Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Wakamatsu to manage Mariners

Don Wakamatsu is proud to be the first Asian-American manager in major league history. He's also keenly aware of what his grandparents endured, generations before he took over the Seattle Mariners.

During World War II, the United States government moved his Japanese ancestors across the country from one internment camp to another. Wakamatsu's father, an iron worker, was born in one.

"I'm proud to represent some of what they went through in their lifetime," Wakamatsu said. "If I can set a future stepping stone for Japanese-Americans and just the equality in baseball, I'm glad to bear that torch."

A fourth-generation Japanese-American, the former Oakland bench coach was introduced Wednesday as the new manager of the Mariners.

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