This is excellent news for Asian Americans in sports. Looking
around, there aren't any other Asian American coaches or general managers,
though Kim Ng has come close a few times in baseball. In football we haven't had
an Asian American head coach or GM in the pros or in college sports,
though Norm Chow has been offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. To my
knowledge there are no strong candidates in basketball either.
SEATTLE -- Don Wakamatsu became the first Asian American manager in
major league baseball history when he was hired Wednesday by the
Seattle Mariners. The 14th manager in Mariners history, Wakamatsu
was bench coach for the Oakland Athletics last season. Before that he
spent five years with the Texas Rangers. The 45-year-old was
among a field of seven candidates interviewed by Mariners general
manager Jack Zdurencik. None of the seven had previous major league
managerial experience.
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