Working in cane fields as teenager, and how it helped in his athletic training (Japanese)

Returning to Maui during baseball off-seasons to remind himself of the hard work required to succeed His parents' experience with Japanese resistance toward intermarriage with Okinawans Brought aggressive American style to Japanese baseball The privations of living in post-war Japan, 1952 Training for football by carrying 100-lb bags of grass over mountains Working in cane fields as teenager to supplement family income Working in cane fields as teenager, and how it helped in his athletic training (Japanese)

Transcripts available in the following languages:

(Japanese) When I was in Maui, well, I was about 12 to 14 years old. I worked at a sugar plantation. I didn’t like the job very much. But at that time, we didn’t have very much money, and in whatever way possible, I had to help my father and mother. So I worked very hard. Because of it, when I played baseball and football, it really helped. Doing such hard work, when I played baseball and football, because they were very tough sports, I couldn’t forget about those early hardships. Even now, even though I am 78 years old, and it was almost 60 – 65 years ago, I will never forget.

Well, even when I played baseball in Japan, I also faced hardship, but I could get through it and do it. Well, my life changed a lot because of Japanese baseball.

Date: December 16, 2003
Location: Hawai'i, US
Interviewer: Art Hansen, John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum.

baseball identity