Author: hawaiisportshalloffame_tih3ud

CONTRIBUTOR – cO-FOUNDER RAINBOW CLASSIC Charles “Chuck” Leahey Charles “Chuck” Leahey’s long-time support of the University of Hawaii (UH) Athletic Department is legendary. In his position as sports director of Pearl Harbor, Leahey allowed the fledgling UH Rainbow Football Team to utilize Pearl Harbor’s Block Arena Field for pre-season training, beginning in 1968. His philosophy…

PIONEER – SUMO Jesse “Takamiyama” Kuhaulua In 1964, a young man left the confines of Happy Valley, Maui for a career as a professional sumo wrestler in Tokyo, Japan. That young man was Jesse “Takamiyama” Kuhaulua. In January 1968, he was promoted to Makuuchi (top) Division. In 1972, he became the first foreigner to win…

CONTRIBUTOR – PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL – ALL PRO Olin Kreutz Olin Kreutz was born in Honolulu and attended St. Louis High School where he was the Football Team Captain. Kreutz’s keen talent was already evident as he was honored as a High School All American. During his college years at the University of Washington, the young…

OLYMPICA MEDALIST – WEIGHTLIFTING Tommy Tamio Kono At 5 feet 6 inches, Tommy Tamio Kono did not look like a weightlifting champion, but since he entered amateur competition he broke 22 world records and six Olympic records. Kono is the first and only person, to date, to hold records in four weight divisions. He won…

OLYMPIC MEDALIST – SWIMMING Ford Hiroshi Konno Ford Hiroshi Konno swam at McKinley High School and Ohio State. He won four medals at the 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games. At Helsinki, Finland, Konno won gold medals in the 1,500-meter free-style and the 4 x 200-meter free-style swim relays. His time of 18:30:3 in the 1,500…

CONTRIBUTOR – FOOTBALL COACH Otto “Proc” Klum Otto “Proc” Klum earned the nickname “Manoa Fox” because of his innovative coaching techniques. In 1923, he led the first football invasion of the mainland by a University of Hawai’i team. The team played and lost to the Pomona Sagehens, 14-7, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.…

WORLD CHAMPION – FOOTBALL Uikelotu “Chris” Kemoeatu Born in the Pacific nation of Tonga, the Kemoeatu family moved to Hawai’i and settled on the North Shore (Kahuku) when Chris was 3 years old. He attended Kahuku High School, where he was a lineman on both sides of their football team, and helped Kahuku High School…

WORLD CHAMPION – FOOTBALL Ma’ake Kemoeatu Ma’ake was born in Tonga, and moved to Kahuku when he was 7 years old. He attended Kahuku High School, where he was a lineman on both sides of their football team. At the University of Utah, he was a 4-year letterman and started 35 of 43 games, finishing…

CONTRIBUTOR – SPORTCASTER/AUTHOR Les Keiter Les Keiter has served as the voice of the Honolulu Quarterback Club since its establishment in 1949. Between the years of 1956 and 1985 he narrated twelve championship heavyweight fights for ABC and the Mutual Broadcasting Company. He was the sports announcer for the New York Giants of the NFL…

CONTRIBUTOR – sURFING Richard “Buffalo” Keaulana Keaulana is being inducted as a Contributor to the sport of surfing for over four decades. He was nicknamed “Water Buffalo” by his mother as he could always be found in the ocean. In 1960, Keaulana won the Makaha International Surf Championship, and he quickly gained a reputation as…