This a story on Don Wakamatsu, the new manager of the Seattle Mariners. I had the pleasure of working with Don when he was a player with the White Sox. He came to us as a released player with limited future because of recurrent shoulder problems. He worked his butt off to regain the ability to throw and actually made to the big leagues for a short time in 1991. Don was a player that the other players respected because of his determination and leadership. I wish him all the best in his new position.
Seattle Manager Hopes What He Does Highlights Who He Is
By HUGO KUGIYA
As a major league catcher, Don Wakamatsu was a footnote: 18 games for the Chicago White Sox in 1991. But he could say proudly that he played baseball at every level.
Wakamatsu’s true distinction might have been overlooked but for his surname. He was a minority twice over, not just the great-grandson of a Japanese dairy farmer, but also one of the few Asian-Americans to play in the major leagues.
“My failures put me in a position to be where I am now,” Wakamatsu, 45, said. “One of my goals as a player was to bring recognition to my heritage. Since that didn’t come to fruition, I’m especially fortunate to be where I am now.”
When he was introduced last month as the Seattle Mariners’ manager, the first of Asian descent in the majors, Wakamatsu talked about serving as a metaphorical steppingstone for other Asian-Americans in sports.Read the Full Story HERE.
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