Dennis Asuncion inducted into Big Island Sports Hall of Fame

      Dennis Ernest Asuncion was born in Hilo in 1948 and grew up in the sugar plantations at camp Amauulu.

During his early amateur boxing career Asuncion became the Amateur Boxing Associations 112 pound division champion and the following year captured the 112 lb open division.

Graduating from Hilo High in 1966 Asuncion resumed his boxing while in the military and became the Hawaii State Amateur Athletic Union Champion in 1969.

Following his military service Asuncion returned to the Big Island and resumed boxing for the late Jack Matsui.  In 1970 he became the 119 lb Hawaii State AAU Champion and later won the Hawaii State Golden Gloves Championship.

His list of amateur achievements in the local boxing scene is endless as he won several titles.

From 1972 to ’75 he coached the Wanderers Athletic Club and from 1977 to 1995 he was a boxing official for the Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Junior Boxing Program and for the Hawaii Police Activities League Amateur Boxing Program.

Asuncion was a three time State of Hawaii AAU champion, a two time State of Hawaii Golden Gloves Champion, a two time BIABA Invitational Tournament Champion, and a US Army Pacific Area Champion.

Asuncion was selected in 1971 as the Big Island Athlete of the Year.  (Asuncion passed away on March 2, 2011)

For his numerous awards in amateur boxing and for his years of community service to the sport of boxing the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame has selected his, along with six others, to be inducted to the 2011 War of Fame.

The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame at the Prince Kuhio Mall on August 21 at 10 am.

“We will introduce the seven and display their photos to the wall,” Chairman Derek Shigematsu said.  “We are hoping past inductees and the general public will come out to support the newly inducted honorees.”

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

The late Jack Matsui was the founder of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

Related Links:

http://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/canoe-paddling-icon-inducted-into-sports-hall-of-fame/

http://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/sam-alameda-to-be-inducted-into-sports-hall-of-fame/

http://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/big-island-sports-hall-of-fame-to-induct-7/

Sam Alameda to be Inducted into Sports Hall of Fame

Sam Alameda

Sam Alameda inducted into Sports Hall of Fame

Sam Alameda, now 74 years of age, is a retired part time plumber and caregiver for his wife, Charlotte, who is battling from Alzheimer’s disease.

Alameda, in his younger days, was well know in local boxing circles as he was pitted against Joe Ayala and Joe Gumpher.

Alameda went on to a great ammeter boxing career fighting local giants such as Aladino Gusman, Dickie Wong, Randy Kim Seu and Choken Maekawa.

During his high school days at Hilo Alameda was a basketball standout in 1955 and ’56 until he caught the boxing bug in the mid-‘60’s.

In 1969 Alameda helped form the Waiakea Boxing Club formed with six Biddy Boxers.  In three years the club grew to 26 members.

Alameda made numerous contributions to Hilo’s boxing community and for his unselfish years of service the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame has inducted him, along with six others.

The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame at the Prince Kuhio Mall on August 21 at 10 am.

“We will introduce the seven and display their photos to the wall,” Chairman Derek Shigematsu said.  “We are hoping past inductees and the general public will come out to support the newly inducted honorees.”

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

The late Jack Matsui was the founder of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

 

Big Island Sports Hall of Fame to induct 7

Wall of Fame at Kuhio Mall

 BIG ISLAND SPORTS HALL OF FAME SELECTS 7 FOR CLASS OF 2011

The Big Island Sports Hall of Fame announced the inductees for the 13^th class into the Wall of Fame.

Selected were:

Sam Alameda, Sr. – basketball and Manager of the Waiakea Boxing Club

Dennis Asuncion (deceased) – Boxing, Coach and Official

Olizario Galo Fernandez – Basketball, Baseball and Coach

Robert Fitzgerald – Football and Baseball

Charles Ikeda – Basketball, Coach and Recreational Leader for Youth Organizations

John Clifford Kekua, Jr. (deceased) Canoe Paddling and Coach

Stephen L. Perry – Athletic Director, Coach, State Athletic Golf Coordinator

The BIGHF selection committee chair, Derek Shigematsu, announced the selections on Tuesday.

“We had many fine nominees who had years of community involvement in their respective sports,” Shigematsu said.  “It was a difficult decision.”

The BISHF will have a ceremony at the Wall of Fame at the Prince Kuhio Mall on August 21 at 10 am.

“We will introduce the seven and display their photos to the wall,” Shigematsu said.  “We are hoping past inductees and the general public will come out to support the newly inducted honorees.”

Following the Wall dedication the ceremony will move to a luncheon at the Nani Mau Gardens at noon were a formal ceremony will take place.

For those interested in attending the luncheon the cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under.  Seating is limited.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ellsworth Fontes at 935-5519.

The late Jack Matsui was the founder of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.

Deadline for nominations to the Big Island Hall of Fame July 15

The Big Island Sports Hall of Fame’s selection committee is currently seeking nominations for its 13th class of honorees.
To be considered for induction, written nominations and a color 8-by-10 inch photo are required and should include first and last names, mailing address and phone number, and the person’s achievement or contributions to the community for over 20 years.
The selection committee must receive a written nomination for the person to be officially considered. There is no exception to this requirement.
The late Jack Matsui is the founder of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization.
The mission of the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring, preserving, and promoting knowledge of significant accomplishments in sports within the County of Hawaii.
Nominations for candidates to be inducted into the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame shall meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Have participated in a sport as an athlete, coach, official and supporter for a combination of at least 20 years.
• Have been a resident of the County of Hawaii for a minimum of five years of the time spent participating in the sport.
• Supporters and contributors shall have significantly impacted the sport being nominated for.
• Have exhibited strong character and discipline in the sport being nominated for. Conviction of any felony, crime of moral turpitude or official sanction by a governing body of the nominee’s sport during participation will automatically nullify his or her nomination and possible induction into the Hall of Fame.
Nominations for deceased athletes, coaches, officials and supporters may be submitted based on the individual’s past achievements and contributions.
Preference also shall be given to amateurs, volunteers, persons receiving token payments and semi-professional athletes, coach, officials and supporters that have not been previously inducted into other sports hall of fame organizations or honored in other traditional means of recognition for their individual contributions to the community, such as having had a sports facility named after the individual.
The deadline for nominees to be submitted is Friday, July 15. The selection committee will meet in on July 19 and review the list of potential inductees.
Members of the previous groups inducted can be seen at the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame display at the Prince Kuhio Plaza, inside the shopping center next to Macy’s Men’s Shop, across from IHOP restaurant.
Nominations should be sent to Derek Shigematsu, P.O. Box 1466, Honokaa, HI. 96727.  For additional information call Shigematsu at 315-1400.

Previous nominees who were not selected must resubmit to be considered.

Brostek & Yonemori share Athlete of the Month Honors

Brostek

DUO Shares Co-Athlete of the Month Award

Two state champions — Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Shane Brostek and Waiakea’s Tyler Yonemori — have been named the Big Island Co-Athlete of the Month for May.

Brostek, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound junior, threw a personal-best 55 feet, 11 inches in the shot and tossed the discus 173-04 in gold medal performances at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association track and field championships on Maui.

He was the only Big Island Interscholastic Federation athlete to claim two gold medals at the state meet at War Memorial Stadium.

Brostek earlier captured the shot put and discus titles at BIIF track championships.

Tyler Yonemori

Besides track and field, Brostek is also a football standout for the Ka Makani.

Yonemori captured the gold medal in the 145-pound division of the HHSAA boys judo championships in Honolulu.

Yonemori beat Kamehameha-Kapalama’s Jonah Hoshino by ippon at 0:14 to claim his second straight state title. For the second consecutive year, he was the only BIIF athlete to win a state crown.

Yonemori earlier won his third straight BIIF judo title and was also named the league’s first-ever Judo Male Player of the Year.

The athlete of the month program is sponsored by Don’s Grill, under owner Don Hoota. The athlete of the month as well as athlete and sportsperson of the year programs were founded by the late Jack Matsui.