HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0599.002 2022-2024SUSAtV L. K. LEE LOY
COUNCIL DISTRICT 3
(808) 961-8396
Sue. Leeloy<a7,hcrwaiicounty>ov
ASIILEY L. ICIERICIEWICZ
COUNCIL DISTRICT 4
(808) 961-8265
Ashlev.Kierkiervica(iihawaiicounty. gov
HAWAI`I COUNTY COUNCIL
25 Aupuni Street Ste. 1402.
Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 =;
0
DATE: November 28, 2023
TO: Heather Kimball, Council Chair
and Members of the Hawaii County Cou
FROM: Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Council M ee
SUBJECT: Proposed Amendment to Bill No. n Ordinance Amending the Parks And
Recreational Facility Schedule, Chapter 15, Article 8, Section 15-68.1, of the
Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), by Naming the Ballfield
at the Dr. Francis F. C. Wong Stadium in the Ho`olulu Complex the "James
"Jimmy" Correa Ballfield" in Honor of James "Jimmy" Correa.
Please see below proposed amendment to Bill No. 103. The proposed amendment is illustrated
below in Ramseyer format with respect to the contents of Bill No. 103; material to be deleted is
bracketed and stricken; material to be added is underscored.
SECTION 1 of Bill No. 103 is amended to read as follows:
"SECTION 1. Purpose. The purpose of this ordinance is to name the ballfield
located within the Dr. Francis F.C. Wong Stadium in the Ho`olulu Complex, situated in
Hilo, District of South Hilo, Island and County of Hawaii, State of Hawaii, in honor of
James "Jimmy" Correa.
Born on June 15, 1919, James "Jimmy" Correa, the "Father of Hilo Baseball,"
was a man who loved and dedicated most of his life to baseball until his passing on
February 7, 2016, in his hometown of Hilo. He served his country in World War II,
fighting in Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands. He also served his community as a
pump operator with the County of Hawai`i's Department of Sewers & Sanitation and a
recreation leader with the Department of Parks & Recreation. But his greatest service was
as a coach, mentoring generations of baseball players in Hilo for over 50 years.
Coach Correa began his coaching career at St. Joseph High School in 1955, where
he led the Cardinals to two [sate] Big Island Interscholastic Federation championship
titles. He then coached in various leagues, such as Protect Our Nation's Youth (PONY),
Colt, Babe Ruth, American Legion, Americans of Japanese Ancestry (AJA), and Hawaii
Senior Baseball. Coach Correa achieved national recognition in 1981 when the Hilo Colt
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All -Stars won the Colt World Series, the first Hilo team to win a World Series
championship. He also managed to coach a PONY and Colt team to win respective State
championship titles within the same season. Later in his career, he switched to umpiring
baseball and softball leagues before returning to coaching high school baseball at
Waidkea High School and Kamehameha Schools. During his long and illustrious career,
he coached nearly everyone who played baseball in Hilo at one level or another, with
most of his coaching years spent at the historic Ho`olulu Park, now the ballfield at Dr.
Francis F. C. Wong Stadium.
Coach Correa was known for his simple and effective style of coaching. He used
his deep knowledge of the game to teach his players the fundamentals of baseball and the
values of good sportsmanship, citizenship, and fair play. He did not overcomplicate
things; he showed his players how to see the ball, hit it, and run the bases with speed and
intelligence. Coach Correa also taught them how to respect their opponents, teammates,
and themselves. Moreover, he was a humble, kind-hearted, and generous man who
inspired many of his players to achieve success in baseball and beyond.
Coach Correa's lasting imprint on the sport earned him many honors and awards
for his service and dedication. He was named Big Island Sportsman of the Year in 1963,
received the Hawaii Jaycees Physical. Fitness Award in 1971, and was named National
Volunteer Amateur Coach of the Year by the United States Baseball Federation in 1987."
Due to the limited scope of this proposed amendment, a copy of the revised draft of this bill that
would result if this proposed amendment is adopted, is not attached.
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