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APRIL 24, 1986: Hilo’s Shane Ogawa piles up strikeouts

By Jerry Campany on April 24, 2020

On this day in 1986, Shane Ogawa struck out 15 batters and defending champion and top seed Hilo throttled Castle 7-0 in the second round of the state baseball tournament. Ogawa allowed only two hits (Both to Darren Oshiro) and pitched around three errors. Hilo’s state run ended with an 11-9 loss to Iolani the next day, and Ogawa had two hits and four RBIs. Vikings coach Buzzy Capellas remarked after the game that all his team had to do […]

APRIL 23, 1956: Roosevelt spoils Mid-Pacific’s gamble

By Jerry Campany on April 23, 2020

On this day in 1956, Harry Kitamura gambled and lost. The Mid-Pacific coach decided to rest pitcher Jerry Ishimoto and call Herb Higashi up from the JV to start. Higashi was roughed up in his varsity debut and Roosevelt beat Mid-Pacific 15-8 in a game that lasted nearly three hours. Roosevelt catcher Arvin Sethman was particularly rude to Higashi, hitting a double and a triple off him in the first three innings to drive in five runs. The Rough Riders […]

APRIL 23, 1940: Perfect Saint Louis wins ILH baseball title

By Jerry Campany on April 23, 2020

In only five games, anything can happen. The 1940 Saint Louis Crusaders made sure it didn’t. On this day in 1940, George Rodriguez and Ray Rosa hit home runs and Saint Louis beat Punahou 9-1 to win the ILH title with a perfect record in five games. It was the second title in a row for Charles Fernandez‘s boys, and the string didn’t officially end until 1944 when Farrington, Mid-Pacific and McKinley all tied for the title. Mid-Pacific took the […]


APRIL 22, 1999: Paki Lum parks 2 for Kamehameha

By Jerry Campany on April 22, 2020

On this day in 1999, Paki Lum drilled a 3-run home run in the first inning as Kamehameha trounced Mid-Pacific 15-7. Lum had three hits, two of them home runs, as the Warriors nuzzled up against Iolani in a tight ILH race with Saint Louis right with them. It was just a bump in the road for the Raiders, who went on to win the ILH title with the Owls taking second and making it all the way to the […]

APRIL 21, 1981: Saint Louis wins ILH baseball title after long wait

By Jerry Campany on April 21, 2020

On this day in 1981, Saint Louis finally got over the hump to win an ILH baseball title. The Crusaders finished second three years in a row before breaking through for coach Eric Texidor. It was the program’s first league title since 1974 and it wouldn’t do it again until 1989. Saint Louis beat Waimea in the first round of the state tournament behind Nathan Chun, but ran into Kaiser great Sid Fernandez and lost 8-0 to the Cougars in […]

APRIL 20, 1959: Lyman Koike keeps hope alive for Mid-Pacific

By Jerry Campany on April 20, 2020

On this day in 1959, Lyman Koike and Thomas Serikaku each banged out three hits and the Mid-Pacific baseball team beat Kaimuki 13-5. Herbert Nakasone took a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning before Kaimuki rallied to knock him out of the box. The win moved the Owls into fifth place in the ILH with the four-team playoffs looming. The Owls tied Punahou with a win on the last day of the regular season and then won a three-team playoff […]

APRIL 17, 1957: Donald Sakamoto throws no-hitter for Hilo

By Jerry Campany on April 17, 2020

On this day in 1957, Donald Sakamoto threw a shortened no-hitter and Hilo beat rival St. Joseph’s for the BIIF South title. Sakamoto’s gem was called off because of rain in the fifth inning, but was deemed official. Sakamoto faced only 16 batters, walking one and allowing another to reach on an error. Rather than cry about the early stoppage, St. Joe went on to reach the BIIF tournament final against Hilo. The Vikings jumped out to a 9-0 lead […]

APRIL 17, 1961: Ron Ramie tests the limits of Lanakila Field

By Jerry Campany on April 17, 2020

For all aspiring baseball players who look over the expanses of Joey DeSa Field and imagine hitting a ball to the farthest reaches of center field, know this: Former Farrington star Ron Ramie has been there. On this day in 1961, Ramie hit a 400-foot home run and John Matias added two more dingers as Farrington beat Kalani 12-2. The Governors did the damage against Dick Watkins, who was one of the premier pitchers in the league and led the […]