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COUNTY OF NAVIAN
NOVEMBER 30, 2023 7073 -Li 1
TO: HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
RE: BILL No. 103, ORDINANCE NAMING THE BALLFIELD AT HO'OLULU COMPLEX THE "JAMES JIMMY
CORREA BALLFIELD
Growing up in Hilo, in my younger days, I started off playing for Boy's Club in Little League and Pony
League. Coach Correa coached the CYO team in Pony League.The championship game for Pony League
was Boy's Club vs CYO, best of three. First game I went up to bat with runners on base and I was given
the signal to fake bunt.This is not any ordinary fake bunt,this bunt was designed to pull the bat directly
backwards into the catcher's glove, and it worked perfectly. Not the most honorable way to play the
game, but that is what we were taught at Boy's Club.Well, CYO took the championship that year, 2
games to 1.The following year I was a freshman at St.Joseph High School, I went out for the baseball
team which was coached by Coach Correa. I remember one of the first practices meeting Coach Correa,
and his remarks to me about Boy's Club, saying something to the effect of"We don't play the game here
like Boy's Club,we play the game the right way." He was a very interesting person, he had integrity for
the game.
Coach Correa was a very interesting man, our practices were almost always at Wong Stadium.The
beginning of practice he would pull up with this older big car,which had a huge trunk. In the trunk he
had all of our baseball equipment. Not the most organized trunk, but he had everything.
I would go on to play 4 years of High School baseball with Coach Correa, as well as two years of Colt
League baseball with the CYO Chiefs. In 1978 we were Colt League State Champions, beating the
Windward team from Oahu who had Sid Fernandez pitching.
Good times playing for Coach Correa, everywhere we go to play games, be it in Kohala, Maui, Oahu, etc.,
he knew everyone, and he was extremely well liked.And yes, he taught me a thing or two about
baseball, lessons I use today as an Assistant Coach for Hilo High School Softball.
After High School, I would run into Coach Correa umpiring a softball game or Coaching at Kamehameha
School. Coach Correa would always take the time to talk to me, short talks, and he would always call me
"Waggle", a name that nobody till today calls me except members of the Correa family.
It is only fitting that we are reminded of all the years of service Coach Correa had done for this
community, by placing his name on the baseball field at Ho'olulu Complex.
Aloha,
Robert Wagner
Comm. No. �Q • )
Ref. To: ]1 V
Ref. Date DEC - ,5 2023