Mariners’ manager has Columbia Gorge roots and rich family history
ANDREW CHRISTIANSEN
Reporter
A fresh face is how Jack Zduriencik described his selection of Don Wakamatsu as the new manager of the Seattle Mariners.
Fresh indeed, Wakamatsu is a break from the usual recycling of managers who are fired and hired by team after team. The final seven candidates interviewed were unknown to most fans, with the exception of Joey Cora, who played in Seattle.
Wakamatsu is more than a fresh face. He is unlikely to remind fans of any other past or current major league baseball manager. That’s not to say he is quirky, but he is unique in many ways.
Wakamatsu took time to visit with The Sentinel moments after his media day at Safeco Field, where he was introduced as the new manager. Wakamatsu has a connection to the Columbia Gorge area, having been born in Hood River.
It was quickly established that his connection to the area isn’t that he grew up here, in fact he’s a California kid. His connection is through his heritage and grandparents who still live in Hood River.
Wakamatsu proved to be straight-forward as he talked about his approach to baseball. He spoke of matching his managing style to his team, which tells you why he is considered to be a players’ manager.
“You need to coach the players you have. Of course, I want to be aggressive on the base path. I want people to round second base in a way to go to third, but I can’t be a speed guy or look for three-run homeruns if I don’t have the players for that,” said Wakamatsu.
His approach to managing pitchers is also player friendly.
“I don’t think there is one certain way to treat all pitchers. For some a pitch count is okay. I’d rather base things on what they have left. I’m not sure it is good to have a guy thinking ‘100 pitches and I’m done,’” said Wakamatsu.
He noted that injuries were one of the problems for the Mariners in 2007. Does he have a solution for that?
“There is an approach to management that reduces injuries. It is a communications thing, including communication among trainers, personal trainers, and with what the players do in the off-season,” said Wakamatsu.
When asked in the final interview question, what would he consider to be a successful season this year,” his answer was another indication of his freshness. He said he would consider it a success if the fans left games feeling they saw good, aggressive baseball from both teams, win or lose.
“They need to feel like they saw a good ball game.”
There were no lofty promises, although he said in his statement to the media that he welcomed the challenge of bringing a world championship to Seattle. But he made it clear his focus is on delivering a good entertainment product to the fans of Seattle.
Zduriencik said he looked for “someone we could respect, someone players would respect, someone who could see the big picture of the organization.” Wakamatsu earned that respect through 24 years of professional ball, sampling every level from player and minor league manager to bench coach. He played college ball at Arizona State University, where he and teammate Barry Bonds made trips to the College Baseball World Series in 1983 and 1984. He was an 11th round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in a star-filled 1985 draft, featuring first rounders B. J. Surhoff, Will Clark, Barry Larkin, Rafael Palmeiro, Brian McRae, Bonds and Cora.
Wakamatsu spent six and a half years in the minors, including 1990 and 1991 at Vancouver. He was traded into the Chicago White Sox system in 1989 and the Sox called him up from Vancouver late in the 1991 season.
He had 31 at-bats and hit .226 in his only major league action. In 1992, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodger organization and played at Albequerque for two years.
He moved to Oklahoma City in 1994 and to the Cleveland system and Seattle’s farm club in Tacoma late in 1995. From 1992 through 1996 he had 598 at-bats, 15 home-runs, 84 RBIs and a .301 batting average.
He began managing in Peoria in 1997 and managed four other clubs through 2000. He was the California Angels’ minor league coordinator in 2001-02, Texas Rangers bench coach from 2003-06, Rangers third base coach in 2007, and bench coach in Oakland in 2008. Wakamatsu’s baseball credentials tell the story of a man who paid his dues and learned the system from every angle. It also tells the story of a family man whose family has had to deal with a vagabond life style.
His wife Laura and three children, two boys and a girl, ages 8-14, live in North Richland Hills, Texas, just outside of Dallas.
Wakamatsu said his values were instilled by his parents and grandparents. He is only recently learning about his family history.
He says his grandparents are proud people who didn’t mind working hard for a living, and never complained.
Knowing Wakamatsu’s family history explains quite a bit about Don Wakamatsu and how he came to be a hard-working baseball man, willing to pay his dues traveling from town to town, gaining respect from the people he has worked with.
The Wakamatsu’s have lived in northwest Oregon for a very long time. They are a family that has remarkable history, including a dark period that they keep close to themselves.
His grandparents live just outside Hood River, in the same home they have lived in for 59 years, surrounded by an orchard they once owned.
James Wakamatsu is 93 and nearly completely deaf. His wife, Ruth, is 91 and as sharp, sweet and humble as anyone you would care to meet. They both look much younger than 90.
Ruth’s father came to America from Japan and worked with the railroad in Montana and Oregon. He helped clear much of the area around Hood River where the railroad runs. Ruth and James were married 67 years ago and lived with his parents in Oak Grove, near Portland. They were farmers, growing fruits and vegetables for local markets.
Life changed for them in 1941, when the United States went to war with Japan. The United States began building internment camps in 1942, in order to collect Japanese who were considered a threat to the country along the west coast. The internment camps were actually prisons, complete with fences and guards. In 1943, the Wakamatsu’s were forced from their farm and sent to Tule Lake, California.
“I guess they thought we were going to blow up the dam,” says Ruth, referring to Bonneville Dam. They left with the clothes they were wearing, not allowed to take any possessions with them. They were allowed to retain the farm, which was leased to another family in the area.
Ruth and James had a two-year old daughter when they moved to Tule Lake. A son, Leland, who is Don’s father, would be born at the camp. They lived in barracks that were divided into several rooms, one per family. They had a community bath house and mess hall, eating when the camp whistle signaled it was time.
After two years at Tule Lake, the Wakamatsu’s were given a choice, be sent to Japan or move to another camp in Arkansas. The family moved to Arkansas and again to Colorado, sometime later. In 1946, they were sent home. The farm they left in 1943 was run-down and all their possessions were gone.
James and Ruth purchased an orchard south of Hood River and have lived there ever-since. Their original home is several feet from the current house, serving as a barn and storage shed. In 1947, James’ brother purchased three of the dismantled barracks from an internment camp and stacked parts of one outside James’ home. Two years later, they erected the building and moved into their new home, a constant reminder of what they endured. Since then, James has built onto the barracks, integrating it into a cozy home.
They managed the 12 acres of pears, peaches, apples and cherries with migrant workers assisting at harvest. James did all the pruning and the children helped.
Leland was involved in sports in Hood River. Upon graduation he left with one of his coaches, Willie Bauer, for North Dakota and a job as an iron worker which he continued until his recent retirement in Hayward, Calif. Leland met his wife in Oregon, and their son Don was born in Hood River in 1963. Leland and his family moved to Hayward, but his job kept him traveling and Don would visit his grandparents during the summer.
Don and his brother, Jeff grew to be star athletes in the Oakland area and his grandparents would travel to watch them play. These days, it is Leland who drives his motor home to Hood River to be with his parents. They watched Don last season via satellite television in Leland’s motor home.
Ruth and James weren’t Mariner fans. It’s not that they were against the Mariners, just weren’t interested. Even today, Don’s stature in the organization doesn’t seem to register with Ruth. She says they are proud of him and have news clippings sent by family members. But the grandkids have all the memorabilia, like signed baseballs and such.
What does Ruth think about Don managing the Mariners? She is worried for him. “He has to get along with so many people, like the owners and the players,” says Ruth. When asked if she will go to games, she says she might. She doesn’t believe Don can get tickets for her. “I don’t think they are allowed to give out tickets to family anymore,” said Ruth.
What will Ruth do when she first sees Don blow a fuse and charge the field, throwing his cap and barking at the umpire? “Oh, I don’t think he would do that. He doesn’t have a temper,” said Ruth. “He was always good about making friends.”
Taking the reins of the first 100 loss, $100 million payroll team will be a challenge for Wakamatsu. It will take all of the patience and perseverance he inherited from his family to turn things around in Seattle.
“I am honored to have a history of my grandparents in the northwest. I hope this can be a stepping stone for future Asian-Americans,” said Wakamatsu. He has already honored his grandparents by shining a new light on a dark period of American history and showing how human spirit can turn something bad into something good.
Timberwolves place 13 on All-league team
Goldendale’s football team was well-represented on the all-league team with 13 players selected for first, second and honorable mention teams.
Senior Jacob McElravy was chosen first team for offense and first team defensive lineman. He was also nominated for All-State lineman.
Kyle Cairns’ 959 yards rushing and 6.7 yards per carry, earned him first team running back. Cairns was named second team punter and honorable mention kicker.
Aaron Cochran earned first team honors for defensive lineman, and was second team offensive lineman.
Second team offense selections also included John Bartkowski, for tight end, and J.D. Moss at wide receiver. Bartkowski also got the nod for second team linebacker and was nominated for All-State lineman.
On the defensive side of the ball, Johnathan Monroe was second team lineman, and Steven Bischoff and JimJack Davenport got the nod in the defensive backfield. Justin Garrigus was honorable mention defensive back and second team kick returner.
Other honorable mentions were Austin Ross at quarterback and nomination for All-State skill position, Reed Lindhe for offensive and defensive lineman, Cole Cameron at wide receiver, and Tyler Hunziker at linebacker.
The coach of the year for the SCAC west was Gary Ely, of Granger. Offensive player of the year was Mychal Lopez, of Granger. Defensive player of the year was Kane Koerner of Zillah.
Fargher, Clinton co-players of year
The Columbia Gorge league has selected Klickitat senior, Kali Fargher and Bickleton sophomore, Katelynn Clinton as co-players of the year in volleyball.
Fargher led her team to a third, consecutive league title this year and a sixth place finish at State. As the only senior on the squad, Fargher’s on-court leadership was a key factor in their performance. An early season injury kept Fargher from serving for most of the season, but she set most of the points for Klickitat and came up with kills in critical situations.
Clinton was the Pirates’ main hitter and also set for other front-line players. Her hustle and competitve drive helped Bickleton complete their most successful year in volleyball. Wins over Sunnyside Christian and Trout Lake-Glenwood secured a second place finish in league play.
Other players from Bickleton to make the all-opponents squad were Morgan McBride and Dede Kibby. Klickitat Vandals tabbed for the team were Samantha Brewer and Zoe Lindner. The remaining selections were Dana Cavanaugh and Liz Vogt, from TLG, and Abby Bangs and Joleen VanWingerden from Sunnyside Christian.
Coach of the year honors went to Jaecee Hoctor. The second year coach of Klickitat continued the Vandals’ winning tradition, making the trophy rounds in each of her two years at the helm. Hoctor’s team included six eighth-graders and just one senior and two juniors.
Sunnyside Christian was the sportsmanship award winner for 2008.
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