FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Les Murakami received the Willard Wilson Award for
Distinguished Service to the University yesterday.
From left, Nainoa Thompson, Evan Dobelle,
Walter Nunokawa and Dot Murakami participated.

Les Murakami receives
UH’s highest honor

The former baseball coach
receives an award and a standing
ovation for his work

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By Treena Shapiro
tshapiro@starbulletin.com

During a ceremony celebrating faculty and staff excellence and the future direction of the University of Hawaii, former UH baseball coach Les Murakami was surprised to receive the highest honor.

But of almost 40 award recipients who marched across the Kennedy Theatre stage yesterday morning, Murakami alone broke the steady flow, pausing to receive a standing ovation, along with the Willard Wilson Award for Distinguished Service to the Community.

Murakami, 65, retired from his 31-year coaching career at UH-Manoa in May, a decision made before suffering a stroke in November.

His wife, Dot, wheeled him onto the stage to accept the award.

"I knew I was going to have an award, but I didn't know I was going to have the top award," Murakami said after the ceremony.

UH's annual Awards Convocation honors UH faculty and staff who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, building and grounds maintenance, and community service. The 42 university and private awards ranged to $5,000 from $250, with most at $1,000.

About 250 people attended the ceremony, which featured a keynote address by Nainoa Thompson, the UH president's special adviser on native Hawaiian affairs.

UH Athletic Director Hugh Yoshida was not part of the selection committee for Murakami's award, but Yoshida said the reasons for choosing Murakami were obvious.

Murakami took a baseball team that played only four college-level games a year and over 30 years turned it into an NCAA Division 1 team that won more than 1,000 games under his lead.

He was also instrumental in building Rainbow Stadium, which remains one of the most modern parks in the country, Yoshida said, adding, "That list goes on."

Shortly after taking office in July, UH President Evan Dobelle began pushing to rename the stadium after Murakami.

"That would be an honor, but there are other things that have to be done yet," Murakami said.

"The Board of Regents has to approve it."