Wally Yonamine, Nisei Baseball and 49ers Pioneer, Dead at 85

Wally Yonamine, a pioneer in sports for Asian Americans, passed away Monday in Honolulu at the age of 85. A two-sport star for the San Francisco 49ers and Tokyo Giants, “his ability to keep off-field pressures at bay and excel in the game has led many to refer to Yonamine as the ‘Japanese Jackie Robinson,’ making his professional sports debut in 1947, the same year as the Dodgers’ star.” Yonamine also became the first American to play professional sports in Japan following World War II. (Hat tip: Joe)