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2017 ABAS GOLF INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT REPORT

By Michael Iwahiro

Hot, hot, hot are the only words to describe the blistering play of the winning foursomes on an otherwise mild day at the Turkey Creek Golf Club in Lincoln, California, where 100 or so golfers converged on a recent Sunday morning, September 17, 2017, in support of the ABAS Law Foundation and the 2018 Lady Barons. This is the third time in as many years that ABAS and the Lady Barons have joined forces to co-produce an annual golf tournament fundraiser. Come this time next year, the young Lady Barons will have graduated and moved on to new and exciting things. We wish them all the best. It has been a great run together.

Back to those spectacularly low scores: Seeded in flight No. 2, the grand champions, namely, Randy Kajioka, Curtis Ishii, Russell Tanihana and Jonathan Tanihana, carded a scorching 53. That’s 19 under. Damn. The 53 is most likely* a modern-day ABAS tournament record. (*ABAS official records go back only as far as the writer’s sketchy memory.) The foursome that included Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly and playing partners Ker Vue, Kou Xiong and Edward Thao garnered top honors in flight No. 3 with a smoldering 54. The best score in flight No. 1 was a burning 59 posted by Team Fong, a three-time former grand champion (2009, 2011 and 2014), this year composed of golfers Rob Fong, Christian Fong, Jerry Way and Chuck Baird. All three flight winners in the 50’s! Folks, there was some great golf going on out there on Sunday.

But mortal ABAS tournament golfers take heart: Rumor has it that this year’s unprecedented low scores have prompted your Rules Committee to consider adding a fourth flight—for those special golfers who have regained their amateur status less than 24 hours before the tournament start. Smile.

Seriously now, although our golf tournament is and always has been about fun, fun, fun, our purpose is all business. Sincere thanks go out to our loyal golfers, sponsors and contributors—because of you and your generosity, the Foundation has the funding necessary to carry out its charitable work for the year. To you we say, thank you for allowing the Foundation to continue its long-standing scholarship program, which fosters development of some of the best and brightest law students in our community. And thank you for allowing the Foundation to produce its new “Presents” and “Speaker Series,” which bring to our community thought provoking speakers and events focused on matters of current concern and interest. Please visit our website at abaslawfoundation.org to learn more about our sponsors and contributors, scholarship program, and “Presents” and “Speaker Series” offerings.

Finally, a special note of gratitude and congratulations to this year’s new Golf Tournament Committee Chair, Eric Dair. Well done! And special thanks to Mayor Darrell Steinberg for once again serving as our Honorary Tournament Chair.

Until next time—Fairways and Greens to All.

Speaker Series No. 1 – A Conversation on Civics – Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye

Tani Cantil-Sakauye

Chief Justice

California Supreme Court

The series opens with a Conversation on Civics with our own Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, who is the 28th Chief Justice of the State of California. She was sworn into office on January 3, 2011, and is the first Asian-Filipina American and the second woman to serve as the state’s chief justice. Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye was born in Sacramento and attended C. K. McClatchy High School, Sacramento City College, University of California, Davis for her B.A. and law degrees. The Chief Justice is a role model for today's youth and tomorrow's leaders.

You will not want to miss this intelligent, passionate, and eloquent judicial leader.

This Announcement (PDF 162KB) may be downloaded for distribution.

2016 ABAS GOLF INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT REPORT

By Michael Iwahiro

A good walk was not spoiled when 100 or so enthusiasts (and golfers) scrambled up and down the fairways and greens of the Lincoln, California Turkey Creek Golf course on a fine Sunday in September. Participants were up and at ’em for the traditional early morning shotgun start, all raring to go in support of the ABAS Law Foundation and tournament co-host, Sacramento Barons Athletic Organization. The good work of the Foundation this year includes awarding $19,000 in scholarships to Pacific McGeorge, Lincoln, and UC Davis law school students, and ongoing support of the Tule Lake research and book project being co-authored by Sacramento’s own Barbara Takei, recent recipient of the 2016 National Parks Conservation Association Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award. The award recognizes Takei for her work to ensure protection of the national monument Tule Lake Segregation Center, the largest and perhaps most controversial of the sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. More about the Tule Lake book project can be found at the Foundation’s website: www.abaslawfoundation.org.

An added draw this year was the support of Sacramento Mayor-Elect Darrell Steinberg, who served as the tournament’s honorary co-chair. Three-par hole number 14 was dedicated in his honor as the “Beat the Mayor” hole, providing not only a special fund raising opportunity but a chance for participants to claim golf bragging rights over the Mayor-to-Be. “Yo, I beat the Mayor.” All in good fun, of course, and for a most worthy cause. Special thanks to Mayor-Elect Steinberg.

The grand champion and claimant of the BIG trophy was the foursome put forth by first time tournament sponsor, Phoong Law. A sizzling 55 was recorded by team members Lisa Mayberry, Kellan Mayberry, Adam Horn, and Jesse Hackett. In the highly competitive President’s Division, top honors were awarded to perennial favorite and defending champion, Team McGeorge, comprised of Prof. Ed Telfeyan, Sherman Cole, Conrad Harder, and Anton Babich. Golfers John Holsdet, Stuart Woo, and James Sim placed first in the Director’s Division, carding a very respectable 64. Hats off and three cheers for all champions. Woo-hoo to everyone else. Incidentally, no score was reported for Team Tsuyuki (Steve Tsuyuki, Issac Choy, Chris Powell, and Kristopher Kent). Presumably, they are still on course.

And so another successful ABAS fundraising golf tournament is in the record books. Twenty-eight years running is indeed a remarkable achievement. Early tournament organizers, Judge Mike Nakagawa, Bob Tokunaga, and Clay Tanaka left quite a legacy. Current day chair Jeri Paik and her committee of Eric Dair, Sean Wong, Lisa Mayberry, Clay Tanaka, and Mike Iwahiro have worked hard these past years to keep the tournament going strong. Undoubtedly plans are being made for ABAS Golf Invitational No. 29. As always, sincere thanks go out to our loyal and generous sponsors, golfers and volunteers. We do not take for granted that you choose to say “yes” when called upon for support.

2015 Golf Tournament Photos

Barons and Barristers – The 2015 Golf Tournament Wrap Up Report

2015 Golf Tournament Report

By Mike Iwahiro, Golf Committee Vice-Chair

Co-Hosting Works

Barons and barristers proved to be the right combination for the 27th Annual ABAS Golf Invitational held on September 13, 2015 at the Turkey Creek Golf Club in Lincoln, California. In a bold and now universally praised move, the Golf Committee approved a tournament "co-hosting" arrangement with the 2018 Sacramento Lady Barons basketball team. Although each tournament maintained fiscal independence, the two organizations shared many mutual benefits. At the risk of sounding like a 90s corporate retreat leader, I will say the outcome was indeed the synergistic: 1 + 1 > 2. In addition to the expected headcount increase (which by itself resulted in a tangible gift certificate benefit for each of the 100 or so golfers), there was undoubtedly an added intangible present-- a bit more energy, a bit more vibe, and really, just a bit more fun. So how did this come to be, you ask? How would Lady Barons and Barrister Golfers ever get together anyway? Well, just so happens that a Golf Committee dad, who has a Lady Baron daughter, had a "what if" moment. Need I say more? Sometimes things just fall into place and work out for all involved. Already there is talk of doing it again next year. Enough of the back story. On to the bragging rights and thank yous.

In The Money

Top prize in the Championship Division went to the Sean Wong sponsored foursome of Greg Bisi, Chip Dahl, Tom Bacon and Russ White. Russ White also stroked out the men’s longest drive. The McGeorge assembled team of Prof. Edward Telfeyan, Eurik O’Bryant, Tim Adams and Patrick Lewis posted the low score to garner top honors in the President’s Division. Brad Bates, Arcenio Reyes, Anthony Dee and Steve Kushida of Team Hana Brophy earned the Director’s Division win. Deb McSherry of Team Paik/McSherry won the women’s longest drive accolades and prize. On course conditions were near perfect as a slight breeze and cloud cover kept temperatures mild.

The Fabulous Clay Awards

A highlight of the awards luncheon was the presentation of the coveted Clay Awards (named after awards benefactor Prof. Clay Tanaka). Because these awards recognize extraordinary individual achievement and personal sacrifice for the good of the game, they are highly prized and bestowed upon only a select few. And this year’s winners are: “Most Energetic Golfer” - Josh Birdsill. “Best Practice Golfer” - Patrick Lewis. “Almost Champion” - Darrell Woo. “Most Heroic Golfer” - Jinnifer Pitcher. A good time was had by all.

Penultimate Thank You

Led by Golf Committee Chair Jeri Paik, committee members, Eric Dair, Lisa Ventura, Sean Wong and Clay Tanaka worked tirelessly to secure sponsors, round-up foursomes and tend to the many details in preparation for this year's event. Foundation board members Toso Himel, Henry Nanjo and Josh Kaizuka were on hand on tournament day to lend assistance, as were volunteers Brenda Liang (McGeorge APALSA President) and Steve Vong (UC Davis Law Student and ABAS Scholarship recipient). Many thanks go out to them all for a fine tournament of fun golf and great fundraising.

Ultimate Thank You

Lastly and certainly the most--- sincere thanks and debts of gratitude to our many golfers and sponsors (please see the sponsor list on the ABAS Law Foundation website)—some of whom have been supporters since the tournament’s inception 27 Invitationals ago and some of whom are new this year. The ABAS Law Foundation community thanks each one of you, kindly—you make this all happen.

For more information about the 2015 Golf Invitational or interest in the 2016 event, please contact Jeri Paik at abasgolf@jplawoffice.com.

Foundation Receives Japanese American Confinement Sites Research Grant

The ABAS Law Foundation has been awarded a $47,400 federal grant under the Japanese American Confinement Sites program to assist archival research on the Tule Lake concentration camp and segregation center. See Grant Letter (PDF 315KB). The ABAS Law Foundation co-applied for the grant with the authors, and administers it as the authors' fiscal agent. Foundation CFO Jerilyn Paik is carrying out the Foundation's grant administration.

To Tell an Untold Story

The grant will assist noted historian Roger Daniels and writer-activist Barbara Takei in their research about the Tule Lake Segregation Center, described on this website's Tule Lake Research Project page. The story of the Tule Lake Segregation Center is largely untold, perhaps because its subjects, the Japanese American protesters of the race-based wartime deprivation of civil liberties, have been stigmatized for seven decades as "disloyals."

Book Under Contract

The University of Washington Press has awarded authors Daniels and Takei a contract for the book that will result from the research. The book's topic and tentative title is "America's Worst Concentration Camp."

Authors Uniquely Qualified

Professor Emeritus Roger Daniels is the author of more than a dozen books including The Politics of Prejudice; Concentration Camps, North America; Prisoners without Trial; and, in 2013, The Japanese American Cases: The Rule of Law in Time of War. He was a consultant for the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians. He is regarded as the founding dean of Japanese American studies. Barbara Takei, a Tule Lake descendant, co-wrote Tule Lake Revisited, a site guide and short history now in its second edition, and wrote "Legalizing Detention: Segregated Japanese Americans and the Justice Department's Renunciation Program," Journal of the Shaw Historical Library, Vol. 19 (2005).

Research Has Multiple Uses

This research seeks archival records for two purposes in addition to the co-authors' book about Tule Lake. First, these records will help the National Park Service's Tule Lake Unit to interpret this largest, most complex, and most repressive of the ten War Relocation Authority concentration camps. Second, Densho, a Seattle nonprofit, will digitize these documents to make them available on its website, www.Densho.org, which is an extraordinary public resource for research and learning.

Grant Program To Teach about Injustice

The National Park Service's Japanese American Confinement Sites grant program helps preserve and interpret the confinement sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II. "As America’s storyteller, the National Park Service is committed to sharing this tragic episode of our nation’s past and what it teaches us about the fragility of our constitutional rights," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "The goal of the program is to teach present and future generations about the injustice of the World War II confinement history and inspire a commitment to equal justice under the law," the Park Service said.