Flyin’ Hawaiians: The Phillies start two players from the Aloha State
Posted by Andy on July 6, 2010
The Phillies recently started two players born in Hawaii in the same game. They were Shane Victorino (CF) and Dane Sardinha (C).
This might be the first time that two players born in Hawaii started for the same team in the same game. Check out the list of all players born in Hawaii and see if you can find another case. Certainly, opposing teams have each had a guy born in Hawaii, such as any time that the pitching matchup involved any two of this group: Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez, Charlie Hough, Milt Wilcox, and others.
By the way, how funny is it that both Mike Huff and Charlie Hough were born in Hawaii? (You might need to say that sentence out loud to see why I think it's funny...)
Thanks to reader Kyle for pointing out the Hawaiin connection in Philadelphia.
July 6th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Got Florida on the mind Andy?
July 6th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Not following...?
July 6th, 2010 at 11:26 am
It is indeed the first time. They mentioned it on the broadcast.
July 6th, 2010 at 11:29 am
I don't know, but the Mets have had two Hawaiians pitch in the same game six times: Ron Darling and Carlos Diaz once in 1983, and Darling and Sid Fernandez five times from 1986 to 1990.
July 6th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Betcha Hough and Huff - now, there's a name combo, pulled off the trick at some point:
http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/C2ktH
July 6th, 2010 at 11:36 am
The A's had a Shane Komine/Kurt Suzuki battery once, but I guess Shane didn't start that game.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Anytime Benny Agbayani is mentioned, I'm excited!
July 6th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
I have a website devoted to major league players born in Hawaii. I wrote about this on the blog for the site.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Awesome, Jon, thanks for the link!
July 6th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
@Andy at #2
"Certainly, opposing teams have each had a guy born in FLORIDA, such as any time that the pitching matchup involved any two of this group: Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez, Charlie Hough, Milt Wilcox, and others."
I think you meant to say Hawaii there. I'm pretty sure there are several games a year that feature opposing players born in Florida.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Wow, I was looking at the list and we came very, very close to having this happen earlier this year with the Royals. They have RP Kanekoa Texeira as a regular, and 1B Kila Ka'aihue in their minor league system, although he started the year on the team. Ka'aihue appeared in only two games this season, May 6th and May 8th. Texeira pitched May 5th and May 7th. Check back again during September call-ups and they'll probably play together.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
#10, oh yeah, heh. I re-read the post after your first comment and STILL didn't catch it.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Game 7 1986 World Series.
Darling was relieved by Fernandez, and el Sid pitched lights out. I think he struck out the side in the fifth. It was one of my best memories of that series and really highlighted why Sid was so deceptive. He had that slow as molasses delivery and an electric fastball.
Also, mentioned earlier in the thread was the Diaz, Fernandez, Darling trio of 1983. It makes you wonder if the Mets weren't scouting in Hawaii specifically.
But many of the players on that list, are not ethnically Hawaiian. I think Hough was the son of a Navy officer, etc. Darling and Fernandez had at least one parent who was Hawaiian. Victorino is, according to his Bio, ethincaly Hawaiian. Agbayani was half Japanese if I remember correctly.
Real Sports just ran a story about the number of Samoans in the NFL. The numbers are staggering. If the same percentage of Texas born players were in the NFL as there are Samoans, the NFL would be 3/4 Texan.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
July 17, 1977 was the first time two native Hawaiians started a game for the same team. Mike Lum and Doug Capilla.
July 6th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Duke, the Mets likely weren't scouting in Hawaii. They got Diaz from the Braves (he was originally drafted by the Mariners), Darling from the Rangers (and he actually grew up in Massachusetts and played for Yale), and Fernandez from the Dodgers. I don't know who the first Hawaiian they drafted was, but the first to make the big leagues was Benny Agbayani.
July 6th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Just an odd note.
As a little leaguer, the whole league (tee-ball through 16-year olds) would have an awards dinner. The league would do their best to have a pro-player there, to hand out the awards, etc.
Living in New York, we saw all Yankees and Mets. Some of the guys were jerks, some of the guys true gentlemen. It was the highlight of the year for most of us kids. Since we were budgeted, rarely was there a bonafide star, but we did get some young players who turned into stars. One of whom was Darling. Besides making every woman in the room swoon, Mr. Darling couldn't of been a better, more gracious, truly humble down to Earth guy. He got there early, stayed late. Spoke to every kid who wanted to. Unlike some other players from past dinners, didn't touch a drink, gave advice, etc. He even was in the parking lot (with a tie) to toss the ball around with a few kids. It was unfortunate Ronny set the bar so high. We never had another dinner-guest even approach Ron's class.
I just thought I'd share that memory. Not too many ballplayers are remembered for their good deeds. I always wished I'd run into Ronny some day to tell him what an impression he left on us.
Thanx Ron.
July 6th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Duke - that's a wonderful story! What a great memory.
July 6th, 2010 at 5:28 pm
Don't the Mets do some silly 'call the booth' gimick. They would eat that story up. I hear Darling is widely considered one of the nice guys in the sport. It's good to see money or fame never changed him.
July 6th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Darling is a fine announcer as well. As a Yankee fan, I'm very envious of the Mets' announcers.
July 6th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
How about two Hawaiians on the same team in the same game whose first names rhyme?
Shane and Dane both played in the June 27 "home" game against Toronto. I'm guessing there have been others.
July 6th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Dane Sardinha was drafted out of Pepperdine University by the Reds in the 2nd. round in 2000.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sardida01.shtml
From the above link, I notice his high school name is mentioned on BB-Ref, but not his college:
Also Dane Sardinha had a brother who also played for Pepperdine at the same time named Duke who was a year younger.
Duke also was born in Hawaii. He was drafted by the Rockies in the 19th round in 2002 and made it to "AAA" Colorado Springs in the PCL in 2005.
Apparently his pro career ended in 2008 at "AA" Tulsa in the Texas League.
July 7th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Dane Sardinha also has a brother named Bronson who was a September call-up for the Yankees in 2007.
Bronson Kiheimahanaomauiakeo Sardinha probably has the longest, most complicated middle name in major league history.
I meant to say in my earlier post:
Shane and Dane both played in the June 27 "road" game against Toronto.
July 7th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Thanks for the link, Jon, but I was surprised that no mention was made of the first Hall of Famer who played ball in Hawaii. Well, folks, anyone want to tKE A GUESS ON THAT ONE?
July 7th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Sorry, I keep hitting the shift lock when I am aiming at the "a".
July 7th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
DoubleD,
Bronson has the longest single middle moniker, but for long combinations, my bet would be that Cal McLish would take the prize.
July 7th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
# 22: I'll assume you are right that Bronson and Dane Sardinha are brothers.
Bronson Sardinha BB-Ref info
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sardibr01.shtml
But after checking both the the Brothers links on BB-Ref they are not linked as relatives:
I would hope someone who reads this can make the change and if so, also list Pepperdine University as the college for Dane Sardinha