Need Help - Searching for any photo of Vernon Ayau

[pariah1107]

Vernon Ayau was a Northwestern League shortstop/third baseman in 1917. From Hawaii, he played for the Seattle Giants, Tacoma Tigers & Vancouver Beavers in a single, tumultuous, war-shortened season. The Northwestern League folded in mid-July 1917. He is recognized as one of the first Chinese/Hawaiian Americans in organized baseball.

Please help, need a scan of him or a team he was on. Will pay $$$, and credit. Thank you. Ty Phelan

[Kawika]

Presume you have seen this webpage: http://baseballhistorydaily.com/tag/vernon-ayau/
Although I lived in Hawaii for a long time I must plead ignorance of the Hawaii Travelers for whom Ayau played. Found some interesting accounts of their exploits on the mainland via Google.

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/mischidden/miscellany2/vernonayau.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/mischidden/miscellany2/chineseu.jpg

[pariah1107]

Thank you David! Any idea if Lang Akana is also in that photo of the Hawaiian Travellers/Chinese University team?

[Kawika]

I'm in over my head here, Ty. Hadn't heard of any of these Chinese players before yesterday. Shame because I spent twenty years in the islands and thought I had a keen eye for Hawaii's history. I'm more familiar with the AJA (Americans of Japanese Ancestry) league but a half-hour of googling turned up all sorts of interesting stuff about Chinese ballplayers like Ayau and Akana. This picture of Akana looks like the player in the second row, second from right but I would not bet the rent on it.

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/mischidden/miscellany2/large/lang-akana-captain-and-first-baseman-chinese-university-baseball.jpg.png.jpeg

[pariah1107]

Photo identification is not my strong suit tough to tell. Strange that more isn't discussed on Hawaiian Islanders in professional baseball, especially since Alexander Cartwright spent the last few decades of his life in Honolulu.

Thanks again David.