• Kaua‘i goes for AJA title • Tournament Schedule • AJA History • Australian Bogut writes All-American story • Illinois’ Weber AP coach of the year Kaua‘i goes for AJA title By The Garden Island HONOLULU — American Baseball, well
• Kaua‘i goes for AJA title
• Tournament Schedule
• AJA History
• Australian Bogut writes All-American story
• Illinois’ Weber AP coach of the year
Kaua‘i goes for AJA title
By The Garden Island
HONOLULU — American Baseball, well respected as one of Hawai‘i’s all-time legendary baseball organizations will hold their 2005 State Tournament today through Sunday at Aloha Stadium.
The single-elimination format tournament will determine the overall 2005 State Champion, The tournament will feature exciting top-level baseball action between recently crowned AJA baseball teams representing four of the State’s major islands – The “Waiakea Pirates” from the Big Island, the “Asahi’s” from Maui, the “Kalaheo’s” from Kaua‘i and the “Sheridan Midas” representing O‘ahu. Derek Tatsuno, Hawai‘i’s legendary pitcher from the 70’s who played AJA baseball after a distinguished University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Baseball career will be on hand Saturday morning to throw the ceremonial first pitch to open the tournament.
Tournament Schedule
First round action kicks off today at 10 a.m. with Kaua‘i’s Kalaheo’s versus the Waiakea Pirates followed by the Sheridan Midas versus the Maui Asahi’s at 1:00 p.m. On Sunday, April 3rd at 10 a.m. the consolation game will be played between Saturday’s two losing teams to determine the tourney’s 3rd and 4th finishers with a two hour time limit. There will be a one hour intermission and the championship game will follow at approximately 1 p.m. (between Saturday’s two winning teams) to determine who will be crowned Hawai‘i’s 2005 AJA BasebalI State Champion.
AJA History
More than a century ago the first Japanese contract immigrant workers came to Hawai‘i. While initially more familiar with the Japanese sports of sumo wrestling and judo, young Japanese men soon discovered and fielded teams in the already existent and popular plantation baseball leagues. The first AJA League was formed on O‘ahu in 1909 and held its games at Atkinson Park in Kaka‘ako. By the late 1920’s AJA leagues sprung up across the State on all of the major islands, The annual Hawai‘i State AJA Baseball Tournament is believed to be the oldest organized baseball tournament in Hawai‘i.
It started in 1930 at the height of the Great Depression, when the entire country was in love with baseball. Nationally, this was the era of greats like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Ty Cobb. Locally AJA baseball had its own homegrown hero’s in the likes of Taffy Okamura and Stan Hashimoto just to name a few. In Hawaii, the AJA Asahi and the other half dozen ethnic teams that made up the Hawaii League packed large crowds into the newly built Honolulu Stadium, The Hawai‘i State AJA Baseball Tournament continues the fine tradition of what started as Japanese immigrant baseball almost 100 years ago and celebrates it 75th anniversary in this year of 2005.
Australian Bogut writes All-American story
ST. LOUIS — Andrew Bogut parleyed an international basketball background into an All-American story.
The 7-footer grew up in Australia with a passion for the game nurtured by his parents, both natives of Croatia. The desire to test himself against the best convinced Bogut to attend college in the United States, a stint at Utah that lasted two years and was capped Friday by his selection as The Associated Press player of the year.
Illinois’ Weber AP coach of the year
ST. LOUIS — Bruce Weber, who led Illinois to its winningest season, was an overwhelming choice Friday as The Associated Press national coach of the year.
It was just the latest reward for a spectacular season for Weber, in only his second year at Champaign.
The Illini (36-1), who play Louisville in the national semifinals Saturday, were ranked No. 1 the final 15 weeks of the season, and were unanimous six times.
