AJA BASEBALL LEAGUE

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AJA BASEBALL LEAGUE

• Drew Kadokawa
• FamR 455
• March 16, 2005

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AJA BASEBALL LEAGUE

• American Japanese Association Baseball League.
• None-profit organization.
• Created to preserve cultural tradition.

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THE BEGINNING

• 1899 Reverend Takie Okumura Father of AJA
  Baseball organized the first all-Japanese
  baseball team.
• 1900 Congress passed the Organic Act.
• The first AJA league was formed on Oahu in 1908
  at Atkinson Park in Kakaako.

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THE PRESENT

• Currently 10 teams in the Oahu AJA Baseball
  League.
• Games are played at Hans LOrange, Ala Wai, and
  CORP baseball fields.
• Must have any kind of Japanese ancestry to play.

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SEASONS

• Begins mid-December and ends mid-March.
• Throughout the season every team gets a chance to
  have their game broadcasted on 1420AM KKEA radio
  station.
• This seasons 1st round elimination playoff began.
• The top four teams will advance to the Oahu
  Championship Tournament and later the State AJA
  Tournament at Aloha Stadium.

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BILLY BLANCHETTE STORY

• Ex-University of Hawaii All-American pitcher.
• Contested that the league couldnt discriminate
  his race.
• Players and coaches agreed, but league leaders
  did not.
• Not discrimination, its cultural tradition.
• Examples Kamehameha Schools, Cherry Blossom
  Festivals, and Barrio Festivals.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

• Cathline Kira at 341-0343 or email
  CKira_at_hotmail.com
• Men and women of all ages are welcomed but dont
  forget