Category: Updated

WORLD CHAMPION – BASEBALL Shane “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Victorino Born and raised on Maui, Shane Victorino was a very active child, and sports served as a way to channel his energy. Shane played Little League from the time he was five, right through high school. At St. Anthony High School, Shane also excelled in track…

PIONEER – VOLLEYBALL Pedro “Pete” Velasco, Jr. Pedro “Pete” Velasco, Jr. is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and a resident of Papakolea. From very humble beginnings, Velasco, a gifted athlete, trained hard to make a name for himself as a teacher, coach and player. In 1964, he not only made the U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team,…

WORLD CHAMPION – PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL Mark Tuinei Mark Tuinei parlayed a chance to walk on with the National Football League (NFL) Dallas Cowboys as a defensive lineman into a 15-year career with the Cowboys as an offensive lineman from 1983 to 1997. He was a two-time all-pro selection, 1994 and 1995, and he helped his…

OLYMPIC MEDALIST – WEIGHTLIFTING Richard Tom Richard Tom was a regular at the Old Central YMCA after developing an interest in weightlifting at the age of 16 by watching others train. He trained along side weightlifting colleagues Harold Sakata and Emerick Ishikawa, and in 1947 he progressed in competition from the Junior Nationals to the…

PIONEER – WOMEN’S COLLEGIATE SPORTS Dr. Donnis Thompason Dr. Donnis Thompson blazed a trail in women’s collegiate sports as the University of Hawai’i’s (UH) first full-time women’s athletic director in 1976 after serving in that capacity as a part-timer since 1972. During her tenure (1972-1981), Thompson worked tirelessly to place UH in compliance with Title…

PIONEER – PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL Mosiula Faasuka Tatupu Mosiula Tatupu started making his mark in football while in high school by setting the Hawaii High School Career Rushing Record (3,367 yards) which stood for 17 years. He then went on to college at USC where he lettered for four years. In 1978 he began a 14-year…

PIONEER – PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL Derek Tatsuno Derek Tatsuno attended the University of Hawai’i at Manoa from 1977 to 1979 where he amassed an impressive record in collegiate baseball as a pitcher: His record includes: 40 wins and 6 losses2.04 Earned Run Average541 strikeouts in 402 1/3 innings While in college he became the first 20…

WORLD CHAMPION – PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL Maa Tanuvasa As a defensive tackle for the Denver Broncos, Maa Tanuvasa helped his team to Super Bowl victories in 1997 and 1998. He also led the Broncos in sacks in 1998 and 1999 with an average of 8.5 per season. Tanuvasa was an All-Western Athletic Conference lineman and key…

PIONEER – LONG DISTANCE RUNNING Norman K. Tamanaha Norman K. Tamanaha was truly a pioneer of long distance running for the state of Hawai’i. Tamanaha got a lot of people interested in long distance running before it was socially popular and many years before jogging became the “in” thing with people of all ages. Long…

PIONEER – SURFING Rell Kapoiloka’ehukai Sunn Hawai’i’s most prominent female surfer, Rell Kapoiloka’ehukai Sunn was loved by all. Sunn was the founder of the Menehune Future Legends at Makaha Beach, her favorite surfing spot. She was one of the first female lifeguards for the City and County of Honolulu. Sunn was honored on the Huntington…