Sports

KV Racing Technology IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Takuma Sato is looking forward to the challenges of the tough Infineon Raceway road circuit this weekend in the 2010 Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Sato has shown impressive displays on road courses this year, and comes off a testing session last week on the 2.303-mile, 12-turn track with solid optimism. The F1 veteran has been spectacular this year in his maiden campaign on the permanent road circuits by qualifying in all three Firestone Fast Six rounds, including a season-best third two weeks ago at Mid-Ohio.

Masanori “Mashi” Murakami, host of the Mashi Murakami Charity Golf Tournament, will present a donation to the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California on Monday, Aug. 23, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the JCCCNC, 1840 Sutter St. in San Francisco Japantown.

The tournament will be held on Aug. 22 at the Silverado Golf and Country Club in Napa.

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Giants will hold their fifth annual Japanese Heritage Night on Sunday, Aug. 22, at Municipal Stadium, 588 E. Alma Ave. (between 10th and Senter).

Gates open at 3:30 p.m. Game time is 5 p.m.

Those who wear Japanese apparel will receive two free future game tickets and will be entered into the Costume Contest.

Raffle prizes will be given out throughout the game.

Japanese cuisine will include the return of Gigante’s Sushi Bar.

A kagami-biraki ceremony, in which a sake barrel is broken open to mark an auspicious occasion, will be held.

Japanese Heritage Night with the San Francisco Giants will be one of the highlights of the San Francisco Bay Area Grassroots Summit.

The event will be part of a game against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, Aug. 24, at AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza in San Francisco. Pre-game program will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The Giants are offering a special package price for seating in the Japanese Heritage Section for summit supporters. Meet Masanori Murakami, a former Giants pitcher and the first Japanese player to compete in Major League Baseball.

SEATTLE — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced Aug. 9 that Don Wakamatsu has been relieved of his duties as manager.

Zduriencik met with Wakamatsu that morning and informed him of the decision. In addition, Zduriencik has replaced bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rick Adair, and released performance coach Steve Hecht from his contract.

The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) would like to invite interested golfers to the Mashi Murakami Charity Golf Tournament at Silverado Golf and Country Club in Napa on Sunday, Aug. 22.

Masanori “Mashi” Murakami, the host of the tournament, became the first Japanese player in Major League Baseball as a pitcher with the San Francisco Giants in 1964-65.

Nisei baseball great Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada passed away on June 5. He was 88 and had been living in Palm Desert, Riverside County.

Born in 1921 in Santa Maria, he was a lifelong athlete, competing in high school and semi-pro baseball and ultimately scouting for the San Francisco Giants.

While still in high school, he played in exhibition games against future Hall of Famers Ted Williams, Bob Lemon and Jackie Robinson.

FRESNO — The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. is now accepting nominations for the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award honors an individual whose extraordinary efforts enhanced baseball's positive impact on society, broadened the game's appeal, and whose character, integrity and dignity are comparable to the qualities exhibited by O'Neil.

The Nisei Baseball Research Project (NBRP) is spearheading a campaign to nominate Kenichi Zenimura (1900-1968), the father of Japanese American baseball, as the perfect recipient of this award.

SAN JOSE — Yu-Ai Kai/Japanese American Community Senior Service will be presenting its 26th annual golf tournament on Monday, Aug. 30, at the Coyote Creek Golf Club.

This event is held each year to support the senior services that Yu-Ai Kai provides, including: Senior day services for frail elderly; hot lunch program (over 30,000 meals per year served); Meals on Wheels; a wellness program; bilingual social services; and recreational, cultural and educational activities/

NAPA — The 20th annual JASEB (Japanese American Services of the East Bay) Golf Invitational was played at the Eagle Vines Golf Club in Napa on May 7 under sunny and breezy conditions.

Golf was followed by a Japanese buffet dinner from Chef Yoshi Sogi.

The generous support of the golfers, donors, sponsors and volunteers contributed to the success of the event, which raised funds to support JASEB’s Pilot Transportation Program, which began in March of this year and reflects the agency’s efforts to keep pace with the evolving needs in the senior community.