They never gave a single moment's thought to losing but, rather, expected to win every time they took the field. The way Lenn sees it, that team, under the guidance of coach Herb Okamura, quite simply, ‘knew how to win’. Well, that Falcon team proved that it could definitely be profitable to play for love, because they went on to win the 1970 state title and, to this day, is still considered to be one of the best prep teams ever in Hawaii.Īs a coach and manager now, Lenn often thinks back to that season and tries to analyze what it was that made that team so exceptional. They hustled to complete their workout before having to give up the field at 5 p.m. Then, as now, the Falcon baseball team had to commute to Kahala Field every afternoon for practice. As Lenn describes himself and his Falcon teammates, ‘We would've played everyday if there was a game to be played. This from a man who, though a first-round draft pick, received only $10,000 to sign and who, even at the peak of his career as a vital element in the success of the world-champion Baltimore Orioles, earned merely a fraction of what much lesser players today earn.Īnd, from this man who has garnered his share of attention, traveled the world and had experiences most of us can barely imagine, come fond remembrances from more than three decades ago of playing for the Kalani Falcons for the pure motive that ‘it was fun’. Rather, he is sincere in his humility and emphatic in his appreciation that he is truly blessed, that he has been ‘living a dream’. And, though he never allowed it to become an issue, he does acknowledge being the target of the occasional derogatory slur in reference to his ethnicity.ĭespite these challenges, he has no complaints about his life as a major league player. He always pushed himself doubly hard, rarely permitting himself the leisure of a single day off from practicing his sport during his entire professional playing career. As he puts it, he’s never had a sense of total accomplishment.įeeling that he had a lot to overcome due to his smaller Asian physique in a career where size really can make a difference, Lenn never let himself just sit back and savor the realization of how far he had come. In fact, he reveals that he has always felt as if he has fallen short in his career, that he's never actually felt like he was a complete success. Yet, while he is modestly pleased to be labeled a role model for Hawaii's youth, he seems slightly uncomfortable to be described as a hero. Indeed, Lenn Sakata, Kalani High School Class of 1971, is definitely Big Time. Some, in fact, speculate that Lenn may become the first Asian American to manage in The Bigs. Evidence of this can be found in the high regard that others in the profession hold of him. There is nothing trivial about Lenn's talent and dedication as a pro ball player and, at the time this article was written, as the manager of the San Francisco Giants' triple-A team, the Fresno Grizzlies. Thus, Lenn became the answer to the popular trivia question: Who was the Orioles' last shortstop before Ripken began his record streak? took over the position to begin his streak of 2,632 consecutive games played over a 16-year span. That is, until June 30, 1982, when Cal Ripken Jr. Hence, the answer to the first question above.Įven more amazing, though he entered this particular game as the third catcher, Lenn was actually a utility infielder and, in fact, had previously held the starting shortstop position. Many would later argue that it is this win that spurs the Orioles on to their run for the World Series, in which Lenn becomes the first local boy to play. Then, in the bottom of that inning, as if straight out of a Hollywood movie, Lenn saves the day by hitting a home run to win the game. Lenn enters in the tenth inning as catcher. Lenn's team, the Baltimore Orioles, has just managed to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth against the Toronto Blue Jays. Or, just ask any of Lenn's legion of fans, and they would be more than happy to enlighten you especially here in Hawaii where his followers wax nearly poetic when singing his praises or recounting his exploits. This gaping hole in your education can be easily filled.Īfter all, just a cursory search on the internet of ‘Lenn Sakata’ will yield you hundreds of entries. If you didn't know that the answer to all the questions in this little pop quiz is former Kalani Falcon, Lenn Sakata, then you've got a lot to learn.īut, not to worry. Who is being pegged in some circles as possibly becoming the first Asian American to manage in the major leagues? Whose link to baseball history makes him the answer to a now-classic trivia question? Who was the first Hawaii born and raised baseball player to see action in the World Series?
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