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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, March 6, 2003

Marciel had major role in opening Mid-Pacific

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 •  Golf Notices

By Bill Kwon

The Mid-Pacific Country Club — host of the Mid-Pacific Open and Jennie K. Invitational — boasts one of the most challenging golf courses in the state, especially with the wind-in-your-face ninth and 18th holes where you'll gladly take par and run.


TOP: The late Jimmy Marciel played a key part in developing Mid-Pac into a family country club.

ABOVE: Jimmy Marciel, right, helped Henry Wong, left, gain membership into Mid-Pacific Country Club.

Marciel family photos

In 2001, the Lanikai course, which began as a country retreat for downtown Honolulu "Big Five" executives, celebrated its 75th anniversary.

Over the years, it has had a colorful history closely mirroring Hawai'i's unique ethnic and cultural history. Remember, the course was first built when traveling over the Pali was no easy journey. The Pali tunnel and highway opened in 1957.

No one did more than the late Jimmy Marciel, former club president and 60-year member, to help Mid-Pacific reflect its history and ensure that its golf course become one of the finest locally.

Marciel died Jan. 12 at the age of 91, although he was still golfing until August, according to his daughter, Anita Williams, who now lives in Southern California. He is also survived by another daughter, Patricia Mendiola, and sons James Jr. and Thomas.

An avid golfer, Marciel used to hold an annual family golf gathering that he called the "PGA" tournament. PGA, he'd like to joke, stood for Portuguese Galloping Around.

Marciel was club president in 1956-57, succeeding the late Gov. John A. Burns, when the transition process began to make Mid-Pac a country club.

Marciel led the drive to make it a "family" country club and was one of the leading money contributors to help build the clubhouse.

However, his contributions were far more significant prior to that.

When the club added a second nine in 1949 to complete the original 18-hole design of Seth Raynor, who laid out Waialae Country Club a year earlier in 1925, Marciel dug into his own pockets to help defray the costs for the Bishop Estate lease. He and other members also helped clear the land for the hilly back nine that gives Mid-Pac its uniquely varied layout when the club ran out of money.

Marciel was, by no means, a rich man. He worked for 43 years as a shipyard inspector at Pearl Harbor.

"He was the last civilian aboard the U.S.S. Arizona," said Williams. "He was there on Dec. 5 (1941). He never went back to the Arizona Memorial. He just couldn't bring himself to do it."

His greatest contribution to the club occurred in 1947. Born in Makawao, Maui, Marciel moved to Kailua and joined Mid-Pac. But he noted there was a "color line" at his club. Only Caucasians and Hawaiians were permitted to join.

Others, including "Orientals," could only play as invited guests of the members.

Marciel did his share of inviting. One of his frequent guests was Henry Wong, a 1931 Saint Louis School classmate who worked for Harold Castle, owner of Kane'ohe Ranch Co.

After having his membership application previously rejected, Wong finally became a member in 1947. But it took then-club president Manny Baptiste's vote to break a deadlock. Marciel and his brother, George, were among those voting for Wong.

In an oral history interview, Gov. Burns spoke about the controversy surrounding a prior attempt to admit Orientals:

"So I got an Oriental doctor downtown. He was treating me for ulcers. OK, he gave me the (initiation fee) check, so I took it in and I put the membership nomination up and everything. The thing came up to a vote. Two blackballs! That meant out."

After a harsh exchange of words, the board of directors re-voted.

"One blackball; still had one hardhead," Burns noted.

Wong's breakthrough was particularly significant. So was Marciel's role in Wong's behalf. Mid-Pacific became the first private golf club to admit Orientals. The Waialae Country Club broke its color line in 1951 and Oahu Country Club shortly after.

It's fitting to note that the first champions of the Mid-Pacific Open and the Jennie K. were Guinea Kop and Edna Lee, respectively.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.