ISLE FILE
Kono, Yonamine inducted into Hall
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Five athletes, including Hawai'i's Tommy Kono and Wally Yonamine, were honored yesterday in San Francisco as the inaugural class of the Japanese-American Sports Hall of Fame was enshrined.
The Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California delivered the awards in a ceremony at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco.
Honorees include Olympic figure skating gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi of Fremont, Calif., former New York Knickerbocker Wat Misaka and Yonamine, 77, a former San Francisco 49er halfback, who became the first non-white to play for the team.
Other inductees were Kono, 72, weightlifting gold medalist during the 1952 and 1956 Olympics; and Ann Kiyomura Hayashi of San Mateo, Calif., who in 1975 became the first Asian-American to win a Wimbledon title.
All of the honorees were recognized for breaking down racial barriers in sports, many of them at times when such breakthroughs may have seemed impossible.
"These athletes broke down color barriers not just for Asian-Americans but for all non-white athletes," Chris Hirano, director of community development at the cultural center, told the San Jose Mercury News. "And for the older athletes, we're only now hearing the stories about their achievements in a time of racism and discrimination."
The center will honor the athletes with a traveling exhibition of their achievements and sports memorabilia.
SWIMMING
• UH men place first: The University of Hawai'i men's swimming team won the Big West Shootout yesterday in Irvine, Calif., finishing the two-day meet with a 6-0 dual-meet record, and improving to 7-0 on the season.
UH defeated Pacific, 68-43, UC Santa Barbara, 79-32, and Washington, 57-54, yesterday.
Among UH's wins was Jon Coyle's victory in the 3-meter dive. His score of 324.85 qualifies him for the NCAA Zone meet.
The women's team, competing in the same tournament, picked up its first win in a consolation meet yesterday against Cal Poly. The women are 1-5 in dual meets this season.
MEETINGS
• Jones at QB Club: University of Hawai'i football head coach June Jones and defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa will discuss last night's game against San Jose State at tomorrow's meeting of the Honolulu Quarterback Club.
The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Pagoda Hotel.
Also scheduled to speak is Mike Wilton, UH men's volleyball coach.
VOLLEYBALL
• Chaminade stops HPU: Sepulona Valasi had 20 kills and 14 digs and Audrey Brady added 17 kills and six solo blocks to lead Chaminade to a 30-21, 26-30, 30-28, 30-22 victory over Hawai'i Pacific in a non-conference match last night at McCabe Gym.
Chaminade is 15-5 overall. HPU, which defeated the Silverswords in Friday's Pacific West match, is 11-7.
HPU's Susy Garbelotti had 21 kills.
WATER POLO
• BYUH pool opens: Brigham Young-Hawai'i opened its new swimming pool Thursday in a ceremony on campus.Ê
The pool replaces a much smaller version and is now large enough to accommodate the Seasiders' intercollegiate water polo program.
The pool will also be open to students, faculty, staff and the La'ie community. The pool will officially open for use tomorrow.
As part of the opening day activities, BYUH will face Cal Baptist in a water polo match at 6 p.m. followed by a Chaminade and Cal Baptist match at 8.
BYUH benefactors Ira and Mary Lou Fulton, whose generosity made the pool a reality, cut the ceremonial lei to open the pool.
