Vancouver mayor declares Asahi Day in honour of historic Japanese Canadian baseball team

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim declared Thursday, Jan. 11, Vancouver Asahi Day to honour the legendary team that played in the city from 1914 to 1941 before being disbanded due to the internment of Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. 

The one-day honour was marked on the birthday of Kaye Kaminishi, the last surviving member of the team from its pre-First World War era, who turned 102. 

"Dad grew up in Vancouver, he was born and raised in Vancouver, and for him to be recognized ... he's still sort of in disbelief," Kaminishi's son, Ed Kaminishi, told CBC.

The Asahi Baseball Association was established in 1914 and played at a field on Powell Street, where Oppenheimer Park is now located.

Honoured to declare today as <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VancouverAsahiDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VancouverAsahiDay</a>!