Wednesday, July 8, 1998
Hawaii no minor
player in majors
Agbayani is the 22nd
By Al Chase
Hawaii player to make it
to the 'bigs'
Star-BulletinBenny Agbayani's five-season apprenticeship in the minor leagues culminated with his recent call-up to the major leagues by the New York Mets.
Although the former St. Louis School and Hawaii Pacific University standout made a return trip to Norfolk (Va.) in the International League after a week with the Mets, he was called up again last Wednesday.
Agbayani, a 5-foot-11, 175-pounder, was the starting left fielder for the Tides.
He is the 22nd player from Hawaii (played high school or college ball here) to make it to the majors.
The first was Johnnie "Honolulu Johnnie" Williams, who spent the 1914 season with the Detroit Tigers after three successful seasons in the Pacific Coast League.
Williams, a 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander, relied on a blazing fastball. He led the PCL in winning percentage (.708) in 1913 with a 17-7 record. After the season, the Sacramento Sacts sold his contract to Detroit.
Tony Rego, who was born in Wailuku and played ball on Maui before entering the U.S Armed Forces during World War I, had a two-year stint (1924-25) with the St. Louis Browns.
Henry "Price" Oana is the only Hawaii player to make it to the majors as a position player and as a pitcher. A minor league slugger, he first appeared with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1934. The 6-2, 195-pound right-hander then pitched for Detroit in 1943 and 1945.
There was a 22-year gap before the next Hawaii product made it to the majors, when Roosevelt High School's Mike Lum began a long career in the big leagues with the Atlanta Braves in 1967.
Since then, there has been a steady flow of Hawaii talent in the majors.
Prior to Agbayani's promotion, Scott Karl of the Milwaukee Brewers was the most recent player with 50th State ties to get the call (1995). Karl, a left-hander, recently signed a three-year, $7 million contract.
Hawaii's Major Leaguers
Player School Debut Team Johnnie Williams St. Louis/Punahou 4/21/1914 Detroit Tigers Tony deRego no high school 6/21/1924 St. Louis Browns Henry Oana St. Louis 4/22/1934 Philadelphia Phillies Mike Lum Roosevelt 9/12/1967 Atlanta Braves John Matias Farrington 4/7/1970 Chicago White Sox Ryan Kurosaki Kalani 5/20/1975 St. Louis Cardinals Doug Capilla Kailua 9/12/1976 St. Louis Cardinals Lenn Sakata Kalani 7/21/1977 Milwaukee Brewers Fred Kuhaulua Waianae 8/2/1977 California Angels Joey DeSa Damien 9/6/1980 St. Louis Cardinals Scott Loucks Leilehua 9/1/1981 Houston Astros Carlos Diaz Castle 6/30/1982 Atlanta Braves Sid Fernandez Kaiser 9/20/1983 Los Angeles Dodgers Glenn Braggs U. of Hawaii 7/18/1986 Milwaukee Brewers Chuck Crim U. of Hawaii 4/8/1987 Milwaukee Brewers Chuck Jackson U. of Hawaii 5/26/1987 Houston Astros Mike Campbell U. of Hawaii 7/4/1987 Seattle Mariners Joey Meyer U. of Hawaii 4/4/1988 Milwaukee Brewers Mike Fetters Iolani 9/1/1989 California Angels Bruce Walton U. of Hawaii 5/11/1991 Oakland Athletics Scott Karl U. of Hawaii 5/4/1995 Milwaukee Brewers Benny Agbayani St. Louis/HPU 6/18/1998 New York Mets
