Heroes, Villains, Oddities and Minutia–The Forgotten History of the National Pastime
Tag Archives: Vernon Ayau
"There is only one Thing against him—he is Very Dark"
Vernon Ayau became professional baseball's first player of Chinese descent when he appeared briefly in the Northwest League in 1917.
But he was the not the first Chinese player a West Coast team attempted to sign. Two years earlier, Walter McCredie of the Portland Beavers tried to bring one Ayau's teammates with the Chinese Athletic Club of Honolulu to the Pacific Coast League.
Fong Lang Akana was born in Hawaii in 1889 to a Chinese father and Hawaiian mother.
In the winter of 1914, McCredie announced that he had signed Akana. The (Portland) Oregonian said:
"Akana is a big, rangy fellow and bats left-handed. He weighs about 180 pounds, according to the dope given to Mack."
Lang Akana
The Oregon Daily Journal said he was 5' 10" and quoted Bert Lowry, the sports editor at The Honolulu Commercial Advertiser:
"He swings from the left side and hits the ball hard at all times, Akana is well-educated, has pleasing manners and is willing to learn."
Two former major leaguers Jack Bliss and Justin "Mike" Fitzgerald, barnstorming with Pacific Coast Leaguers in Hawaii, were impressed with Akana. Bliss said he was a great fielder who "had eyes all over his head." Fitzgerald said:
"He is a good fielder and very fast. He is by far the best player in the islands."
One additional observation from Lowry and Fitzgerald foretold that there would be trouble ahead:
Lowery: "He is a bit dark."
Fitzgerald: "There is only one thing against him—he is very dark."
McCredie told The Daily Journal that Akana would likely join the club at their Fresno, California training camp in the spring, the paper noted:
"Cubans, Indians, Poles and Italians have made good in baseball, but no Chinese or Japanese has yet won his spangles."
Akana, top row second from left, with Chinese Athletic Club, 1909
It took less than a month for the plan to bring Akana to Portland to begin to fall apart.
The San Francisco Chronicle, while getting Akana's name and position wrong, reported that:
"Portland players won't play with a Chinese."
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin said:
"Narrow racial prejudices, or possibly the fear that if the bars are let down someone will lose his regular job, threatens to work a grave injustice to Lang Akana."
In late December, McCredie was ready to bend to the pressure, telling Roscoe Fawcett the sports editor of The Oregonian:
"His skin's too dark…The Coast Leaguers who played at Honolulu on that recent barnstorming trip came back vowing boycott. I have received a couple of letters from players telling me Akana is as dark as Jack Johnson, so I guess I will have to give him a release."
Walter McCredie
Pitcher "Seattle" Bill James, who also played against Akana in Hawaii, disputed the account that players were refusing to play with Akana, telling The Oregonian:
"I don't think any ballplayer will object to playing on the same team as him. But he might have some trouble around the hotels. He is not black like a negro, more sepia colored—and his hair is straight."
But in January, McCredie, who was by far the most progressive PCL magnates on the issue of race, switched direction, and vowed to keep Akana when Fawcett showed him a photograph of the outfielder:
"Dark or not dark, we'll have Lang Akana report to us at Fresno…This photograph shows him to be extremely dark-skinned…(PCL umpire) Jack McCarthy saw him at Honolulu this winter and says Lang is just as white as most ballplayers after they have been out all summer in the sunshine.
"He doesn't look any blacker than Barney Joy, who used to pitch for San Francisco."
Apparently, McCredie found a way out without explicitly saying he refused to put a Chinese player on his club. Shortly before the Beavers headed to California, The Oregonian said:
"The Hawaiian, Akana, will not be considered unless he pays his own expenses to the spring camp at Fresno."
The paper had said earlier that it would cost $175 to bring Akana over from Hawaii. Akana, whose father was a doctor, and whose family, according to several accounts were "wealthy," likely could afford the cost of transportation. So, it is unknown whether he refused to pay for his own way or if the paper's account was incorrect.
The Beavers went to California and started the season without Akana, but there was still talk of his joining the team. In May, The Honolulu Star-Bulletin said McCredie was still considering adding Akana to the roster:
"Portland is wavering between the first and second division…'What we need here are bat artists,' writes the sporting editor (Fawcett) of The Oregonian to a Honolulan…Naturally, Lang is watching the Portland field from a distance; Manager Mac has not made good and Lang is playing the 'watchful waiting' polity to perfection."
"Summed up, the situation now is: if Portland can gain a foothold in the Coast race within the next month or six weeks, it is probable that Akana will celebrate the Fourth of July and Christmas in Honolulu, if not then a demand for strengthening the team with a few good hitters will be forthcoming…'McCredie is silent on the Akana contract,' (Fawcett) continued, 'and I think that the Hawaiian-Chinese's chances to play with the Beavers are good, unless Portland takes a sudden leap upward in the percentage column soon."
The prediction was wrong. Portland struggled all season, finishing in last place with a 78-116 record, but the call never went out to Hawaii for Akana to join the team.
Akana, bottom row, left, 1915
McCredie finally saw Akana in person two years later when he brought the Beavers to Honolulu for spring training. Fawcett said in The Oregonian that "Akana played left field and did not show up particularly well, owing it is said, that he had played little ball for several months."
Akana continued to play in Honolulu—interrupted by service in the Hawaii National Guard in 1917—into the 1920s, but was "Too dark" to ever appear in a professional game.
Biographical notes: Some sources, including his Hawaii Birth and Christening (B&C) record list his name as Lan rather than Lang, the same B&C record lists his complete name as C. Fong Lan Akana. Several sources, including the B&C record list his date of birth as April 15, 1890, several others, including his WWI and WWII Draft Registrations list the date of birth as April 15, 1889.
Tags: "Seattle Bill" James, Barney Joy, Bert Lowry, Jack Bliss, Jack Johnson, Jack McCarthy, Mike Fitzgerald, Northwest League, Pacific Coast League, Portland Beavers, Roscoe Fawcett, Vernon Ayau, Walter McCredie
Cy Swain
Charles R. "Moose" "Cy" Swain was for a short time, one of the best-known players on the West Coast and his brief time as the West's home run king is all but forgotten.
Born in Palo Alto, California, Swain made his professional debut with San Jose franchise in the California State League in 1904. Years later, Mike Steffani, San Jose manager, told The San Jose Evening News that his "discovery" of Swain was an accident.
Steffani was in need of a shortstop, and Swain's brother Ira, who played at Stanford University, was recommended to him by pitcher Win Cutter. Cy, who accompanied his brother to San Jose, played first while Steffani worked out Ira at short. Steffani said he told Cutter:
"I think young Cy is the best player. I like the way he handles the ground balls. He acts like (Charles) Truck Eagan to me."
Cy Swain was signed. Ira was sent home.
Charles "Cy" Swain
Swain was called "a hard hitter," who struck out often. He also apparently enjoyed a drink. After hitting a disappointing .239 for the Spokane Indians in The Northwestern League in 1907, Swain was traded to the Butte Miners.
In announcing the news, The Spokane Press said, "Charley isn't exactly a temperance man." The paper said that when the Spokane owner sent him a contract with a temperance clause, Swain wired back, "Send me two of those; I may break one."
Swain, who also struggled with weight issues, went from Butte to the Tacoma Tigers, then the Vancouver Beavers.
In July of 1910, he was leading the league with a .298 batting average when the Washington Senators offered $1800 for his contract. The Vancouver Daily World said the offer was turned down. The club's owner/manager/shortstop Bob Brown told the paper:
"That pennant looks awfully good to me, and until I have it clinched I intend to hold the team intact. There have been numerous other clubs after Charlie's services, but they will all have to wait until the season is over."
Swain slumped badly the rest of the year and finished with a .250 average (and a league-leading 11 home runs). The Beavers finished second, six and a half games behind the Spokane Indians.
Despite Swain's sluggish finish and questions about his weight—The Seattle Star said he was "carrying 220 pounds"– Washington purchased his contract at the end of the season. Just before he reported to the team in Atlanta in February of 1911, The Washington Herald said:
"There is a reason why this man Swain should not be overlooked when the time comes for the final selection of the Nationals. It was Cliff Blankenship who was sent scouting for Walter Johnson five years ago and who signed him…and Blankenship is sponsor for Swain."
Cliff Blankenship
Swain responded to a letter from William Peet, The Herald's baseball writer, about his weight:
"I note what you say about certain of my friends on the Western papers claiming I have taken on so much weight that I am handicapped thereby. Just write them a personal letter and bet them all you've got that I haven't taken on more than five pounds since I quit playing last fall…I will join the Washington club in shape and try my best to make good."
Early reports from Atlanta in the Washington papers, The Post, The Times, and The Herald sounded promising:
"For a big fellow Swain is a wonder when it comes to covering ground in the outfield."
"Though a six-footer, weighing 200 pounds, he runs like a sprinter."
"He hits hard…his most distinguishing trait (is) a willingness to work and an inexhaustible fund of good humor."
Swain was hitting .273 in spring games when he became sick (either a cold or the flu, depending on the source) and did not appear in a game, or practice with the team for a week.
Swain in Atlanta with the Senators
On April 6 The Herald said:
"Swain and Manager Jim (McAleer) had a long talk this morning in the clubhouse and when the Vancouver husky emerged his face was wreathed in smiles.
"'It's all right, boys,' he said. 'I will probably go back to the Pacific Coast. Had a nice chat with the boss and told him that if he decided he couldn't use me to ship me (West) and he promised to do so."
Swain was returned to Vancouver, where he hit. 309 and helped lead the Beavers to the Northwestern League pennant. After hitting .286 for the last place Sacramento Sacts in the Pacific Coast league in 1912, Swain was sold to the Victoria Bees in Northwestern League in May of 1913, setting the stage for his record-breaking season.
On August 1, The Oakland Tribune said:
"(Swain) is electrifying the natives in the Northwestern League. Playing for Victoria, up to last Sunday, Cy had connected with 17 home runs and was hitting .329."
He hit 17 more by September 18. Swain's 34 home runs broke the previous West Coast high—Ping Bodie hit 30 for the San Francisco Seals in 1910 (Art Bues had the previous league record with 27 in 1910)—and his .329 average was a career high.
He benefitted from the small dimensions of the league's parks; The (Portland) Oregonian said fourteen of his 34 home runs cleared Victoria's 270 foot center field fence and 11 more came at Seattle where the left and right field fences were just 237 feet from home plate.
After another solid season in the Northwestern League in 1914–.310 with 12 homeruns—Swain was traded to the Minneapolis Millers in the American Association for Fred "Newt" Hunter on November 24.
While most of the newspapers in Northwestern League cities shared the view of The Spokane Chronicle, that "The exchange will effect a promotion for Swain as he will play in a class AA league, which has been his ambition." The Seattle Star, however, despite the numbers he put up, raised some doubts about Swain:
"It is not likely that Seattle will be disappointed in the trade…Swain did not deliver last season like the fans had hoped and expected. He was the joke of the league in the pinches."
Just three days after the trade, Swain was working his off-season job for the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company in San Francisco, when he fell from the back of a company truck which ran over his right leg. On December 4, the leg was amputated.
The San Francisco Chronicle said:
"He was counting on making good with Minneapolis with the view of someday stepping into the big league, the dream of every ballplayer. What Swain will do now with one limb lost has not been decided, for the unfortunate player is overwhelmed with grief at the sudden termination of his diamond career."
Benefit games were held in San Francisco and Tacoma, drawing 4000 and 7000 fans; the games raised more than $4000 for Swain.
He used the money to open a cigar store in San Francisco with another former player, Tommy Sheehan. The two also organized a team, managed by Swain, called the Independents. The team was comprised of West Coast professionals—including Ping Bodie, Spider Baum, and Biff Schaller–and played during the winter and early spring. One of their games in the spring of 1916 was the first game ever played by an outside team on the grounds of San Quentin Prison. Swain's team won 15 to 10.
In November of 1916, Swain and Sheehan organized team made up of major leaguers and West Coast players to travel to Hawaii for a series of games. The team played local and military teams, as well as the All-Chinese team which included Vernon Ayau, the first Chinese player to have appeared in a professional game.
Ayau, played against Swain's team in Hawaii
News of the games in Hawaii was sketchy; based on various reports the team played between eight and 12 games on the trip; all sources agree the only game they lost was against a US Army Infantry team.
Swain continued to manage the Independents in 1917 and '18. He and Sheehan also sold the cigar store and opened the Maryland Bowling Alleys in Oakland with Cliff Blankenship, the former catcher who recommended Swain to the Washington Senators in 1910.
Early in the fall of 1918, Swain's brother, Ira, who accompanied to the tryout in San Jose in 1904, contracted the Spanish Flu and died on October 21. On November 5, The Oakland Tribune said:
"Charlie Swain, one of the most popular ball players in the history of the game in the West, died here last night, a victim of Spanish Influenza. Two weeks ago today Charlie's brother Ira fell victim to the malady."
Swain was 36-years-old. The Tribune said:
"Good-bye, Charlie, we're going to miss that happy smile."
Tags: Art Bues, Biff Schaller, Butte Miners, California State League, Cliff Blankenship, Cy Swain, Jimmy McAleer, Mike Stefani, Mike Steffani, Newt Hunter, Northwestern League, Pacific Coast League, Ping Bodie, Sacramento Sacts, Spider Baum, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Tommy Sheehan, Truck Eagan, Vancouver Beavers, Vernon Ayau, Victoria Bees, Walter Johnson, Washington Senators, William Peet, Win Cutter
Baseball's First Chinese Player
Vernon L. Ayau's professional career lasted less than half of one season, but in the process, he became the first Chinese player in professional baseball and his signing nearly broke up a league.
Ayau, born January 31, 1894, in Maui, Hawaii, played on the Chinese University of Hawaii team that toured the US in 1913, 14 and 15. He was said to have caught the eye many in professional baseball including New York Giants manager John McGraw.
Chinese University Team
Ayau was described as a slick fielding shortstop with an excellent arm, but a weak hitter. In December of 1916, he was offered a contract by Bill Leard, manager of the Seattle Giants in the Northwestern League. Leard played against Ayau when he went to Hawaii after the 1916 season with an all-star team put together by former Northwestern and Pacific Coast League player Charles "Cy" Swain.
Within weeks, Northwest League players passed a petition expressing their displeasure with the signing, and newspapers in league cities came out strongly against Ayau.
Anti-Chinese sentiment was especially strong in areas where Chinese workers were being hired as miners, and mining unions in Butte and Great Falls (two league cities) threatened to "take action to have (Ayau) removed from the league." Shortly before the signing, a Chinese mine worker had been dropped from a bridge into the Missouri River by members of the miners union.
Leard received death threats but along with Seattle's ownership held his ground and Ayau was on Seattle's opening day roster.
His time with Seattle only lasted until May 20 when Leard announced his release. Despite the early threats of boycotts and other action, he was actually signed and released by Tacoma and later Vancouver in the Northwest League over the next six weeks.
By July 1917, Ayau's career in professional baseball was over. He hit only .203 in 133 at bats with the three teams. Contemporary news reports noted his weak hitting but universally praised his glove and arm. That month he joined a semi-pro team in Wildwood, NJ that also included his former Chinese University teammate Lee Tin.
After serving in the US Army as a member of the infantry in France, Ayau returned to New Jersey where he continued to play semi-pro ball for several years.
He died in Penns Grove, New Jersey on March 28, 1976.
Tags: Bill Laird, College Baseball, Cy Swain, John McGraw, Northwestern League, Seattle Giants, Vernon Ayau, World War I
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