12.29.2008

his friends call him "wok"

Here's another article on the background and heritage of Don Wakamatsu, who was named last month as the manager of the Seattle Mariners and is the very first major league manager of Asian descent: Seattle Manager Hopes What He Does Highlights Who He Is.

Though he only had a brief stint as a major league player—18 games as backup catcher for the Chicago White Sox in 1991—he can proudly say that he played baseball at every level. And he seems to understand the significance of his heritage as the first Asian American coach in the sport.

Wakamatsu also comes from an interesting family background. His grandparents were relocated to the internment camp at Tule Lake during World War II. His father was born in that camp. It's a great article, so check it out. It definitely makes feel even better about this milestone for major league baseball.

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