{"id":586375,"date":"2026-02-22T10:24:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T10:24:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/586375\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T10:24:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T10:24:41","slug":"les-murakami-gets-hall-of-fame-moment-with-hawaii-baseball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/586375\/","title":{"rendered":"Les Murakami gets Hall of Fame moment with Hawaii baseball"},"content":{"rendered":"

HONOLULU \u2014 Derek Tatsuno kept on voting and hoping, wondering why year after year, his peers in the College Baseball Hall of Fame did not see fit to grant Les Murakami passage into their esteemed ranks.<\/p>\n

As the Hawaii pitching legend stood among some 50 UH alums beyond the third-base bullpen on a night to honor the program patriarch, Tatsuno mused, \u201cMaybe it was his time. \u2026 He was long overdue.\u201d<\/p>\n

A torrential downpour at Murakami\u2019s namesake stadium less than an hour before first pitch cleared in fine style and the 89-year-old Murakami, wheelchair-bound and assisted but perfectly aware, received his ceremony for his inclusion in the 2025 class of the Hall prior to Friday\u2019s game against Wichita State.<\/p>\n

[Note: See below for more photos of Les Murakami Hall of Fame Night of Hawaii baseball.]<\/p>\n

Hall of Fame Shockers coach Gene Stephenson, Murakami\u2019s old friend and rival, joined Tatsuno in draping the Hall\u2019s signature blue jacket over his shoulders as the many UH alumni stood and clapped behind him while wearing special caps and shirts bearing No. 11 in their old coach\u2019s honor.<\/p>\n

Flanked by his wife Dot and a caretaker, Murakami doffed his Kelly Green cap to fans who gave him a standing ovation. He even remained on the field to take the lineup card from present-day coach Rich Hill and presented it to the umpires. Stephenson did the same on behalf of Brian Green and Wichita State.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, fantastic,\u201d Murakami said of the night a few minutes later. He chuckled. \u201cLike I tell everybody, there\u2019s only so many words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murakami was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame all the way back in 2000.<\/p>\n

After Murakami\u2019s granddaughter, former UH softballer Madixx Muramoto threw out an on-target ceremonial pitch, the contemporary Rainbow Warriors did their part. Starter Hekili Robello and three relievers combined on a five-hitter in defeating Wichita 4-2.<\/p>\n

It continued a magical 5-1 start to the season that included Thursday\u2019s rally from a 6-0 hole to win 7-6.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s the guy, he\u2019s the legend,\u201d Robello said. \u201cWithout him, we wouldn\u2019t be here today. I\u2019m very grateful to pitch in front of him, and also the alumni who came.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hill said Murakami is the reason he enjoys a job at the University of Hawaii and shook his head at the sellout night that saw the pregame line of fans stretch around the entrance of Les Murakami Stadium to near that of the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.<\/p>\n

He credited the Big Island native Robello for keeping his head given the setting and a second-inning threat by the Shockers when they plated their only runs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got Rainbow legends (in house), that\u2019s Coach Murakami, Gene Stephenson, they got the Hall of Fame blue jackets out here and you got a packed house screaming,\u201d Hill said, \u201cand (Robello) just went out there like it was another day, at the park in Hilo. It was really fun to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s 3 p.m. game against the Shockers (4-2) was postponed to Sunday as a seven-inning affair starting at 11:05 a.m., with the nine-inning series finale to follow.<\/p>\n

Wichita State was grateful to be included Friday. And Murakami was glad to see Stephenson.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah, terrific,\u201d he said. \u201cLet me tell you something, that guy got to be a miracle worker because, have you ever seen Wichita? There\u2019s nothing.\u201d Murakami laughed again. \u201cI\u2019m telling you. I don\u2019t know how he did it, and recruited so well for them over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murakami got Ricki Bass to come to UH from Los Angeles for the 1977 season by writing to him that the temperature in Hawaii never dropped below 60 degrees and never went above 90.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was such an amazing experience,\u201d Bass told Spectrum News of the night. \u201cAll the years, going back 50 years of players, guys that helped build the program before when this was a rock quarry, to hear their stories, that was an honor. I\u2019m glad for Coach Les we were able to have our opportunity to show our appreciation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bass, the leadoff hitter for UH\u2019s storied 1980 College World Series team, said Murakami was more of a life mentor than just a coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent Thanksgivings at his house. It was all one family,\u201d Bass said. The connection on those teams has endured, he said; many still keep in regular contact.<\/p>\n

Tatsuno, a workhorse who became NCAA baseball\u2019s first 20-game winner in 1979, has his likeness right next to Murakami on UH\u2019s \u201cWall of Legends\u201d in the outfield. He credited Wes Kimura for contacting alums and getting them together for the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be the person I am if it wasn\u2019t for Coach Les,\u201d Tatsuno said. \u201cHe gave me the opportunity to play here, turn the program to be a D-I program, because prior to that I had no interest. But when he made the schedule to become a D-I schedule, that was the reason why I came here.\u201d<\/p>\n

His memories of Murakami, UH’s 30-year skipper who won 1,079 games and six WAC titles, were clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019s a blunt person. He pulls no punches. He tells it straight. He tells it like it is,\u201d Tatsuno said. \u201cIt didn\u2019t matter if you were on scholarship or not, the bottom line was you gotta hit the bloody ball to play. And he was just straightforward, which was true.\u201d<\/p>\n

After John Alkire II closed out the Shockers in the ninth for his second save of the season, WSU\u2019s Green, a former UH assistant under Mike Trapasso, paid tribute to Murakami.<\/p>\n

The old coaches\u2019 lineup exchange stirred something.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember being here in (2003-04) and meeting Coach Les,\u201d Green said. \u201cJust like Coach Gene, and that\u2019s how it\u2019s supposed to be. There\u2019s supposed to be that level of respect. I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today, and neither would Coach Hill, if it weren\u2019t for what those guys did for the game of college baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Relief pitcher Tsubasa Tomii, middle, celebrated Hawaii’s victory. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

John Alkire II raised his arms after sealing his second save of the season. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hawaii starter Hekili Robello threw a pitch as Wichita State’s Alex Ulloa took a lead from third base. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hawaii shortstop Elijah Ickes attempted to glove a ball as Wichita State’s Alex Ulloa dove into second base. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hawaii catcher Jake Redding rounded third base as Wichita State infielder Jayson Jones (23) raised his arms to the outfield. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hawaii’s Draven Nushida was tagged out at home plate by Wichita State catcher Max Kaufer. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Legendary Hawaii baseball coach Les Murakami was wheeled onto the Les Murakami Stadium field for his College Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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A tribute to Les Murakami played pregame on the stadium video board. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Coach Les Murakami with 50-plus alumni for his Hall of Fame ceremony. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Madixx Muramoto, the granddaughter of Les Murakami and a former UH softball player, threw out a ceremonial first pitch. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Les Murakami doffed his cap to Hawaii fans in the stands. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Les Murakami shook hands with his old friend and rival Gene Stephenson, a Hall of Fame coach with Wichita State, as the teams exchanged lineup cards for Friday’s game. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii coach Rich Hill accompanied Les Murakami to home plate for the exchange of lineup cards before the game. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

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Hawaii shortstop Elijah Ickes, left, shook hands with UH coaching legend Les Murakami before the game. (Spectrum News\/Brian McInnis)<\/p>\n

Brian McInnis<\/a>\u00a0covers the state\u2019s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.\u00a0He can be reached at\u00a0brian.mcinnis@<\/a>charter.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HONOLULU \u2014 Derek Tatsuno kept on voting and hoping, wondering why year after year, his peers in the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":586376,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2289],"tags":[14931,556,560,5,14933,1693,648,2296,1694,2341,185,558],"class_list":{"0":"post-586375","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-college-baseball","8":"tag-app-college-sports","9":"tag-app-sports","10":"tag-app-top-stories","11":"tag-baseball","12":"tag-brian-mcinnis","13":"tag-college","14":"tag-college-baseball","15":"tag-hawaii","16":"tag-ncaa","17":"tag-ncaa-baseball","18":"tag-sports","19":"tag-top-stories"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116113800407101238","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=586375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586375\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/586376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=586375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=586375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=586375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}