Maehara, 83, was owner-president of Air-Flo Express and Hawaiian Papaya Co., which had offices at the airport. He was also the former owner of the Asahi baseball team, which he purchased from Mackay Yanagisawa in 1955.

According to police, Maehara was walking on an airport service road near the Continental Airlines cargo area shortly before 4 p.m. when he was struck by a forklift carrying a large container.

Lt. William Kato said the 21-year-old man operating the forklift was driving forward, rather than in reverse, and his vision was blocked by the container.

Police are awaiting autopsy findings before turning the case over to a state agency, most likely the Occupational Safety & Health Division, for further investigation, said Kato.

"He was very proud of the Asahi team and his close association with Mayor Blaisdell," attorney Eric Maehara said of his father.

Maehara, a Pu'unene, Maui native, received the Chuck Leahey Memorial Ward in 1990 for his contributions to local baseball with Asahi, the most storied senior league team in Hawai'i.

"He was never given enough credit for spreading international goodwill through baseball," said Aloha Stadium general manager Eddie Hayashi, a former Asahi player and coach. "He took the Asahi to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Okinawa and Japan."

In 1974, Asahi recorded the biggest win in its franchise history by upsetting Cuba, 5-3, before 25,000 people in Tokyo.

Maehara was Blaisdell's closest political adviser. He held no official position in Blaisdell's administration but was very influential. Maehara managed Blaisdell's election campaigns.