Hawaii
THE Hawaii Bullets, a baseball team of 10- to 12-year-olds, created quite a sensation when they traveled to Japan to play ball and take part in the Hiroshima Peace Ceremony. A Japanese TV crew followed them for four days and broadcast them on nightly news. KGMB even had a camera crew on hand, and Jade Moon will do a feature on them in December, focusing on peace as seen through the eyes of kids. But the highlight of the trip for the kids was when they were lounging in the lobby of their hotel, the Shinagawa Prince in Tokyo, a shocking bright yellow SUV with music blaring from inside pulled up, and the considerable form of Konishiki, the national Sumo great, stepped out. He'd been requested to meet the Hawaii team by Bobby Chinen of Sus Tomita Travel and surprised not only the team but hotel guests and employees who gawked in disbelief as he made his entrance. The Bullets visited Japan as the first youth sports exchange program of the Hawaii-Hiroshima Sister State Committee ... Hawaii Bullets play
for peace in JapanMR. and Mrs: That was Sydney Fernandez Fasi parking her new white Toyota Camry -- you could tell by the "Mrs. Hawaii" emblazoned on its door -- in front of Anne Namba's shop in Manoa. She was there to try on possible gowns for the upcoming Mrs. America Pageant. And she gets my vote ... On the male side, it was Mr. USA Patrick Matsuda whose physique was getting a lot of the attention at the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Isle. The body-builder and new title-holder took Nicole Mortensen, no slouch herself, as his bride ...
Skip to Malou
TV magazine hostess Malou Nubla, whom I've been consumed by since her days as a traffic reporter on morning TV news spots in San Francisco, was in town recently doing a feature on Hawaii. She featured Na Leo, Big Island Candies, the Maui Onion Festival and the clothing line created by fellow Filipina Emme Tomimbang for her "Island Moments" TV show. Emme says Malou "has a great body. Makes my clothing look fabulous." I gave Emme some grief for not introducing us, and she apologized, saying she had no idea I even knew Malou. Maybe on my next trip to San Francisco she can fix that ...SPEAKING of bodies, April Masini, who has a classic one, is developing a new show called "Hidden Hawaii" for the Travel Channel. She'd like to hear some suggestions from locals of out of the way and virtually unknown places or things of interest tourists never see. You can send your tips to Hidden Hawaii, Masini TV & Film Enterprises, P.O. Box 3790, Beverly Hills, CA 90212-3790 ...
Three Amigos
SEN. Dan Akaka, Kamehameha Class of '42, was among the more than 450 guests attending the retirement celebration for Kamehameha Schools chaplain David Kaupu. After serving 31 years with the Schools, Kaupu is retiring today. Joining Kaupu at his table were classmates William Kaina (formerly with Kawaiahao Church) and James Mersberg, longtime kahu for the Pearl City Community Church, both now retired. Kaupu, Kaina and Mersberg were all members of the Kamehameha Class of '51, and all three went on to Yankton College in South Dakota ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com