Posted on: Wednesday, November 24, 2004

PIGSKIN PICKS
Retiree finally stamps himself a winner

Advertiser Staff

Fittingly, retired Pearl Harbor electrician Richard Sakauye had Pigskin Picks wired last week.

Sakauye correctly picked 15 out of 15 college and NFL games on his ballot that was randomly selected from among several perfect ones.

"After trying for so long, I kept telling myself, even though I hit a perfect card, it's going to be the luck of the draw," said the 75-year-old Sakauye who lives in Waipahu. "I think it really worked this time."

It was Sakauye's first win after years of attempts where he jokingly admitted he "wasted a lot of stamps."

Sakauye submitted two ballots last week. He picked favored teams on one ballot, and accounted for several upsets on the other one.

"When I read the other week's paper, the winner (Mitchell Naeole of Ka'a'awa) submitted about (15 to 20 ballots)," Sakauye said. "I was telling myself, 'I wonder if I have any chance submitting two cards?' "

Sakauye said he was sleeping when the Michael Perry and Larry Price radio show called Monday morning to tell him that he had won. He got the good news by reading the newspaper that morning.

"I was going through my head, I wonder who won this week," Sakauye said. "Then I looked, 'Hey, that's my name over there!' That was a surprise."

As the Pigskin Picks winner, Sakauye wins a trip for two to Las Vegas from Worry-Free Vacations and Non-Stop Travel and the Golden Nugget Hotel, and $500 from The Advertiser.

He also is entered to win a year-end prize of a free use of a Hyundai Tucson for a year, courtesy of Tony Hyundai.

Sakauye said he plans to give his prizes away to either his two sons, Ralph or Rick, or his daughter Noreen Lesage. Sakauye said his sinus problem prevents him from traveling to Las Vegas.