Nobe Kawano | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1923-04-16)April 16, 1923 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | July 27, 2018(2018-07-27) (aged 95) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Clubhouse manager for theLos Angeles Dodgers |
| Years active | 1959–1991 |
| Relatives | Yosh Kawano (brother) |
Nobu "Nobe" Kawano (April 16, 1923 – July 27, 2018) was an American baseball clubhouse manager, best known for being the clubhouse manager for theLos Angeles Dodgers from 1959 to 1991.
Kawano was born inSeattle, Washington on April 16, 1923 toJapanese immigrant parents. His older brother wasYosh Kawano who later became the clubhouse manager for theChicago Cubs. The family moved toSouthern California a few years after Kawano was born. Both brothers were enthusiastic baseball fans but, due to their Japanese heritage, opportunities to play were few.[1]
DuringWorld War II, the two brothers and their family were interned at thePoston War Relocation Center in Arizona following the signing ofExecutive Order 9066. Yosh was, at the time, working as thespring training bat boy for theChicago White Sox; the team negotiated the brothers' release from the camps.[2]
After being released, Nobe served in theUnited States Merchant Marine, working on ships which ran supplies between the United States and Great Britain. In 1948, Kawano began to work theHollywood Stars of thePacific Coast League as a clubhouse assistant, taking care of team equipment. He then worked one year for theSalt Lake City Bees of thePioneer League.[3]
TheBrooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Kawano began to work for them, taking over as clubhouse attendant after the death of Charlie DiGiovanna, the attendant who came over from Brooklyn. When the Dodgers won the1959 World Series, Kawano was voted half of a World Series share by the players.[4]
Kawano played a significant part in the career ofSandy Koufax. After the 1960 season, Koufax threw his equipment into the garbage pile after recording an abysmal 8–13 record, telling Kawano, "There it is. Do whatever you want with it." After cooling down over the off-season, Koufax returned tospring training and found that Kawano had saved his equipment, remarking to Koufax: "I thought you might need these." In 2022, during hisstatue-unveiling ceremony, Koufax thanked Kawano, calling him a "good friend".[3]
His job involved keeping uniforms clean, preparing post- and pre-game meals, ordering gloves and equipment, and sorting out mails for players. By all accounts, Kawano was beloved by players and by the organization. He worked with the Dodgers until 1991, retiring at the age of 68.[3]
Kawano was married to his wife Chizuko, nicknamed "Cheesy". They had three children together: Ellen, Hana, and Frank.[5]
He and his brother Yosh both lived in a nursing home inLincoln Heights, Los Angeles towards the end of their lives. Nobe died on July 24, 2018 due to complications fromdementia and respiratory problems, one month after his brother.[6]
