Sports

Sports leagues were important institutions for Japanese Americans growing up on the West Coast. Both boys and girls played basketball, baseball and other sports. The traditional Japanese martial arts of judo and kendo were practiced as well. Baseball became the primary sport for young Japanese Americans who were often prohibited from playing in the white leagues. The highly competitive games in the all-Japanese American leagues built pride and a sense of community.

Community activities (601)
Sports (297)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Joe Kobuki, Sports and recreation in camp

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297 items

img Nisei boy at tennis courts (ddr-densho-259-206)

Kay Yasui at the tennis courts at the Hood River Japanese Hall in Hood River, Oregon.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-206/

img Three Japanese men in bathing suits (ddr-densho-259-169)

Three unidentified Japanese men wearing bathing suits, posed in front of a prop beach scene.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-169/

img Undokai picnic and field day (ddr-densho-259-362)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "This was the familiar undokai--a combination picnic and field day--which almost every Nikkei community all over the United States held in the summertime for their people. This photo shows maybe half of the Japanese from Hood River Valley, and it was taken at the Yasui Mosier ranch."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-362/

img Nisei man with tennis racquet (ddr-densho-259-420)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Kay [Yasui] holding a tennis racquet behind his arms. This surely must have been taken at the dirt tennis court which had been built at the old Japanese Community Hall."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-420/

img Picnic at Columbia River Beach (ddr-densho-259-128)

Caption by Masuo Yasui: "There gathered together some over 200 men, women and children at Columbia River Beach for Picnic on July 20th, 1924." Caption by Homer Yasui: "This was undoubtedly taken at one of the Hood River Undokai ['Sports Day']."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-128/

img Nikkei man holding fish (ddr-densho-259-428)

Unidentified Nikkei man holding fish in front of an automobile.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-428/

img Nisei children rabbit hunting (ddr-densho-259-204)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Kay, Ches [Tsuyoshi], Min[oru], Michi and Roku [Yasui] have gone rabbit hunting. It shows Kay cradling a rifle in his left arm and holding a dead rabbit in his right hand. Ches has his .22 caliber rifle held high aloft in his right hand, and a dead rabbit in his left."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-204/

img Nisei baseball players (ddr-densho-259-539)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Ches [Tsuyoshi Yasui] in baseball shin guards, with other presumed baseball players. This may well have been part of the Nisei Athletic Club baseball team."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-539/

img Nisei children on a stagnant slough (ddr-densho-259-427)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Michi, Shu and Roku, standing on a cracked, dried up lake bed. Michi is holding a fishing pole, and it looks like Roku is holding a gun as tall as he. Shu is in the middle What looks like a dried lake bed actually was the remains of a big stagnant slough, ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-427/

img Japanese Americans on horseback on a mountain (ddr-densho-259-184)

Japanese Americans on horseback on the Cloud Cap trailhead on Mount Hood, Oregon.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-184/

img Two Nisei boys at tennis courts (ddr-densho-259-207)

Kay Yasui and Kineyo Kanemasu at the tennis courts at the Hood River Japanese Hall in Hood River, Oregon.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-207/

img Pacific Citizen, Vol. 99, No. 7 (August 17, 1984) (ddr-pc-56-32)

Selected article titles: "American Bar Assn. recognizes wrong but rejects reparations" (p. 1), "Memorial marker for slain Asian student vandalized" (p. 1), "U.S. wrestler refers to opponent as 'that Jap'" (p. 1), "'A-Team' episode receives protests" (p. 1), "Mondale's 'Hong Kong' reference criticized" (p. 2), "Schmoe attends Hiroshima ceremony" (p. 3), "Nisei officiates at Olympic gymnastics ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-56-32/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 112, No. 11 [March 22, 1991] (ddr-pc-63-11)

Select article titles: "Man convicted of hate crime" (p. 1), "Yamaguchi wins world skate title" (p. 1), "Oscar Picks" (p. 1) "Asian TV show goes national" (p. 3).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-63-11/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 116, No. 3 (January 22, 1993) (ddr-pc-65-3)

Select article titles: "Doris Matsui appointed to Clinton White House staff" (p.1); "Despite local JACL protests, 'Jap Road,' 'Jap Lane' remain in towns near Beaumont, Texas" (p. 1);"Study: Whites dominate L.A. sports positions" (p. 3).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-65-3/

img Dona Lee and Ken Kawamoto playing tetherball (ddr-densho-336-847)

The 1976 Lake Sequoia Retreat summer camp.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-336-847/

img Roger Morimoto and Margie Yemoto playing tetherball (ddr-densho-336-1285)

The 1979 Lake Sequoia Retreat summer camp.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-336-1285/

img Campers participating in a lap sit (ddr-densho-336-949)

The 1977 Lake Sequoia Retreat summer camp. Caption on front: "Grant Nakajima, Emi Takizawa, Willie Gong, Dianne Kiyomoto, Jeri Endo, Steve Shiozaki."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-336-949/

img Campers playing frisbee (ddr-densho-336-909)

The 1977 Lake Sequoia Retreat summer camp.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-336-909/

img Eileen Yemoto having fun during games (ddr-densho-336-1296)

The 1979 Lake Sequoia Retreat summer camp.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-336-1296/

img Campers participating in a lap sit (ddr-densho-336-950)

The 1977 Lake Sequoia Retreat summer camp. Caption on front: "Dianne Kiyomoto, Jeri Endo, Steve Shiozaki, Lori Tamura, David Uriu, Patti Iseke, Stuart Tatsuon, Kellyanne Ebisui."

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-336-950/