Team
1952-1957 North Kamloops Mohawks Baseball Club
Year of Induction: 2013
In five years together (1952-1957), under the umbrella of the Kamloops Nissan Athletic Association (KNAC), the North Kamloops Mohawks Baseball Club inspired pride in the Japanese Canadian community also creating pride in the community as a whole. Businesses sponsored individual players, a practice that still exists for several sports teams today.
The 1955 and 1956 Mohawks won the BC Interior Baseball League Championship against teams from Rutland, Vernon, Merritt, Revelstoke, and Kamloops (Jay Rays). The highlight of the two-year period was also winning the prestigious “Dominion Day Tournament” at Riverside Park which was iconic in its own right at the time. Records show they beat the Quesnel Clippers 6-5 in the final after seeking out an 8-7 win against the Vancouver Longshoreman in the semis. They had 9 stolen bases in the final including 3 in a 5 run, 3rd inning rally.
The Mohawks were coached by Seiji Kazama for the first 2 years in a row, and Pat Miyahara took over the reins through the championship seasons, Many of the players became pillars of the community and their children and grandchildren have made an impact of their own.