HONOLULU – Baseball has historically been considered America's National Pastime with its origins traced back to the mid-1800s, although who invented it has been the subject of fierce debate for decades.
It's Hawai'i connections are clear, however. Alexander Joy Cartwright, considered by many to be the "father of modern baseball," was a prominent businessman in Honolulu after moving from New York City, served as Honolulu's fire chief before his death in 1892. He is buried at O'ahu Cemetery where, every April 17, prominent baseball aficionados and local baseball fans gather at his gravesite to honor his birthday. Cartwright Field in Makiki is named in his honor where a commemorative plaque was erected in 2018.
The popularity of baseball in the state is evident: From competitive youth leagues, to four Little League World Series champions from Hawai'i, all the way to the professional level in Major League Baseball, the sport has significance.
On the collegiate level, baseball took root at the University of Hawai'i, the University of Hawai'i Hilo and Hawai'i Pacific University, all achieving a high level of success at some point in each of their existences.
Chaminade University also had the sport, existing for just two fleeting years, in 1980 and '81. The 1980 team was a full-fledged intercollegiate program, playing a majority of their home games at what is now the current site that is Les Murakami Stadium on the UH Manoa campus. In its first year, the Silverswords finished 20-6 to earn a berth in the NAIA district playoffs.
A mix-up in eligibility and sport sponsorship requirements between NCAA Division III, a proposed future move to Division II and the NAIA (which Chaminade had dual membership) in January 1981 forced the program to play on a club level that spring. By June, with mounting expenses, lack of facilities as well as issues related to unsportsmanlike conduct against opposing squads, the program was suspended with the hopes of a revival within a few years.
Little did anyone know, it would be decades before that would come to pass.
On Thursday, after a 43-year hiatus, the return of America's Pastime collegiately to the hills of Kalaepohaku will be in full display when the Silverswords face Cal State East Bay in the O'ahu Baseball Classic at Patsy T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park (CORP) in Waipahu with first pitch set for 6 p.m. It will be the third game of the day with HPU playing at 11 a.m. (vs. Cal State Los Angeles) and 2 p.m. (vs. CSU East Bay). The Classic will have three games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday which also involves HPU and UH Hilo against LA and East Bay.
Thursday's game will have several Chaminade dignitaries who will throw out first pitch. Then in Friday's game against Cal State LA, members of the original 1980 team will be honored prior to first pitch.
"2024 has arrived and we're just a few days away from the start to this new journey for Chaminade baseball and the university," first year head coach
Chad Konishi said.
Although the journey is practically new for Chaminade, it is also uncharted territory for Konishi with this being his first-ever collegiate head coaching assignment. He was the associate head coach for the University of Hawai'i Manoa for 12 years, helping the Rainbow Warriors reach two NCAA Division I Regional berths and a Western Athletic Conference title in 2011.
The 'Swords will have two home venues this season; CORP and Les Murakami Stadium.
Konishi's first team consists of 40 'Swords, 14 of whom are either junior college or four-year college transfers.
One of the four-year transfers is shortstop
JT Navyac (Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Cal State Fullerton/Saint Louis HS), who returns home after spending three seasons at Cal State Fullerton. During his sophomore year, Navyac started 40 games for the Titans, hitting .266 in 2022 with his three triples tying for third in the Big West Conference. The senior is familiar with the Chaminade setting, having attended high school right next door at Saint Louis School.
Catcher/first baseman
Derek Augenstein (Vista, Calif./Palomar College/Rancho Buena Vista HS) is another potential impact bat, wielding a .395 career batting average in 86 at-bats during his two seasons at Palomar College.
Outfielder
Jackson Dorn (Happy Valley, Ore./Mt. Hood CC/Clackamas HS) and infielder
Cato Kleinman (Westlake Village, Calif./Monterey Peninsula College/Westlake HS) are two others with previous collegiate experience who may have impactful seasons for the 'Swords.
On the mound,
Xavier Stoker (Cedar City, Utah/College of the Canyons//Canyon View HS) will help lead the Silversword arms. Although he came out of the bullpen throughout his JUCO career, Stoker is expected to make the move to the rotation.
Konishi is also high on transfers
Mac Elske (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lower Columbia CC/Lakeridge HS) and
Max Patterson (Honolulu/Olympic College/Kalani HS), the latter who prepped at Kalani High School before going to the mainland for baseball playing opportunities. Elske owned a career 2.58 ERA in his two seasons at Lower Columbia Community College in Washington state. Patterson spent one season at Olympic College in Washington but remained in the state and spent the past two years training at Driveline Baseball to continue his training.
Following this weekend's Classic, the 'Swords will head to the Big Island as UH Hilo hosts a tournament along with Saint Martin's from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference the following weekend. The Saints and 'Swords will face each other again in Waipahu on Tuesday, Feb. 13 then the Vulcans come by for a four-game non-conference set on Feb. 17 and 18.
The 'Swords will play their first-ever PacWest game on Feb. 22 against HPU at CORP as the designated visiting team (both teams are using CORP has home field as the Sharks' home field of Hans L'Orange Park is undergoing construction and is unavailable this year). Perhaps not surprisingly, Chaminade was picked to finish last of the nine teams in the PacWest.
CUH's first four-game conference series begins March 1 against Fresno Pacific at CORP and their first game at Les Murakami Stadium will be on March 16 against fellow PacWest newcomer Westmont. In all conference doubleheaders, the first game is a standard nine innings while the nightcap is seven.
The 'Swords will take their first trip to the mainland starting March 22 at Biola followed by series at two-time defending PacWest champ Point Loma then finishes at Concordia University Irvine.
Chaminade's final nine games are all against local foes including four against UH Hilo and the season-ending four-game series against HPU at Murakami Stadium. Sandwiched between the two is a one-game set on April 16 against UH Manoa.
The top four teams in the conference standings will meet for the PacWest Tournament at Azusa Pacific, where the winner will earn the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals.
"I'm pretty excited about the skillset our kids bring with them to campus," Konishi said. "I can't wait to see it translate onto the field and into the PacWest."
