Background
Yonamine, a Nisei Japanese American, was born in Hawaii to parents Matsusai (September 1, 1890 – July 31, 1988) and Kikue (February 14, 1901 – February 26, 1999).
与那嶺要
baseball player gridiron football player
Yonamine, a Nisei Japanese American, was born in Hawaii to parents Matsusai (September 1, 1890 – July 31, 1988) and Kikue (February 14, 1901 – February 26, 1999).
A two-sport star, he played running back on the San Francisco 49ers in their second season (1947), becoming the first football player of Asian ancestry to play professional football. In his one season with the team, he had 19 carries for 74 yards and caught 3 passes for 40 yards. His football career ended during the off-season, when he broke his wrist playing in an amateur baseball league in Hawaii.
In baseball, Yonamine was the first American to play professional baseball in Japan after World World War World War II A multi-skilled outfielder, Yonamine was also noted for his flexible batting style and aggressive baserunning during his career with the Yomiuri Giants and Chunichi Dragons.
He is the only American yet admitted into the Hall as a player. In 2008, Wally Kaname Yonamine joined Master League team Nagoya 80 Doctorate"sers as a coach/part-time player.
After an extended battle with prostate cancer, Yonamine died on February 28, 2011, aged 85, in Honolulu.