Pre-WW II Alameda, CA semi-pro jerseys
I don't think I've ever shared the story of these two jerseys I have in my hometown collection on this forum. I acquired these two jerseys when I was a kid. There was an eccentric old woman who lived across the street from where I grew up. One day guys from the neighborhood were helping her clean out her garage. I wandered over there and found two old wool jerseys laying in an old suitcase along with one some old 1950's baseball cards. She told me I could keep whatever I found so not knowing anything about the jerseys they stayed stored in a closet for years. Fast forward about 25 years to 2007. I was getting back into collecting and got out a bunch of old memorabilia that had been sitting in my mom's closet this whole time and rediscovered these two jerseys. After toying with the idea of selling them, which I'm so glad I didn't, I did some research on them and this is what I was able to find.
The Alameda Kono jersey, to the best of my knowledge, is attributed to Alex White who was a member of the 1931 Alameda Kono team. I found out he was the former husband of the lady who lived across the street from me. The Alameda Kono team was put together by Harry Kono, a local Japanese business man. The team barnstormed around parts of Asia to play a number of teams over there. There was also a team made up of mostly Japanese Americans that went over in 1937 too but I'm not sure if this jersey was a part of that trip since Alex White wasn't a member of that team.
The connection between the two jerseys is Harry Kono also owned Hayashi Florist, located in Alameda, and sponsored a baseball team by that name that played in the local semi-pro leagues of the early 1930s. I'm guessing that Alex White must have played for the Hayashi Florist team at some time too but haven't been able to find any boxscores to confirm that yet but I'll keep searching.
There was a flourishing Japanese American baseball scene in my hometown of Alameda and in California during the late 1920s and through the 1930s. Unfortunately that was taken away with the onset of WWII.
These jerseys are easily the oldest ones I have in my collection and two of my favorites. I've never seen another one of either jersey so I wonder how many might have survived? I'm hoping there is another one buried away in someones garage or attic waiting to tell it's story.
Anyhow, sorry for the long post but I just wanted to share them for those who enjoy this type of stuff. Thanks for reading!
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Always looking for items related to players and teams from Alameda, California. Alameda Sports Project: www.alamedasportsproject.org
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12-17-2017, 11:12 PM
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