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Wally Yonamine Interview Segment 1

Visiting Okinawa, where father was born (ddr-janm-13-2-1) - 00:07:03
Mother's background: Nisei born in Hawaii (ddr-janm-13-2-2) - 00:02:07
Origins of name (ddr-janm-13-2-3) - 00:06:03
Growing up in a small village (ddr-janm-13-2-4) - 00:04:05
Father's family background (ddr-janm-13-2-5) - 00:03:53
Parents' marriage: unusual in that father was from Okinawa (ddr-janm-13-2-6) - 00:01:35
Description of mother (ddr-janm-13-2-7) - 00:02:51
Description of siblings (ddr-janm-13-2-8) - 00:03:09
Working in the cane fields as a child (ddr-janm-13-2-9) - 00:04:16
Sports and recreational activities as a youth (ddr-janm-13-2-10) - 00:04:58
Attending a boarding school (ddr-janm-13-2-11) - 00:04:07
Playing football in high school (ddr-janm-13-2-12) - 00:03:59
Increasing involvement in athletics: "I was so sports-crazy" (ddr-janm-13-2-13) - 00:04:46
Older brother as a role model; deciding where to go to college (ddr-janm-13-2-14) - 00:03:49
Competing against teams in other parts of Hawaii (ddr-janm-13-2-15) - 00:02:44
Transferring to Honolulu to play at Honolulu Stadium (ddr-janm-13-2-16) - 00:03:24
Description of sports programs at Honolulu high schools (ddr-janm-13-2-17) - 00:03:48
Scouted for the 49ers while serving in the army (ddr-janm-13-2-18) - 00:02:29
Influence of professional football players who came to Hawaii during World War II (ddr-janm-13-2-19) - 00:03:19
First year in the National Football League (ddr-janm-13-2-20) - 00:03:41
Experiencing little prejudice while playing in the NFL (ddr-janm-13-2-21) - 00:02:21
Meeting Japanese Americans on the mainland (ddr-janm-13-2-22) - 00:02:23
Being released from baseball team after injury (ddr-janm-13-2-23) - 00:01:57
(ddr-janm-13-2-24) - 00:01:30
Meeting Lefty O'Doul (ddr-janm-13-2-25) - 00:01:46
Playing baseball professionally in Japan (ddr-janm-13-2-26) - 00:06:58
Meeting future wife (ddr-janm-13-2-27) - 00:06:07
Raising a family while establishing baseball career (ddr-janm-13-2-28) - 00:05:44
Playing with famous baseball players in Japan (ddr-janm-13-2-29) - 00:08:50
Getting along with difficult teammates (ddr-janm-13-2-30) - 00:10:40
Being released from the Tokyo Giants, eventually becoming manager for the Chunichi Dragons (ddr-janm-13-2-31) - 00:07:30
Balancing personal and professional life (ddr-janm-13-2-32) - 00:06:53
The significance of winning a championship as a manager (ddr-janm-13-2-33) - 00:03:16
Allowed to manage a baseball team in Japan as a foreigner (ddr-janm-13-2-34) - 00:02:05
Establishing a famous pearl business (ddr-janm-13-2-35) - 00:04:40
Description of children and grandchildren (ddr-janm-13-2-36) - 00:02:45
Reflections: "I don't think I'd change anything" (ddr-janm-13-2-37) - 00:04:50
Thoughts on current events (ddr-janm-13-2-38) - 00:04:12
Being selected for the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (ddr-janm-13-2-39) - 00:07:08
Discussion about Japanese players in the major leagues (ddr-janm-13-2-40) - 00:05:51
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PARTNER

Japanese American National Museum
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SEGMENT ID

ddr-janm-13-2-1 (Legacy UID: denshovh-ywally-01-0001)

SEGMENT DESCRIPTION

Visiting Okinawa, where father was born

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

00:07:03 — Segment 1 of 40

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DATE

December 16, 2003

LOCATION

PARENT COLLECTION

Japanese American National Museum Collection

TOPICS

FACILITY

PERSONS/ORGANIZATIONS

CONTRIBUTOR

Japanese American National Museum Collection

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the Japanese American National Museum

RIGHTS

PARTNER

Japanese American National Museum
Visit partner

INTERVIEW ID

ddr-janm-13-2

NARRATOR

Wally Yonamine

INTERVIEW TITLE

Wally Yonamine Interview

02:53:32 — 40 segments

DATE

December 16, 2003

LOCATION

Honolulu, Hawaii

DESCRIPTION

Nisei-han male. Born June 24, 1925, in Maui, Hawaii. Grew up in a small village on a sugar plantation. Played football in high school, transferring to Honolulu. Signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 1947, but ended football career with an injury. In 1951, signed with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, the first American to play in Japan during the Allied occupation. Eventually became manager of the Chunichi Dragons. In 1994, inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

(This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.)

PRODUCTION

Art Hansen, interviewer; John Esaki, interviewer; Akira Boch, videographer

TOPICS

FACILITY

PERSONS/ORGANIZATIONS

CONTRIBUTOR

Japanese American National Museum Collection

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the Japanese American National Museum

RIGHTS

API