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36-717: Early Hawaiʻi County recreation facilities included the Hilo Armory (completed in 1931) and Cow Palace (officially, the Amfac warehouse), both of which were in downtown Hilo. Although the Armory was completed and dedicated for the Hawaii National Guard on November 25, 1931, it was used as a public space almost immediately, with the Hawaii County Poultry Show opening there on November 27. Later,

72-530: A bankruptcy proceeding in 2005, with a small successor company, Kaanapali Land, LLC ( OTC Pink : KANP ), owning 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of land in Kaanapali on the island of Maui . In 1849, German immigrant Heinrich Hackfeld formed a dry goods store called Hackfeld's Dry Goods in Honolulu . Hackfeld later became the business agent for Kōloa Plantation on the island of Kauaʻi . Paul Isenberg became

108-640: A cot, a mattress, food and little to no pay. As time progressed the VVV began to warm up to and gain trust with other units at Schofield that were not of Japanese ancestry. Picnics and parties were held among all races at Schofield including friendly competition. The VVV adopted a football team, boxing team, basketball team, and golf team as well. In December 1942, the VVV would get a visit from Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy who would so happened to be escorted by Hung Wai Ching. Ching made certain McCloy noticed

144-604: A heart attack and died in April 1973. The stadium complex named for him has three youth baseball fields. The grandstand at Victor Stadium has a capacity of 200 spectators. The swimming pool, completed in 1973 as the Hoʻolulu Swim Stadium, is Olympic-sized and includes a diving tower. A railway roundhouse on privately-owned land previously used by the Hawaii Consolidated Railway is just north of

180-546: A month later it came to the attention of officials in Washington DC that there were Japanese Americans within the HTG. They were ordered back to headquarters where those of Japanese ancestry were dismissed from duty because 4C-"enemy aliens" were ineligible to serve in the military. After their dismissal, the students that were with the HTG returned to campus to talk amongst themselves. They met Hung Wai Ching who suggested

216-667: A partner in 1881. In 1898, the Hackfeld and Isenberg family interests in Hawaii were officially reorganized as H. Hackfeld & Co. During World War I , H. Hackfeld & Co. was seized by the U.S. government Alien Property Custodian . It was later sold to a consortium of Hawaii businessmen in 1918, who changed the name to "American Factors". In 1966, the name was further shortened to "Amfac". Henry Alexander Walker became president in 1933. The family estate in Nuʻuanu Valley , known as

252-421: A racial uproar was of extreme importance. It was the VVV which marked the turning point in the treatment of the people of Japanese ancestry in this Territory and their acceptance by the rest of the community. What followed afterward-the record of the 100th, the formation of the 442nd and its history of hard-won battles, the less publicized but equally important and impressive record of the interpreter groups, and

288-815: A small early season college basketball tournament, was held here from 1992 through 2001. The National Basketball Association held two exhibition games at the Hilo Civic Auditorium in 1963, featuring the San Francisco Warriors taking on the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers as part of the "Hawaii Series". In addition, the Hawaii Volcanos , an expansion franchise of the Continental Basketball Association , played two games at

324-648: Is a hale that may be rented for events. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Hawaii , the hale was converted into a command post to coordinate pandemic relief efforts. Sally K.K. Kaleohano died in December 1999, aged 65; she was a supervisor for the Hoʻolulu Complex. Aunty Sally's has a capacity of 714 standing-only, reduced to 500 if tables and chairs are used. Amfac Amfac, Inc. , formerly known as American Factors and originally H. Hackfeld & Co. ,

360-506: Is bounded by Kuawa (formerly Kawelolani), Manono, Piʻilani, and Kalanikoa streets. It is the largest park and recreation center complex in Hilo. Hoʻolulu Park is named for Hoʻolulu , a member of the Hawaiian nobility and trusted advisor to King Kamehameha I . Regular events held at the complex include: In addition to the six large venues, there are two "butler" buildings north and south of

396-766: The 442nd Regimental Combat Team ; for his service, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre , Silver Star , Bronze Star , and Purple Heart . Upon his return to the Big Island, Chinen founded the Big Island Amateur Boxing Club and organized youth baseball leagues. Chinen also promoted the Hawaii Islanders baseball team and the Hilo Civic Auditorium. Afook-Chinen is the home of the Vulcans basketball team (UH–Hilo). The Big Island Invitational,

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432-484: The H. Alexander Walker Residence , was developed into a showcase orchid garden. From 1968 to 1972, under president Henry Alexander Walker Jr., Amfac acquired 42 companies. These included the Fred Harvey Company , which had grown to fame operating Harvey House restaurants along railroad lines starting in 1876. Gulf+Western Industries owned a 25% stake in the company, which was sold in 1983. As of

468-530: The Kekaha Sugar Mill and Lihue Plantation closed in 2000. West Maui Land acquired the former Pioneer Mill fields above Launiupoko Beach Park. Steve Case acquired the Lihue plantation in 2001. Amfac Hawaii went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2002. Amfac Parks & Resorts was retained by JMB and was renamed Xanterra Parks & Resorts . Amfac Hawaii was reorganized as Kaanapali Land, LLC and

504-475: The 1970s, Amfac ran a variety of hospitality, retail, financial and other businesses in California , among other states. California was its second state after Hawaii. It operated: In 1987, Ronald Sloan was removed as chief executive and president and was replaced by Richard Griffith (Henry Walker Jr. was still chairman of the board). The company announced it was selling its non-Hawaii business units. Amfac

540-479: The Armory was used as the site of senior basketball league games in the 1940s and 50s. Richard Chinen is credited with pushing for a new site for the county recreational facilities after the 1946 tsunami flooded the Hilo Armory. The Hilo Armory is still standing, and is used currently as the headquarters for the Culture and Education Division of Hawaiʻi County. Pickleball games are held on the badminton court inside

576-617: The Civic Auditorium during their inaugural season (1979–80) before moving to Billings, Montana . Afook-Chinen has a capacity of 2,868 using the bleachers only, expanding to 3,568 when main floor seating is used. Other events, including concerts, are booked at Afook-Chinen; The Five Satins were one of the earliest groups to perform, in November 1957. A recording of the Jerry Garcia Band 's concert from May 20, 1990 at

612-580: The Civic Auditorium is available as Garcia Live Volume 10 . Dr. Francis Wong was the team doctor for multiple sports at Hilo High. Wong served in the Army and Navy in World War II, and aboard an aircraft carrier during the Korean War; in Hilo, he served as the leader for many local sports organizations. He died in 1971, at the age of 52. A memorial plaque detailing his accomplishments was unveiled at

648-431: The Civic Auditorium parking lot, named Hāmākua and Puna. These have been used to accommodate overflow from events in neighboring buildings, and to shelter residents displaced by floods. Walter Victor was a County police officer who promoted youth participation in sports, including baseball, and served as coach for many teams. Victor, who was a student at St. Mary's School , and later served as its basketball coach, suffered

684-677: The Guard were no longer needed. Hawaii is our home; the United States, our country. We know but one loyalty and that is to the Stars and Stripes. We wish to do our part as loyal Americans in every way possible and we hereby offer ourselves for whatever service you may see fit to use us. In February 1942, the 169 students got their wish and became a labor battalion to be known as the Varsity Victory Volunteers. The VVV

720-484: The Hilo High School football team holds its home games at Wong, although the school plans to move to an on-campus turf field and synthetic track once completed. Edith Kanakaʻole was an indigenous Hawaiian dancer, entertainer, and professor who is recognized for her contributions to modern Hawaiian culture and language. Kanakaʻole helped develop the first Hawaiian language program for public school students at

756-571: The Hilo Recreation Building in 1956, when it was used as the venue for the 4th annual orchid show. Part of the roof collapsed in spring 1969 due to termite damage and heavy rains, leading to its demolition; it had served the "Grog Shoppe" for the Merry Monarch Festival, but the bar was moved to one of the butler buildings in 1969. The Hilo Civic Auditorium was first building completed in 1957 on what would become

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792-587: The Hoʻolulu Park Complex. Additional stadia were added later, mostly in the 1970s. Plans to acquire 124,000 sq ft (11,500 m) of land at the corner of Manono and Piʻilani for parking spaces were evaluated in 1999. New sports fields were built on a parcel north of Hoʻolulu Complex; the Kuawa Street ball fields were planned in 2015 and dedicated in October 2019. The Hoʻolulu Park complex

828-627: The Keaukaha School in Hilo as well as the Hawaiian Studies kupuna (elder) mentor program. She died in October 1979, aged 65. A 4,200 sq ft (390 m) auxiliary building with restrooms and six dressing rooms was completed in 2013. Kanakaʻole Stadium has a capacity of 3,490 spectators using existing bleachers only, expanding to 5,490 if main floor seating is added. Formerly the Seven Seas Lūʻau Hale, this venue

864-480: The VVV. In January 1943, the War Department would make an announcement that an all Nisei Regiment was being formed and there was a call for volunteers. The VVV asked to be disbanded to join the newly formed 442nd Regimental Combat Team . Their request was granted and, on January 31, 1943, the VVV had disbanded after 11 months. It was expected a majority of volunteers would come from the mainland instead of

900-399: The bankruptcy closed in 2005. Some of the former plantation land uphill from the resort has been subdivided into a development called Kāʻanapali Coffee Farms. Varsity Victory Volunteers The Varsity Victory Volunteers ( Japanese : 大学勝利奉仕団 , Daigaku Shōri Hōshidan ) was a civilian sapper unit composed of Japanese-Americans from Hawaii . The VVV was a major stepping stone in

936-631: The creation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team , which would end up becoming the most decorated regiment in United States armed forces history. On the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor , the United States announced that all Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) students were to report for military duty, forming the Hawaii Territorial Guard (HTG). These ROTC students were given a rifle with only five bullets and ordered to guard vital installations such as bridges, wells, reservoirs, pumping stations, water tanks, and high schools. About

972-430: The former basketball coach at Hilo High, and Richard Kiyoshi "Pablo" Chinen (February 13, 1919 – January 17, 1991), an amateur boxer and sports promoter; this avoided a potential conflict between the two families. Afook won the territorial basketball title in 1935, his first year coaching Hilo High, and went on to win 10 titles in 15 years of coaching (1935–49), posting a 193-15 career win–loss record. His Hilo High teams won

1008-502: The islands, but 10,000 men from Hawaii had volunteered since members of the VVV spread the word about the 442nd. The VVV not only led to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team but it also improved racial stability in the Hawaiian community since many Japanese communities in Hawaii were upset at the way they had been treated. Men such as John Young, Bob Shivers, Kendall J. Fielder , Charles Hemenway, Charles Loomis, Miles Cary, Stephen Mark, Leslie Hicks, and Riley Allen all saw that to not create

1044-536: The stadium in 1998. Wong Stadium is the home of the Vulcans baseball team from the University of Hawaii at Hilo . The professional Hilo Stars and Hawaii Stars also played their home games at Wong Stadium.  The stadium was also the site of the inaugural Hawaii World Series all-state high school tournament in December 2019. The stadium's grandstand has a capacity of 2,400 spectators. As of May 2020,

1080-562: The stadium. Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto founded the Shinmachi Town Swimming Club and Hilo Aquatics Club, where he trained future Olympic swimmers including Yoshi Oyakawa , Ed Kawachika , Denise Baker , Laurence Hao , and Sonny Tanabe . The county renamed the venue to honor Kawamoto on January 30, 1982. Completed as the Hilo Civic Auditorium in 1957, this venue was renamed on October 19, 1983 to honor both Ung Soy "Beans" Afook (October 15, 1901 – January 16, 1991),

1116-538: The students volunteer in a labor battalion. Soon after a petition was written and signed by the ROTC students then sent to the military governor at the time, Delos C. Emmons , which reads, We, the undersigned, were members of the Hawaii Territorial Guard until its recent inactivation. We joined the Guard voluntarily with the hope that this was one way to serve our country in her time of need. Needless to say, we were deeply disappointed when we were told that our services in

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1152-553: The territorial titles in 1935, 1936, and over eight consecutive years from 1939–48 (during two of those years, there was no territorial championship tournament due to World War II). Chinen grew up in an immigrant family from Okinawa working in the sugar cane fields; he dropped out of Hilo High and boxed in Oahu from 1937 to 1941. During World War II, he enlisted in the Varsity Victory Volunteers , which later became

1188-474: The venue. The Cow Palace was on the Hilo Bay front near the east end of Moʻoheau Park and was built before World War I for the H. Hackfield Company; it survived the two major tsunamis that destroyed bayfront Hilo after the 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake and the 1960 Valdivia earthquake . It was nicknamed for its resemblance to the more famous stadium near San Francisco , although it was already known as

1224-464: Was a land development company in Hawaii. Founded in 1898 as a retail and sugar business, it was considered one of the so-called Big Five companies in the Territory of Hawaii . At its peak, it owned 60,000 acres (24,000 ha) of land, and was a dominant sugar company in Hawaii, as well as the founder of one of its best known department store chains, Liberty House . It ended with the completion of

1260-416: Was assigned to Schofield Barracks and were under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, attached to the 34th Combat Engineers Regiment. The VVV was broken down into 12 gangs and each one given a specific task. They did various labor tasks such as: build roads, military installations, fences, string barbed wire, and work in the quarry. They were placed into 3 separate barracks, Varsity, Victory and Volunteers, given

1296-617: Was bought by Chicago -based JMB Realty in 1988 for $ 920 million. As the sugar industry in Hawaii declined after statehood, so did the fortunes of Amfac. The company's assets were gradually sold off or closed. Oahu Sugar in Waipahu was closed in 1995. Liberty House went into bankruptcy in 1998 (it was later acquired by Federated Department Stores and now carries the Macy's brand name). The Pioneer Mill in Lahaina closed in 1999, and

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