DENNIS ODA / STAR-BULLETIN
With a tip of his baseball cap to fans at Rainbow Stadium,
Coach Les Murakami bid aloha last night, surrounded by his family.

Fans bid aloha
to Coach Les

Fans pay tribute to a man
who shaped Hawaii baseball

>>SEE ALSO: Sports Section

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By Al Chase
Star-Bulletin

"Let the celebration begin. The coach is in the house."

Such were the words of Don Robbs, voice of the Rainbows, as he began the tribute to retiring University of Hawaii baseball coach Les Murakami last night.

Murakami was driven onto the Rainbow Stadium field by his son Rob to the sounds of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" sung by Carly Simon.

After a tour around the infield, the electric car stopped between the mound and home plate.

The 2001 Rainbows, wearing Murakami-era uniforms with orange sleeves and orange-billed caps, stood behind the pitchers mound.

Renee Nishi, the Rainbow bat girl for 26 years, presented Coach Les with a lei.

UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida spoke on behalf of University president Kenneth Mortimer who will present Murakami with several awards, including the Presidental Award, at tonight's baseball banquet.

Then, a taped message from Coach Les was played.

"On behalf of my family and myself, I want to thank first all my staff who did a great job under trying circumstances.

"I also want to say thank you to Richard Sato and Kinipopo, to Aunty Rose for feeding my boys and to my friends who have stuck by me during good and bad years.

"I am proud of the accomplishments of my ball players on the playing field, but also am proud of their accomplishments in the classroom and in the community.

"Baseball has been good to me, and, it will again be a hobby. When I am well, I will spend some time working with the young boys and girls and hopefully I can make them better ball players."

Murakami's No. 11 was painted in the third base coaching box.

On a final tour around the bases, one member of his family -- daughter Kris, wife Dorothy and Rob, in turn -- each touched a base for Murakami. At home plate, Coach Les reached out and softly touched the base with his cane-walker.

Prior to the game, Murakami was presented with the Chuck Leahey Award, given annually to a person who has made outstanding contributions to the sport of baseball in Hawaii.