Notes on the Vancouver Asahi

This blog was a communications tool used in planning various activities for the Vancouver Asahi baseball team's induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2005. This has long since been left dormant, but realizing there maybe those who have an interest in the Vancouver Asahi, please leave a comment on this particular post, to which I will be notified, and I will do my best to help you.

I no longer have any affiliation with the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, so sending any email to a BCSHFM email will bounce.

- sam

Banquet of Champions Ticket Price Notice

Ticket prices to the Banquet of Champions to be held Thursday, April 28th, 2005, at the Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina are $275 each or $2500 for a table of 10.

For those attending in the interests of the Vancouver Asahi, though, can purchase tickets for $250 each, as the Asahi contingent has booked a block of tables. For ticket ordering, please contact the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum at 604.687.5520.

The Bulletin Article - For the Love of the Game

An article that appeared on page 20 of March 2005 issue of The Bulletin.
By Sam Araki

Growing up history was never a favorite subject of mine. There was just too much information. I mean, was it really that important to know the names of the three ships that Christopher Columbus captained?

My mother always told me that I’d have increasing appreciation for the little things in life as I got older -- and she is prophetic. I have an increased appreciation in history, especially when it relates to me. At university in Utah, I was a Japanese minor and the crux of the program had the students delve into the realm of reading and writing through the study of Japanese history.

Since my return to Vancouver, I’ve been exposed to various things through my involvement in the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, and knowledge of the Vancouver Asahi baseball team is the most important I’ve come across.

The Asahi will be officially inducted into the BCSHFM at the organization’s annual Banquet of Champions. The uniqueness and impact of the Vancouver Asahi’s achievements are well known among the longtime and entrenched members of the Vancouver Japanese-Canadian community. After being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in June 2003, the Asahi are being recognized for perhaps the last time on a grand scale to a wide audience, providing an opportunity for the JC community to come together and recognize the impact the Asahi had.

Accomplishments on the field aside, the Asahi played in a time where there was strong anti-Asian sentiment, yet somehow the Japan Town district in Vancouver was able to flourish. Sure the Asahi won on the field, but the dedication they showed and passion they displayed were undeniable.

It was on the baseball diamond that the Asahi were considered equals, and it was on the field that the Asahi would dominate play in city senior leagues. The Asahi proved to be a lightening rod to the community instilling an enormous amount of pride into the Vancouver JC community. The Asahi’s impact was so much greater than simple wins and losses.

It’s a story about beating the odds, and about turning a disadvantage into an advantage. Most of all it’s a Canadian story about young men playing for the love of the game and for their community, earning pride for all Japanese Canadians in the process.

Recognizing the Asahi’s unique impact, the BCSHFM is making unprecedented exceptions, for the first time in 37 years, on two fronts. As an inductee in the Pioneer category, the Asahi will be the first team in a previously all-individual group. Also, in the past the BCSHFM has inducted 43 teams, but never an organization spanning more than one year. The Asahi will have 75 players and managers, involved from 1914-1941, inducted.

It was only days before Dec. 1, 2004, that I had heard about the Asahi. It was on that day that the Asahi were announced as being part of the BCSHFM’s 2005 induction class. Since then, I have had an opportunity to immerse myself, not only in the Asahi’s many on-field accomplishments, but also in the cultural climate in Vancouver during the Asahi’s time.

As a member of the JC community in Vancouver, I was never aware of my roots growing up. So a foundation of appreciation for those who have preceded me has never been laid. My parents immigrated to Vancouver from Japan in 1973, and I was born two years later. In the late 70s my parents and I moved to Hawai`i for five years, where my brother and two sisters were born. Then we all moved to Japan for a year before moving back to Canada. In the late 1980s I remember my parents taking us all down to the old area of Japan Town where there were still a few Japanese shops operating. Of course this was before the Lower Mainland proliferation of T ‘N’ T Supermarkets, Yaohan and various other Asian goods stores. Other than being in Japanese School in Surrey for a year and feeling awkward as a seventh grader in a third grade class, I never felt the influence of the JC community.

Then I raced off to university in the United States and only recently returned to Vancouver. After bragging to all my friends at school how beautiful Vancouver is, I realize what I have missed. As I reflected on what I have to be thankful for, I also have great pride in my heritage. A lifelong sports fan, I was naturally drawn to the story of the Asahi. I am grateful for their will to compete and passion to play, amidst trying and difficult times.

Remembering the Asahi puts my trivial problems in perspective. If for one night we can, as a community, band together to recognize the Asahi, I know that we will all be better people for it.

BCSHFM Banquet of Champions

BCSHFM Banquet of Champions

On April 28, the Vancouver Asahi will be officially inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum at a gala event at the Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina. It is a crowning achievement for a team that had deep competitive and cultural roots, decades after the team was forced to dissolve.

What: The BC Sports Hall of Fame Banquet of Champions

When: April 28, 2005

Where: Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina, Vancouver, B.C.

Why: The Vancouver Asahi will be officially inducted into the BCSHFM

Cost: $275 per person or $2500 for a table of 10 ** Those attending in the interests of the Asahi can buy individual tickets for $250 through April 21

How: To purchase tickets contact Elly at elly@bcsportshalloffame.com or
604.687.5520.

Vancouver Asahi Induction Committee Minutes #3

Vancouver Asahi BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Induction Committee Meeting
Thursday, February 17, 2005
BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Boardroom

Present:
Sam Araki
Elmer Morishita
Timothy Savage
Rika Uto

The meeting was called to order at 5:35 p.m.

Updates since last meeting:

Celebration Grant - The city of Vancouver has a grant which is geared towards funding cultural and arts events. Sam spoke with Roy Yen at the city and after explaining the purposes and mandate of the celebration event, Sam was told the next day that the event wouldn’t qualify for funding. Sam had originally requested $5,000-10,000 for the April 29 event.

NAJC Cultural Development Program Grant - Elmer has been working on this grant application which is due by March 31. He had a draft of the grant copied and available for everybody at the meeting. The application is inclusive of travel and hotel costs as well as event costs for the Celebration event.

Hotel and Airfare help - After receiving communication from the Banquet of Champions chair, Sam mentioned that the Westin Bayshore Resort and Marina will provide rooms (rack rate $259) for $109. The committee approximated that 10 rooms should be booked.

What to display at the BCSHFM - Depending on space possible items include: uniform/trousers, equipment and pictures. It was determined that in addition to a temporary display for a year, there will be a special display during the Celebration event. Timothy Savage noted that 2-3 weeks lead time is necessary to prepare any display.

Website - While the current blog serves a useful purpose of having all information in one place, it is restrictive. So Sam mentioned that a simple homepage could be set up where people could download registration forms, link through to other pages and have a more complete set of information available. In this format, there would be a link to the current blog.

Banquet of Champions

§ The National Nikkei Heritage Center and Museum Board of Directors has committed to buying a table

§ The Vancouver Asahi Induction Committee also unanimously committed to buying a table with the intention that it will sell seats to members of the community

§ Other organization that could possibly buy tickets include the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Powell Street Festival

§ The committee also unanimously agreed that the Banquet of Champions is the focus of activities and we will offer people from the community a chance to attend the Banquet.

Attendees

§ Elmer will compile and keep updated a list of who will be attending the Banquet of Champions and the Celebration event

§ To supplement the list of those attending, it is also important to know where everybody will be staying and for how long they will be in Vancouver for. The committee can then make adjustments for those needing accommodations, etc.

Publicity

§ Tim and Sam to collaborate in getting information to Karen Duffield at Nikkei Network

§ Sam spoke with John Endo Greenaway at the Bulliten and he will write a small story for the March issue and write a lengthier cover piece for the April issue

Celebration event (To be held Friday, April 29, 2005 at BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum)

§ Admission charge to the event will be nominal and be in the $5 per adult, $10 per family (2 adults, 2 children) range.

§ There will be several food stations. Types of food being looked at are Chinese, Japanese and hotdogs. Food tickets will be given out when admission is paid, and additional tickets can be bought. Drinks will be available at a cash bar.

§ Parking was discussed and is an issue. The only parking available is metered street parking and paid lot parking. In the past, EasyPark has been a sponsor of BCSHFM events and if they sponsor this event with free parking for inductees, that would be best. There are several EasyPark lots around B.C. Place and we would have volunteers at each lot to give visitors a free parking pass for the night. Sam will look into this. Also, Stadium skytrain station is nearby.

§ There was a discussion about what we should officially name the event. Ideas were tossed about including:

o Asahi Family Celebration/Evening

o Asahi Induction: The Family Event

o Keywords - commemoration, cultural history, baseball, for the love of the game

Timeline

§ There is nine weeks to go before the banquet and the celebration event. There was a discussion about the timeline and more will be firmed up at the next meeting.

Push

§ Items touched on but will be worked out in the coming weeks include:

o Volunteer coordination for Celebration Event

o Who will be event manager? In charge of the coordination of possible coat check, drinks, food, facility setup, etc.

o Who will be the budget manager? Control funds for Celebration Event, and oversee travel and hotel expenses by out-of-towners

Conclusion:

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:40 p.m.

Next Committee Meeting: Thursday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m.

Just a reminder to all that the next Asahi Banquet Committee meeting will be on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. If you have any topics you would like added to the adgenda, please let Sam Araki know at sam.araki@bcsportshalloffame.com.

WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m. for one hour.
WHERE: The boardroom at the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
DIRECTIONS: The BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is located at "GATE A" just East of the Terry Fox Plaza at B.C. Place Stadium which is at the foot of Robson at Beatty. Metered street parking is available. Please walk through the front doors of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
CONTACT: Any questions, please let me know, Sam Araki, at sam.araki@bcsportshalloffame.com.

Date Confirmed for Banquet of Champions

The date for the Banquet of Champions has been set and confirmed. It will be the original date of Thursday, April 28. Because of a conflict with the Courage to Comeback banquet to be held on the same night, the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was going to move its banquet to a different date, but because of numerous dynamics, the date is not being changed.

A message from the BCSHFM's Executive Director Dawn Donahue:

"Please be advised that the Banquet of Champions will remain on April 28th, 2005, at the Westin Bayshore Resort & Marina.

Although the Courage to Comeback Awards dinner is also April 28th, our inductees have made travel arrangements, and, our honoured guests have made scheduling arrangements for this date. We spent 1 month researching the date in November, and, there was nothing else going on at that time.

Thank you for your patience, and, apologies for any confusion. We look forward to receiving your ticket orders in the near future. Please remember, that Inductees, and Championship Package Holders are seated in the front and centre rows, then seating is arranged as the orders come in. Please get your tickets early to take advantage of the best seating in the Westin Ballroom."

Warm Regards

Dawn