For over 50 years, the San Jose Asahi (later Zebras) baseball team, along with other Japanese-American teams, helped to fill the recreational and social needs of their communities in Northern California.
Between 1903 and 1915, many Japanese-American teams were organized. Among them were Fresno, Florin, Stockton, Sacramento, Lodi and San Jose. The players on these teams were primarily composed of young Issei (first generation) men who'd learned the game in Japan.
The San Jose Asahi took their name from the Japanese word for "morning sun". Sometime after the demise of the original Asahi team, a former member, Harry Okida, rode his motorcycle out to the farm of Shigeo "Jiggs" Yamada to encourage him to form a new Asahi team. Yamada did this, and, by about 1917, put together a group of young Nisei (second generation) men. Soon the team would be playing local non-Japanese teams, as well as teams from other Japanese-American communities in Northern California.
The Asahi's original ball field was located on the southeast corner of Sixth and Jackson streets. In the early 1920's, through the efforts of community activists like Shijiro Horio, land was purchased near what is now Seventh and Younger streets for the construction of a new ball field (the grandstands were located on the northwest corner). Because of the laws in effect at the time, the land could not be purchased under the names of two of the Nisei players, Harry Hashimoto and Tom Sakamoto. It may have been completed in time for the Meiji University visit of 1924.
At about this same time, the Asahi toured throughout Japan under the guidance of Manager Okagaki and Custodian Nobukichi Ishikawa. The team also traveled to Korea to play several exhibition games.
After returning from Japan, the Asahi hosted the Japanese Waseda University team in 1927, and the Keio University team in 1928 on their respective tours of the U.S. The Asahi were playing regular season games against other Japanese-American teams which formed the Northern California Japanese Baseball League (NCJBL).
Most games were played on Sunday at about one or two o'clock in the afternoon. A small admission fee was usually charged at the gate to support the team and field maintenance. Over the years, the players formed a routine of changing into their uniforms at Minato's Bath House on Sixth St., then driving straight down Sixth to the field. After the game, they'd return to Minato's to bathe and change, and then go across the street to Ken Ying Low restaurant to eat.
By the early 1930's, many of the older players had been replaced by younger members of the community. It was about this time that veteran player and star pitcher, Russell Hinaga, began to take on the role of player/manager. The Asahi were becoming one of the dominant teams and were perennially involved in Championship games.
In 1935, the newely organized Tokyo Giants made their first tour of the U.S. In an exciting game played on March 27th of that year at Asahi Field, the Asahi battled the Giants who boasted some of Japan's best players. In a dramatic moment with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth, Russ Hinaga made his only hit of the game to drive in the winning run. Of the sixteen games that the Tokyo Giants played against Nisei teams, they were defeated only twice. Once by the L.A. Nippons, and once by the San Jose Asahi. The Giants would return again in 1936 to defeat the Asahi, though only by a single run in another close game.
During the relocation camp period of 1942-1945, the Asahi underwent a transition. A new team called the Zebras was formed. Many of the younger Asahi joined (still wearing their Asahi uniforms) and would even play occastional games against an "old-timer" Asahi team. By the end of the war, the community would lose Asahi Field, but the new Zbra team emerged ready to play, taking advantage of other available fields such as the San Jose Municipal Stadium. Zebra baseball continued until its demise in 1963.
Erin Kimura
