Hawaii
MAYBE Yummy Taiwan BBQ is next! Mike Hickey, owner of Yummy Korean BBQ in Pearlridge, is living out many a businessman's dream, and playing professional baseball while he's still young. Hickey has been playing for the St. Paul Saints in the Independent League. He recently bumped into his old Hickey, Apana Taiwan bound
training buddy and former UH pitcher Matt Apana, who bid arrivederci to his Italy team to play for the Schomburg Fliers in the same league as Hickey and they reunited recently. And when Hickey's agent, Don Nomura, called with a suggestion, he got a receptive ear. Nomura, after all, also represents Hideo Nomo (having a resurgent career in Milwaukee) and Kansas City's Mac Suzuki. Nomura told Hickey he had a second base opening for him in Taiwan's professional league, and asked if he knew any good pitchers available as well. Bingo! Hickey and Apana leave together for Taiwan this weekend ...
NEW UH football coach June Jones may have received rough treatment at the hands of a hostile WAC press in Texas who questioned his coaching methods, but he's seen nothing but bouquets locally, from press and fans alike. Then there's Diebold Security G.M. Mychal Kempt. When he was growing up in in Aloha, Oregon, little did he know he'd end up in Hawaii, along with Jones. Kempt idolized Jones when the latter was a quarterback at Portland State. And he went on to be an all-conference linebacker for Montana State University in 1989. Jones scored points with the young Kempt and now it's about to pay off for UH. He's instituting a "Diebold Security Defensive Play of the Game" as a feature of the KCCN radio casts. Each game, the fan identifying the outstanding defensive play will win a free electronic home security system valued at $1,500 ...
"Mystery" Emmy?
TODAY marks the 54th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II, costing many lives. Local promoter Kimo McVay, whose dad was skipper of the Indy and was court-martialed as a result of the sinking, won't be attending the reunion taking place this weekend in Indianapolis, but his brother Quatro is representing the family. And Kimo was elated to learn that "Mystery at Sea," ABC's "20/20" piece about the Indy, has been nominated for an Emmy. The awards will be handed out at ceremonies in New York on Sept. 12 ...LOOKS like Mayor Jeremy Harris is determined to rebuild the natatorium at any cost, even if it means fiddling with the truth. He accused those who want it torn down as desiring "their little private beach." It's hardly little, and it's open to the public, but he's right on one count -- it's a beach. And while the natatorium may have been a knockout in 1927, so was the Model T. Moving a war memorial to Punchbowl -- where people go to see memorials -- and turning the old eyesore of a pool into the Rolls-Royce of beaches seems inarguably logical ...
Tees for two
FORMER Raider quarterback Jim Plunkett was knocking the little ball around on the Kaanapali North golf course Wednesday. And there was a camera crew at Kaanapali following a golfer around. He's not as well known as Plunkett, but he may be soon. The "golfer" was Joey Timpano, a very sick youngster who was enjoying an isle vacation with his family courtesy of talk show hostess Rosie O'Donnell. The Maui footage will be aired on her show next month ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com