Professional Football Player, Professional Baseball Player. He made history by becoming the earliest Asian-American to play American professional football and the first American-born to play in Japan's Nippon Baseball League since post-World War II. A multi-sport athlete while attending Farrington High School (Hawaii), he excelled at football and baseball. After impressing 49ers' coach Buck Shaw with his level of skills (including great quickness), he was signed by San Francisco of the All-America Football League and appeared in 12 games during the 1947 season. Following a wrist injury which ended his football career, Yonamine concentrated on his baseball career and following a few years at the Minor League level, he joined Japan's Yomiuri Giants in 1951. During his eleven-year career, he became one of the league's most prolific hitters earning MVP honors in the Central League in 1957; he concluded his career with a .311 lifetime batting average. He was a member of three Japanese championship teams (Giants 1951 to 1953). Following his playing career, he served as a manager and guided the Chunichi Dragons to the Central League title in 1974. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. He died from prostate cancer.
Professional Football Player, Professional Baseball Player. He made history by becoming the earliest Asian-American to play American professional football and the first American-born to play in Japan's Nippon Baseball League since post-World War II. A multi-sport athlete while attending Farrington High School (Hawaii), he excelled at football and baseball. After impressing 49ers' coach Buck Shaw with his level of skills (including great quickness), he was signed by San Francisco of the All-America Football League and appeared in 12 games during the 1947 season. Following a wrist injury which ended his football career, Yonamine concentrated on his baseball career and following a few years at the Minor League level, he joined Japan's Yomiuri Giants in 1951. During his eleven-year career, he became one of the league's most prolific hitters earning MVP honors in the Central League in 1957; he concluded his career with a .311 lifetime batting average. He was a member of three Japanese championship teams (Giants 1951 to 1953). Following his playing career, he served as a manager and guided the Chunichi Dragons to the Central League title in 1974. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. He died from prostate cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
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