to the burgeoning Ching family. Lore is that Hung Wai’s irascible dad went overboard from opuku/opium smoking, but not true, Hung Wai’s dad lived to a ripe old age. Amazingly, Hung Wai’s eldest child [just 2 sons & an adopted daughter] KingLit Ching born 1936 nonchalantly says that KingLit’s dad did what Hung Wai’s 1905-2002 job entailed — to help anyone w/n reach of Hung Wai’s Atherton YMCA across UH campus grounds. No, KingLit doesn’t diminish his dad, nor is KingLit disrespectful of us buddaheads. KingLit simply has no ego nor mouth to brag about anything, including his dad!! This is the rarity/equanimity of KingLit Ching!! Of course, KingLit still has issues about his roustabout playboy dad Hung Wai, who was more a stranger than a dad to eldest son KingLit/youngest son SaiLit. Hung Wai was a prodigious athlete in his time, 5′11″ giant in Hung Wai’s era, hoops/track-field/etc. So when youngster KingLit couldn’t catch a baseball in KingLit’s foreign-feeling glove/mitt, Hung Wai shook Hung Wai’s head as if to say, “Sheez, my boy is hopeless!!” KingLit resents this till today. Nonetheless, KingLit proved his father wrong & went on to be a 6′1″ Adonis jock. Baby brother SaiLit was even better, winning track/field honors as among our fleetest sprinters/runners. And KingLit resents that dad Hung Wai never even watched SaiLit gain top medals.
You see, Hilo’s John K. Kai was born to an earlier generation of immigrants, so John K. Kai had a full generation head of steam before Hung Wai. John K. Kai not only was born a generation before Hung Wai, John K. Kai’s genesis here was nearly half a century before Hung Wai’s genesis here. Which is why John K. Kai’s mantra, like Richard Kimi’s 1925-2008 [Rich Dad in materialist-obsessed Rob Kiyosaki's book] mantra, was money talks & b.s. walks. Contrarily, being that Hung Wai’s dad was a merchant seaman, Hung Wai was imbued with internationalism/worldliness foreign to insular local kids. Which is why Hung Wai, with not a drop of Hawaiian blood in him, readily connected with any segment of society, whereas at that point in time nearly a century ago, only Haw’ns had inroads to the elite money/power/influence structure. Hung Wai’s pragmatic Chinese DNA in him [like Scot Coast sugar techs/mgrs. Hilo to Kohala] trained him as a civil engineer bachelor degree UH, thanks to UH founder Charles Hemenway 1875-1947, & Hung Wai’s internationalism/agape love for all races enabled sponsorship of Hung Wai by Merchant St. godfather/missionary stock descendant Frank Atherton 1878-1945 for Hung Wai to go to the best schools in the world [seminary degrees via NYC Union Theological/Chicago Theol./Yale Divinity]. Hung Wai’s Chinese DNA [make a dollar out of 50 cents] got the better of him post-WWII, when Hung Wai became a multi-millionaire via his residential developments [Hung Wai's alter egos Hemenway/Atherton died end of WWII], on his heels being baby brother Hung Wo Ching 1912-1996, degenerate braggart, who also made millions as a real estate/commercial developer. Hung Wo was Jack Burns’ key financier, w/distant ancestral cuz Clarence Ching [today's Ching Foundation which endows St. Francis/Chaminade/St. Louis/UH/etc.] handling Burns’ campaign treasury books. Of course, it’s sad that Hung Wo’s former bldg. tenant Bill S. Richardson chose crony Hung Wo over Rusty Blaisdell for BE trustee 1968, when Bill S. Richardson was S.Ct. CJ. Cronyism. Needless to say, Hung Wai’s adhesion to Trinity Matthew 5/Isaiah 58/Micah 6:8 sets Hung Wai apart from John K. Kai/Rich Kimi/Rob Kiyosaki/Hung Wo Ching. Everything Hung Wai made [enabled post-WWII by our greatest banker, former destitute Swede Rudy Peterson], Hung Wai gave away to the teeming masses, everything. When Hung Wai died of Alzheimers, Hung Wai had only the clothes on his back. A Jesus walked our ‘aina. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Yes, in reference to the untold legacy of Helene Hale born 1918, mind on the past still sharp as if it were this morning [though 50 yrs. ago], query is what’s the big deal about cleaning house in 1962 when Helene topped incumbent Lofty Cook for County Chair/mayor?? Well, for one, do you know that the Fire Dept. was HAWAIIAN, and the Police Dept. was PORTUGUESE???!! Helene envisioned a race-free society unencumbered by nationality. After all, though Helene was drop-dead Hollywood gorgeous/body beautiful haole-looking, her southern roots were biracial African-American. But unlike her southern Dems, Helene was an FDR Dem!! Meaning, everybody’s equal!! You know, I call Helene up the other morning, & she touts Gene Wilhelm/George Naope as the genesis of today’s Merrie Monarch. I tell Helene has she forgotten why she ran for County Chair/mayor in the first place??!! Yes, to accord everyone fair opportunity for ascension up the socio-economic ladder!! Boy, was she stunned by this redux of nearly half a century ago!! Stunned!! Yes, she pronounced, yes!! Fire Dept.’s Ed Bento was Sam Mahuka Spencer’s grandson, and Bento’s lordship as ali’i over the fire dept. entailed a vise grip incapable of being loosened. So what did Helene do? She got rid of Bento, & promptly lost re-election. But the winner was Shun Kimura, a new power bloc/AJAs, thereby disintegrating even more the earlier Haw’n-only lordship of gov’t. Shun got proxies from Helene’s fellow DOE teachers [Shun on Bd. of Education] to beat Helene in her own nest, so to speak. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 11:27 am
So when you look at Helene Hale, you’re looking at Barack Obama, minus Helene’s strident idealism which spelled political suicide for her. BTW, as w/Luso Jim Ferry[eira], Police chiefs Anthony “Tony” Paul/son Guy Paul are Luso, not northern European haole!! Going offline for now, see you soon. Paulino/Paul. Love, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Japan’s ancient swordsmith Masamune translates to superior quality, as in sa-ke. An implacable compelling person a la Masamune is KingLit Ching born 1936, son of Hung Wai Ching 1905-2002. KingLit Harvard MBA, but grassrooter like Labor Dept. hearings officer George Kai 1913-1988, who might be the tutu kane of commentator “Anonymous” [supposedly Kai-Carter ohana]. Why thoust not “Anonymous” reveal himself?? No matter how high up KingLit was in Big Five A & B’s command structure, KingLit always was for the little guy/gal. Which is why KingLit is for the one drop blood rule at Kamehameha School/OHA. KingLit knows the irony of all the buddaheads picking KingLit’s dad Hung Wai Ching to lead our buddaheads, even sending Hung Wai off to supervise our 442 boys from Hawai’i to Camp Shelby Miss. 1943 — a Chinaman as our messiah/savior???!!! “No make sense, brah!!” But irony is a part of life. Just as well, KingLit is informal advisor to U.S. Nikkei’s greatest historian, Franklin Odo of Smithsonian Museum D.C., Franklin born 1939, Roosevelt Standard English School reject, Kaimuki High jock 1957, 1st entry from Kaimuki to Ivy League college. Franklin is graced by KingLit’s unique perspectives/answers via queries. Franklin dares not betray the still-formidable legacy of Hung Wai Ching vicariously via chutzpah son KingLit, an original thinker/do-er in KingLit’s own right/footing. Yes, KingLit stands on his own despite being overarching mythic action hero Hung Wai’s son. In a sense, KingLit still wonders, “Is this the Dad I remember?? The man who is lionized by everyone yet in my most private moments demonized by me [for not being a doting dad]??” Yes, ambivalence. Human nature. Love always, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Chutzpah?? Jewish character trait of utter audacity. Insular result. On the outside, anti-Jew by way of jealousy of Jewish immense cognition/intellect — Having Torah backdrop is like possessing several Ph.D. You can’t have the New Testament/Christian without the Old Testament/Judaism. For Jesus to query the pharisees & to reform from within, instead of revolting from without/outside the system, is not anti-Jew, for Jesus himself was a Jew. But politically, as goes Israel so goes the U.S.?? Not so, because religion & politics are separate spheres. Politically, we’re not Israel’s keeper. Aloha, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Just think-tanked eyeball to eyeball w/erudite religious scholar Evyn Adams born 1920 & acolyte Boston Blackie Nakasato born 1942. Evyn/BB refute Harry Fosdick 1878-1969, Union Theol. Sem. grad like Hung Wai Ching & a great influence on Hung Wai in NYC, on grounds that Fosdick’s Modernist view of Scripture as the unfolding evolution of God’s Will, & not the literal carved-in-stone Word of God, as apostasy/sacrilege/renunciation/heresy. To Boston Blackie, Holy Cross’ Sus Yamane/Methodist Church’s Shig Tanabe are apostasists like Fosdick. That Evyn’s dear friend/minister Hideo Aoki [not Mits Aoki] was closer to home, so to speak. Wow, divergent views, heh, brah’?? Love everlasting, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Yes, pastors Sus Yamane/Shig Tanabe [100 yrs. old! 101 in Nov.] evoke Ralph Waldo Emerson/Age of Enlightenment in their sermons, which tick off Boston Blackie to no end. How divergent are we!! Love always, –Curt
September 29th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
You want to see pure as gold-heart versions of KingLit Ching [who lives in Santa Monica, CA.] here in Hawai’i??? Look at Wayne Kamitaki born 1952 of Ben Franklin/Ace Hardware & Les Seto born 1949 of HCEOC [prodigy of George Yokoyama born 1926]. Truer versions of Biblical Andrew [the strength behind the leader, brother Peter], cannot be found. Love everlasting, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Tom Gill 1922-2009 is the father of land use planning. He turned off Nelson Doi born 1922 when Doi wanted patronage appointments if Doi ran as a team w/Gill 1974, Gill as Gov./Doi as Lt. Gov. Gill lost to Ariyoshi, but Doi beat Akaka. Doi was a mirror image of Gill in intellectual conceit, thence their falling out 1974. Doi, like Al Shim, was into Erhard’s “self-realization” so-called Erhard Seminar Traning EST. Gill refuted such gimmick as a lobotomy, thereby enraging Doi/Shim even more. Truly, with Gill/Doi, “like charges” repel each other as w/electrical charges. Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Modern/post-WWII Dem Party godfather Jack Burns 1909-1975 [Kanaka Johnny Wilson 1871-1956 was pre-WWII Dem Party godfather] gave up everything to help society’s underclass, incl. Jack’s buddaheads [whom Jack knew intimately as anti-spy police head WWII]. Jack brainstormed w/leading buddahead do-er Jack Kawano 1911-1984 of ‘Opihikao [Kawano organized ILWU before being booted out as J_p by Frisco's Goldblatt/Bridges, in favor of Jack Hall 1915-1971]/Maui boy Mits Kido 1906-1983/dentist Ernie Murai 1900-1981/atty Chuck Mau 1907-1990, who was told by Burns’ GOP pal Kats Kometani to enlighten Burns’ gang, Mau being worldly/educated. When Kido’s UH mentor Charles Hemenway 1875-1947 found out that Kido turned Dem, away from Hemenway’s GOP acolytes Hung Wai Ching 1905-2002/Joe Itagaki 1906-1963/Kaua’i native Jack Mizuha 1913-1986, Hemenway lamented, “Oh my, what have I done??” Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Chuck Mau 1907-1990 & Ernie Kai 1905-1990 were Dems amid GOP dominance. Credit them for bucking the system. Actually, Chuck tried to join Roy Vitousek’s GOP, the party of the status quo, but was told by Vitousek that there was no room for Chuck. So Chuck was asked by Ernie Heen [Walt's dad] to join the party of change, the Dems, which Chuck did. Irony is that Chuck, as Jack Kawano’s dearest friend, told Kawano to spill the beans on communism in Hawai’i, namely, to sink Kawano’s nemesis Jack Hall, who supplanted Kawano as ILWU head here, which led to Chuck/Kawano being persona non grata forever in Hawai’i. Of course, Burns gifted Chuck a judgeship, but Kawano ended up in obscurity in L.A. Our ILWU longshoreman Bert Nakano defected from the ILWU & ended up nondescript, this being the Bert who was severely injured in the Hilo/Kuhio harbor maelstrom 71 yrs. ago as a 27 yr. old. Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Harry Kamoku 1905-1957 grew up in Waiakea & left school as a teen to be a seafarer. Harry organized the 1st dockworkers/longshoremen 1935. Isaac Chicken Kamoku/Elvin/Israel are all ohana to Harry Kamoku. Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Irony about Sam King Jr. & George Ariyoshi is that State Sen. Ariyoshi born 1926 was the deciding vote to approve obstreperous GOP King as judge amid GOP Gov. Bill Quinn’s tenure 1959-1962, & yet King coopted angelheart DOE State chief Ralph Kiyosaki [betrayer son Rob's so-called "Poor Dad"] as GOP Gov./Lt. Gov. slate vs. Burns/Ariyoshi 1970. Of course, Burns/Ariyoshi swamped A-hole King [who ridiculously chided Burns for causing Sen. Larry Kuriyama's murder]. Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Richard Kiyota 1921-1993 was a raconteur/live wire character whom Helene Hale was attracted to & eventually married. Richard was a surrogate dad to many of us jocks, and like Pablo Chinen 1919-1991, gave up his entire life for our youth, though on a smaller scale. Richard’s oldest son [out of wedlock, Rich an itchy boritchi as a kid] was a prep all-star footballer 1950s, which is how Rich immersed himself in sports, despite Rich’s fulltime chores as a koko/pickle maker. Talking about itchy, my cuz Naomi married Itchy Lum Ho [Johnny's brother], among the 1st recognized prep All-American footballers. Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Francis Bo Saiki [Harpo's/Dottie's son] is so foul-mouthed, but this is part of his nature/character. Bo’s wife Millie is a great person/magnanimous. Bo is a win at all costs kind of coach. Contrarily, my Wainaku youth baseball coach Clayton Fujie born 1946 was a great leader/inspirer, exuded quiet confidence, evoked compassion/empathy — just a tremendous coach. Wardell Baba Lancaster, whose dad Mouth was a great athlete, is among our greatest athletes here, peer of power hitter Kaha Wong [who is DH on my alltime Big Isle baseball squad]. Deceased Raymond Rowe was a great inspiration among Keaukaha kids, Rowe/Richard Kiyota original O’ahu boys. Korean Tai Sun Suka [for fighter plane] Chung & son Aaron [former solon/Aaron's mom is Honomu Nakaoka family] were great fistfighters. Of course, our Yobo/Korean legacy is of our rooming house Korean female owners, a la Suka’s mom [Ponahawai St. apts.]/Johnny Ko’s mom [Kilauea Ave. apts.]/Joe Park’s mom [Keawe St. apts.]/etc. Widows/necessity is the mother of invention!! Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Suka’s baby brother Youngie [Tai Young] is a Korean War Silver Star recipient/hero, though Youngie a tormented man [what longtime combat veteran isn't?]. Do you know that George Okino Thompson [whom Doc Wong baseball stadium should've been named after, if we're gonna name it after a person, which we really shouldn't!] stayed at Suka’s detached carport mini-dwelling as George got older/ill?? George was our baseball angelheart, Suka his keeper of the flame [of compassion/devotion]. Love always, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Doc Wong 1919-1971 got immortalized [deservedly] on a sympathy vote, from his Wanderers [Suka's gang] club of the Mamo/Keawe St. triangle/diamond, polyglot but typecasted as Chinese/Korean [Doc is Chinese/Japanese, "weird" because Chinese/Japanese full-on hate each other, a la ancient jealousies]. Problem is that Doc’s only link to the baseball stadium is Doc’s short-lived Wanderers baseball team. Doc’s parents had their hole-in-the-wall restaurant SW corner Mamo/Kilauea Ave. where Sig Zane’s old shop used to be. Doc grew up in the 2 story woodframe Hale Nani apt. bldg. along Butcher Lane [porinki/Flip-Pinoy knifings] area mauka side of Kam Ave. across from Mo’oheau Park, where baseballer Kenso Nushida 1900-1983 also grew up. Actually, the Mamo/Keawe/Kilauea interchange is really the Doc Wong Block, so to speak!! Love always, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Beans Afook?? Beans 1900-1991 [died at age 90] had nothing to do w/the Civic Auditorium 1957, inasmuch Beans coached his dynasty teams at the Hilo Armory. But as Beans’ acolyte Kiyo Hamakawa says, the site has nothing to do w/the person — it’s the person’s name that should be perpetuated, not the site!! Pablo Chinen 1919-1991 was Civic Auditorium paid mgr., but Pablo did so much for youth, unlike phlegmatic Beans. Everything beneficent Pablo was, Beans was not. Beans an A-hole, though Beans a discerning/analytical/brilliant coach. But Beans’ wife Liz Kuali’i Afook a gracious person/drop-dead gorgeous [they had no kids, so Tai On Chock/Kiyo Hamakawa became their hanai spiritual kids], though full-on tightwad like Rich Imai/Isamu Kanekuni/other J_ps/Chinese too numerous to mention. Aloha, –Curt
September 30th, 2009 at 11:40 am
If you’re gonna name a structure/site after a person [to me, only KIAs/combat veterans like Isaac Hale deserve immortality like this], our Civic Auditorium should be named after Walter C.K. Victor, not Chinen or Afook, inasmuch Victor’s name renown is hoops. Of course, Chinen’s name can be linked to current Victor youth complex. Irony is that Jimmy Correa had ready-made all-star players, whereas Nobu Yamauchi coached the lemons/scrubs from scratch. George Ota same thing — all-star players, not scrubs like those whom Nigga Tong coached. Big diff. Love always, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 10:37 am
Actually, Hawaiians cultivated sugar cane along today’s Ponahawai St. corridor before Chinese planters like Tong Ai Yee started their mill at the Alenaio streambed mauka of today’s Hilo Central fire station. After the Chinese planters gave up their unprofitable small-scale operations, J.G. Serrao’s Portuguese started their sugar mill in 1894, with company headquarters at Pi’ihonua Camp 3 by the fork in the Waianuenue roadway leading to James Kimo Henderson’s mansion. By 1898, a new office bldg. was built by the downtown sugar mill, along with a new blacksmith shop & stable. In 1899 Jose Canario headed the Portuguese mill, after which the mill was sold to German National Hackfeld, who renamed it the Hawaii Mill Co. in 1899. In 1906 headquarters again moved back to Pi’ihonua Camp 3, where most of the cane was grown, at which time Scot native James Kimo Henderson joined the mill, becoming its manager by 1912. Henderson 1876-1965 vastly improved the operation, also building camps 3 to 5 in the heartland of cane cultivation [mill camp was along today's Kuku'au St. corridor/camp 2 was on the Puna side of Waianuenue St./Manaolana Place --KPUA tower -- junction in Pi'ihonua]. Henderson also built his mansion, Moani Ke ‘Ala, above the camp 3 complex, which his wife Lydia [after Queen Lili'u] Lei landscaped into Hilo’s premier greenbelt. Henderson [no relation to Sen. Richard Henderson] purchased Hawaii Mill Co. from Hackfeld in 1915, after which Henderson sought to relocate mill operations to the 11 acre site where today’s Hospice/Adult Vocational Rehab complexes are, being that today’s Central fire station site was too small to expand mill operations. In 1921, after Gov. Farrington turned down the new site for Henderson’s expanded mill, Henderson sold his plantation to adjacent Hilo Sugar Co. end of December 1922. Amazingly, Henderson actually gave away Henderson’s properties at Camp 3 to his millhands, such was his beneficent nature. Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 12:03 pm
The missionaries to early Hawai’i self-assuredly pronounced their Puritan/Pilgrim preface that acquired wealth was a great sign of God’s favor. And so did they acquire! And yet, unlike nonreligious capitalists, missionary descendants enabled long-standing leadership development among society’s underclass, such as Charles Hemenway/Frank Atherton did with Hung Wai Ching. And even among non-missionary government leaders, you find a Judge James Banks nurturing a budding tenement kid Chuck Mau 1907-1990 to greatness, before which missionary progeny Rev. Ted Richards got Vineyard shanty tract Mau to Mid-Pac/Mills School. Tremendous leadership development all the way around!! Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Yes, as to James Kimo Henderson’s pragmatic fairness, Tetsuo Kunihiro born 1923 is living testament to Henderson’s compassion. Kunihiro’s father was graced by Henderson’s generosity in the laborers’ acquisition of their houselots, not limited to buddaheads but to other ethnicities who worked for Henderson [Ventura/Keli'i/etc.]. Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Unquestionably, non-Oligarchy kids had terribly hard-scrabble lives [including haole tenement kids like Jack Burns 1909-1975, from broken home], yet the transforming power of their utterly dedicated public school teachers dominated/overcame their socio-economic shortfalls, newcomer messiahs like McKinley School’s Miles Cary 1895-1959/etc. Incredible public schoolteachers who levelled the playing field for society’s underclass!! Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Jack Burns 1909-1975?? Jack’s alter ego who supplanted Jack’s father who absconded the family was Father Alphonsus, the Catholic Belgian priest of Kalihi, where Jack grew up. Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Do you know that Eichi Oki’s [born 1925, enlisted in 442 as among youngest original members, from high school] K Co. had Ehren Watada as its featured speaker when Ehren was here? And that Eichi asked Yuri Kochiyama [whose late husband kotonk was fabled K Co. w/Eichi], Malcolm X’s dear friend/confidant, to speak to K Co.’s D.C. unit? Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Eichi Oki’s big hero is Soichi Sakamoto 1906-1997, fellow Maui boy, not Maui political heavies Takaichi Miyamoto 1897-1981/Najo Yoshinaga born 1919. Eichi is a renaissance man who looks to non-politicians for inspiration [such as Albert Schweitzer/Leigh Hooley/John Young]. Eichi is a Church of the Crossroads fella who reveres Rev. Delwyn Rayson 1918-2008, who provided sanctuary/safe haven per Scripture to political refugees [AWOL]. Rev. Gene Bridges of the Unitarian Church also stuck out his neck for the political refugees, so to speak. Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Curtis,
Had forgotten about the EST episode with Doi. Thanks for the memories. Yes. Doi went back on his promise to run with Gill and ran on own. Not the first promise he broke to colleagues.
I worked on Gill’s campaign that year and remember how irate supporters were with Doi.
October 1st, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Enigmatic Nelson Doi born 1922, has no personal dislike for Jack Burns 1909-1975, but gave Burns hell as Senate President, yet when Doi was booted out/”contained” in Senate power struggle, Doi goes to Burns & asks to be appointed judge, which Burns gladly does, just to get rid of Doi!! Tom Gill 1922-2009/Doi mirror images of each other, intellectual conceit their calling cards, which is why they repelled each other like same electrical charges. Unquestionably, Gill’s footprint a plus for Hawai’i, sensible land use planning [State Land Bd. jurisdiction over Conservation classified lands]. Doi’s DOE thrust [3 on 2 efficiency] quietly faded away w/no discernible plus results. To Pua [pseudonym], is there any reason why I cannot find out who you are to dialogue/think-tank w/you. Your backdrop is immense in social/political history/events. Aloha, –Curt
October 1st, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Curtis-
You are absolutely right.
The Civic Auditorium should have been named after Walter Victor but the problem is that the St. Joseph gym is already named after him. But the Civic Auditorium should be named after him not the baseball field because as you say, his sport was basketball not baseball, and his ‘58 St. Joesph team was the first year of the Civic’s opening and that was the year Coach Victor’s team won the territorial basketball championship at a school that probably had the smallest enrollment in the state. Which is kind of a “Hoosier” story with a senior class enrollment of probably less than 20 boys. And quite a few well known community names on that team. (Tuddy, Speed, Peewee, Buzzy, Cowboy, Arlen, T. DeSa)
The St. Joseph gym should actually be named after someone else.
My earliest memories were of going to the Victor house on Haili Hill after St. Joseph high school basketball games. It overlooked Hilo and had a gorgeous view and all of the parents, players, boosters (the portugees muderers row) would go up to the house after the game for beef stew, rice and sweet bread if had. I could not be in the company of the grown ups so I had to stay downstairs with the cheerleaders. The house was later bought by Dr. Ballerini. Mrs. Victor use to babysit me at the old Hilo Drug Store where the St. Joseph players would get there vitamins. It was either her or Aunty Dottie at the pink building above the Hilo Armory. I remember the cash register and counter was in the corner of the room of Kamehameah and Waianuenue and the pharmacist was in the back of the room where the Cronies kitchen stands. Or I’d get handed to Uncle George Thompson, and get baby sat by him, who would stick a lollipop in my mouth and say, “here kid, work on strengthening your jaw.”
I believe that Walter Victor or Wong Staduim should be named after Uncle Jimmy Correa. He deserved it for coaching all those years at St. Joseph (volunteering) and all those other great teams and players he coached, including Kaha’s team that won the Pony League World Series in ‘81.
Coach Victor and Uncle Jimmy coached all those years for free, were feared but respected by their players, won big games and championships, developed athletes and had an impact. Those two facilities should be named after those guys.
Rod Cambra, former AD at St. Joseph, wanted to name the backstop at St. Joseph baseball field after Uncle Jimmy but I think he deserves more.
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:35 am
Thank you, “Anonymous,” for your tremendous St. Joseph school memories!! St. Joseph alumni are outnumbered by public school alumni, thence the oversight re Walter C.K. Victor/Jimmy Correa. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:58 am
Lena Victor is Reinhardt, which is Hilo Drug Co.[Macy/Reinhardt][new park by Ice Pond/Harrington's restaurant is Reinhardt Estate], thence Lena’s employment at Hilo Drug Co. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:16 am
The Macy family [Macy Wessel, no relation to Keaukaha Val Wessel] is the same Macy Dept. Store family NYC, the same Lydia Lei Macy who married James Kimo Henderson 1876-1965, Lydia [named after Lili'u] whose sister was banker Harold Patten’s wife [the home corner Pu'u'eo/Kauila Sts. now owned by BJ Penn's family]. Wil Hussey is not Val Wessel. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
UCC Pastor Delwyn Rayson 1918-2008 was KingLit Ching’s hero. From looking at Hollywood-handsome Rayson, you’d think he was too conservative to pastor at Church of the Crossroads. But Delwyn was the most composed/calmest leftie character a la Randy Kehler, whose life exemplar of going to prison to protest the Vietnam War convinced Dan Ellsberg to release the Pentagon Papers. Ellsberg looked at youngster Kehler as a patriotic/stand-up American who made a deliberate choice to go to prison because it was the right thing to do. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Yes, Ellsberg spoke on behalf of Ehren Watada. MLK was for middle America/silent majority acceptance of civil rights, Malcolm X was for human rights vs. class/race oppression worldwide. By the time MLK came around to Malcolm X’s position, MLK had been marginalized by White America via MLK’s opposition to the Vietnam War. MLK was assassinated 3 yrs. after Malcolm X. No better observer of both men exists than Hilo leftie Ron Fujiyoshi born 1940, grassroot Chicago Theol. Seminary [not U Chicago like Albert Palmer/Hung Wai Ching], classmate of Jesse Jackson. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:18 pm
St. Joseph School former AD Rod Cambra should lobby to get Wong Stadium named after Jimmy Correa Sr. born 1918, in place of Doc Wong, who got sympathy votes from Doc’s early death from cancer 1919-1971. Doc’s Wanderers gang has passed on except for Johnny Yuen born 1923, on John’s last legs. Of course, the late George Okino Thompson’s name also belongs at Wong Stadium. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Rev. Shigeo Tanabe to be 101 yrs. old is Ted Tsukiyama’s born 1920 big hero. Ted says that Shigeo’s 13 minute sermon is tops, better than anyone. Contrarily, fundamentalist Boston Blackie Nakasato born 1942 says that Shigeo is a humanist who dismisses Scripture, especially when Shigeo invokes Ralph Waldo Emerson/Henry David Thoreau in Shigeo’s sermons. Boston Blackie revulses at Shigeo’s sermons. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Religious scholar/Methodist Evyn Adams’ born 1920 dear friend was Hilo Rev. Hideo Aoki, not Mits Aoki. Evyn says that where you begin determines where you go, such as Evyn’s hero Soren Kierkegaard, father of existentialism, who spoke of the non-logical leap to faith, which we call today the leap of faith. Soren began with Jesus [leap to faith], & went with Jesus [to salvation], so to speak. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Remember Richard Uejo’s born 1925 Baptist Student Ctr. at UH-Hilo campus some 40 yrs. ago?? Wow, great repartee/dialogue, w/tremendous folks like Walter Kai/etc. Aloha, –Curt
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Yeah, Curtis, I agree with you that the complex down there deserves to have Walter Victor, Jimmy Correa, and George Thompson’s names on them. Those three.
And Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s name on the Luau House is also fitting. She was a sweetheart. You go to Civic Auditorium games, 15 years after you played, and she still wants to take you in the back and feed you.
No opinion about the Olympic pool.
These three guys all coached and developed players and teams, for free, no money, for the love of their sport and players. It was not about any glory but a calling that they had to coach, influence, and inspire kids.
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:28 pm
And Walter died to young. Can’t find a nicer guy than Walter. Always a smile on his face, a warm handshake and a kind word. I remember when I got the news, in California during College, it was devastating.
I just saw his former wife, Marlene and her husband Alan, the other day. I told her she was lucky to find two good husbands in one life time.
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Curtis,
Email me at: hilo.hanakahi@gmail.com
we can email each other.
October 3rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Thank you, Pua!! Walter Kai 1948-1988 was the transcendent ONE described by Maslow. Walter also fit Life Quality catalyst Grif Frost’s paradigm. Century ago patriarch John Kai’s sons had great schooling because of Kai’s emphasis on education. It helped tremendously that Kai’s wife Annie Akamu Kai was an educator of regal bearing [Sugar Master Tong Ai Yee's progeny] who insisted on schooling. The 3 differences between Chinese & Japanese on the same end result biggest emphasis on schooling are 1) southern Chinese immigrants to Hawai’i started coming here 1850 to provide labor for the sugar mills, repressed back home by the hegemonic Manchu Dynasty, seeking a better life in the Western World, a generation before the Luso-Portuguese 1878 & Nipponese 1885 immigrated here, & our Chinese immigrants immediately seized upon the value of Western education, backdropped by the British Treaty of Nanking 1842 which forced caste-iron medieval China to open up to the Industrial Age/modern capitalism/ceding Hong Kong [heartland of southern China] to Britain [Hong Kong opened up southern Chinese peasants to the possibilities of acquired wealth/socio-economic upward mobility][Luso Jardine also great influence on southern & northern-Shanghai peasants]. No, our immigrant Chinese did NOT have the seeds of 4 yrs. of compulsory education like our Nipponese did when leaving Mutsuhito’s modernized Meiji Japan [Japan went Western in 1868 when Mutsuhito came to power, 14 yrs. after Commodore Perry's Black Ships opened up feudal Tokugawa Japan to the Western World; 14 yr. old Eiichi Shibusawa 1840-1931 swam out to attack Perry w/knife clenched in his mouth--Shibusawa went on to become a disciple of Perry & went on to be the father of Japan industrialism], which inculcated our Nipponese/Issei immigrants with the irrevocable value of education. Of course, mega-transformational forces mid-1800s of Western industrialism/capitalism/imperialism/expansionism on China/Japan caused tremendous turmoil/upheaval/strife/chaos/anomie in feudal China/Japan. Our immigrant Chinese learned by the seats of their pants, so to speak, on the value of education. So that by the time later immigrants came to Hawai’i, our generation earlier-arrived Chinese were well into the schooling mantra/holy grail, as you see w/patriarch John K. Kai born 1878, whose dad was an immigrant who had established a dray/wagon transport business by the time John was born. Blessedly for John, St. Mary’s School was established, & John became our most highly educated non-haole lad from his era. 2) Southern Chinese came as isolated/individualist sojourners [like Tong Ai Yee, John K. Kai's wife Annie Akamu Kai's genesis], meaning that for our Chinese immigrants, you sink or swim with no life preserver/comfort of your fellow immigrant villagers from your homeland to buoy you — so do or die literally — thence our Chinese obsession to survive by “making a dollar out of 50 cents” [racist "Pa-ke" rhyme/jingle]. No better way to make an easy/quick buck than by getting an education, such as John K. Kai did [thanks to his immigrant dad] by going to high-falootin’ St. Mary’s School, & as all of Kai’s kids/all boys did by going to high-falootin’ colleges [Ernie 1905-1990 went to Yale law]. Thence, the fast track to education was turbo-charged/vastly accelerated for our Chinese progeny because our Chinese had no safety net of ancestral associations/orgs from their homeland villages here. Which is why our Chinese created their own regional orgs [Hakka/Punti/etc.], there being no specific village orgs [vs. our Japanese "kumiai"/ass'ns]. 3) Unlike our Japanese sojourners who intended to move back to Japan from tenjiku/Hawai’i silken thread of heaven, which is why our Issei immigrants/progeny chose not to buy land, our Chinese immigrants had a generation-before head of steam to realize that settling here was better than going back to Manchu chaotic/corrupted China, which is why the Mahele resulted in ownership passing hands to the missionary haoles, then to the ambitious/avaricious Chinamen, so to speak. Avaricious because it’s the Western Way, baby, survival of the fittest [Darwinism stood up on its head, w/Chinese yellow peril flanking out everyone else except the eventual Big 5 oligarchy/haoles, of which 2 outfits were missionary-based, C&C/A&B, & except for non-Merchant St. but most powerful Dillingham Corp, rail line mogul, then son Walt's 1875-1963 U.S. Navy contractor clout ergo Pearl Harbor, also missionary based]. Aloha, –Curt
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Just as w/”Pua,” since I do not know who really is “Anonymous” [presumably Kai-Carter ohana], may I ask kindly to take your hat off for Maslow transcendent Merle Lai born 1944 [KS grad '62], who so graciously named our public facilities for our larger than life action heroes/heroines, ergo Edith K. stadium/Sparky Kawamoto Olympic pool/etc. Sheez, Sparky Kawamoto 1908-1982 uplifted our tenement kids before we even had tenement in our vocabulary!! Sparky is to Shinmachi/Pi’opi’o/Butcher Lane what Abe Lincoln is to the slaves — our messiah/savior. Sparky is Hawaiian & was hanai’d by of all folks, Tong Ai Yee’s ohana!!! Yes, pseudonym “Anonymous” supposed Kai-Carter commentator, YOUR ANCIENT DNA!! What really diminishes Sparky’s aura is Sparky’s yakamashii/motor mouth son who brags incessantly about Sparky, namely Jimmy who just should be humble/quiet about his dad’s magnificence. Mother Mary in Heaven, “Anonymous,” you have no opinion on Sparky Kawamoto Olympic pool?? Sparky is your hanai kin, Bro’!!
I love Merle Lai. I kiss the ground where Merle Lai walks!! BTW, Yoshi Oyakawa is Sparky’s Olympic Gold Medalist — Yoshi toiled at Waiolama/”kukae” canal for Sparky. Yes, Yoshi is Congregational Christian from Kona to Papa’ikou [Pu'u'eopaku pond where toddler Yoshi swam], to Kukae canal!! 
Like fellow God-fearing giant Buster Crabbe 1908-1983, Pu’u'eo [Hilo] proudest native son, fellow Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer, whose stepdad Dem Clem Akina was our County Chair/mayor 1945-1949, who happened to be Sparky Kawamoto’s virtual twin in reality, both guys training in kukae water [Buster cutting thru the kukae from our lighthouse at the base of Kam/Waianuenue Ave. all the way to Coconut Island/Moku'ola & back to the lighthouse, in those days our sewage emptied directly into Hilo bay, just as our sewage emptied directly into Waiolama canal], both guys in fondest appreciation of/reverence for each other, both guys living/dying at nearly the same time. Wow!! Of course, oh-so-handsome Buster is Hollywood’s only trinity Tarzan/Flash Gordon/Buck Rogers –the top 3 action heroes of the 1930s. And Buster always addressed his dearest mama/Union School teacher as “Yes, Mother!” So cherished was Buster. Yes, Yoshi, despite Yoshi’s godlike equation to buddaheads, was no Buster Crabbe in earthiness to mermen/mermaids like Sparky/Keli’ipio girls-Cann/etc. Love everlasting, –Curt
October 3rd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Just to let you know of our greatest native sons, Curtis Piehu Iaukea 1855-1940, our extraordinary internationalist/statesman who transcended the eras of the Monarchy/Republic/Territory, & very nearly Statehood, was born & raised in Sam Mahuka Spencer’s Waimea [Sam our longest-serving chief executive for Hawai'i County, County Chair 1924-1944, Sam the great-grandpa to NCAAI hoops All-American Eddie Bento born 1940]. Piehu’s dad was a venerated magistrate who ministered to the needs of Waimea/Kohala/Ahualoa/Honoka’a/Waipi’o/Kukuihaele folks, not to mention other districts. Which is why Piehu from an earliest age was instilled in the magnificence of ancient Liloa/’Umi/Kamehameha the Great of Kapanaia-Kohala. Love always, –Curt
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Yes, tire/vehicle repair man Cliff Melim is Luso, son Buster was Ah Chew Goo’s good friend. Dr. Tadashi Oto’s hospital still is on Laimana St. 1933, buddaheads being treated by fellow Nikkei because haole public hospitals would not welcome immigrants, & if so, charged arm/leg up front, thereby rejecting such patients. GOP turned Dem Harold Rice of Maui was part of the retro/reactionary Dem wing which incl. the Heens. His brother was S.Ct. justice Phil [Mas Marumoto's colleague pre-Statehood], his grandpa Rice of Kaua’i was 1841 missionary, his mom was Waterhouse merchant from ancestral Tasmania. Al Ruddle was from London England [Ruddle Sales/Service which outdid Ruddle's former Volcano Garage]. Leo Lloyd Sexton Jr. was M.D. Sr.’s M.D. son, Jr.’s mom being same Rice family. Immigrant Ernest Gomes De Silva’s sons incl. Edwin [service stations]/Elmer PE teacher/Clem music teacher [M.D. Alan "Sam's" dad]. Yes, E.B./Leo/Lucille/Elvira also sibs of these kids. Henry Walker Sr. AmFac is the one who told off Jack Burns, exhorting, “Run for the U.S. Senate, we’ll support you, run for Governor, we’ll fight you!!” [to ensure GOP control of our most powerful governorship in the Nation via its centralized appointment clout -- Bill Quinn being the GOP appointed governor], not more sensible Henry Walker Jr. Andy Yamashiro, our 1st buddahead pro baseballer 1917, our 1st buddahead legislator w/Hilo’s Tasaku Oka [Willy Okino Thompson's father in law] 1930, managed Andy’s dad’s famous Yamashiro Hotel at Beretania/River Sts. Yamashiro is not Okinawan like Steve Yamashiro but Hiroshima. Aloha, –Curt
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:17 pm
My apology to Anonymous/Pua pseudonyms for not replying earlier. I’m still on cafe internet time/broken computer. Signing out for now. Aloha, –Curt
November 21st, 2009 at 4:08 am
yeah,The 3 differences between Chinese & Japanese on the same end result biggest emphasis on schooling are 1) southern Chinese immigrants to Hawai’i started coming here 1850 to provide labor for the sugar mills,.
December 12th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
[...] boy Herb Isonaga, born 1921, demonstrates utter humility — that his VVV was a publicity stunt to symbolize AJA [...]
March 17th, 2010 at 1:26 am
I wonder if you have any knowledge in your research of the Hilo area of the Frieda Ludloff that married Adam C. Baker of the Palace theater fame? I think or suspect she is a cousin from one of my uncles before they settled down and got married. Would appreciate any info at all. Mahalo in advance
March 17th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Hi Carol:
Adam C. Baker II 1881-1948 is the movie mogul, not your Adam III. Adam II
married Hannah Akamu from the famous Ai Yee genesis. Frieda Ludloff
is descended from the genesis Ludloff brothers who came to Hilo to open
up their bakery. The Ludloffs earlier worked for Love’s Bakery in
Honolulu. As you may know, the Ludloffs had their bakery in Shinmachi
on Kamehameha Ave. between the bouldered driveway/former
Ke’elikolani St. & the gravel road/former Emma St. to the Matson
containers
by the Hilo Iron Works parking lot. The Ludloffs then built their massive
2 story concrete anchor block/bldg. NW corner Kamehameha Ave./
Pi’opi’o St. 1922. This landmark withstood the deadly 1946 & 1960
tsunamis which wiped out surrounding structures. Baron Doc Hill
anchored his new unique “Hilo Shopping Center” 1952 with the Ludloff
bldg. serving as the new Pick N’ Pay supermarket. Of course, after
the 1960 tsunami, the bayfront area, including the Ludloff bldg., was
razed to be our greenbelt/today’s soccer field tsunami zone as part of
our Kaiko’o redevelopment project. Thanks again, –Curt
March 24th, 2010 at 1:35 am
Aloha again–another unopen door I am trying to open with the Ludloff’s in Hilo is William Fetter–Richard and Herman’s brother-in-law and supposed business partner. William Fetter was married to Bertha(Albertha) Ludloff–have a copy of census showing Herman living with them before he married Fidelia Reinhardt. Herman and William Fetter also served in the National Guard together in Hilo. Sometimes it takes the third generation to find or dig thru the darkened corridors of family history but it can be a real pain in the okole!
I understand why people wouldn’t talk when there has been a trauma in a generation and that is why it takes a third and sometimes fourth generation to dig up information on our ancestors.
Bertha came down with leprosy and she and her youngest daughter Amy(?) were both sent to Kalaupapa where Amy married a part Hawaiian man–Kenneth Long–all died there–still digging into that mess–especially to try and find if they had any children–which I have been told were usually taken from the patients and taken to Honolulu and put up for adoption right after birth–so basically may be a lost cause to find any. Because of the stigma of having someone coming down with leprosy back then–30’s, she was no longer talked of in the family–the wall of silence came up. There is a niece named Bertha–I would guess for her by the Otto Ludloff family.
Still would like to know something of the Fetter/Ludloff connection in Hilo if you have anything in your Ludloff files of info if you have any. Still hoping to find Frieda. Again mahalo for your time in just reading this. I find all the information you are presenting in the blogs so informative and educational.
Carol Ludloff Arnold
May 19th, 2010 at 7:12 am
Aloha, Mr. Narimatsu -
Mahalo for using an image of Sir Galahad from the windows of my church, First Parish in Brookline. It’s very cool to find it relevant 5000 miles away in a culture quite different from ours!
I’d like to clarify one little thing: Although we do have windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and Sarah Wyman Whitman in our sanctuary (see http://www.firstparishinbrookline.org/stainedglass.htm), the Sir Galahad and the Holy Grail window was actually created by the studio of Harry E. Goodhue.
Kind Regards,
Jeff