Too often in life, it seems those who have the most to give in their communities are the ones who leave us far too soon, long before their life’s work is done.
We may be short here on toll freeways, expensive parking garages downtown and winter ice storms, but as communities go, we are deep in resources of people who matter. These are the ones, in athletics, who saw needs long ago — before and after World War II — then went out and did something to help.
You see their names on athletic facilities all over the island, but shouldn’t there be more? These exceptional people who did good things in the community for many years?, Wouldn’t a small plaque describing who they were and what they did be appropriate if only to help inform the younger ones who don’t know the names?
One of the first names they should know is that of Walter Victor, the tireless supporter of all things keiki that involved sports, athletics of any kind, but more importantly, it seemed his goal was to get young people involved in the community, forging new friendships, working together, having fun.
Every baseball player from Hilo who went on to play college or professional ball — or didn’t — had a relationship with Walter Victor complex, the collection of diamonds adjacent to the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium where all manner of youth leagues have played on well-manicured dirt infields, sometimes under the watchful eyes of parents and friends, often the object of baseball scouts’ attention.
“All I really remember, when people ask about him, is that he was always involved with sports, whether it was fall, winter, spring or summer, he worked with everyone,” said nephew Mike Victor, a retired police officer, just as was his uncle. “The other part of it, the image I always see, is that he was always, always surrounded by friends.”
Tragically, Walter Victor was hit with a heart attack and fell dead at 62 years of age in 1973, just eight days shy of his 63rd birthday. In his wake, he left a lifetime of civic involvement that would have been impressive for anyone of any age.
He was a community activist for youth sports, a uniter, a motivator, a coach.
“It didn’t matter if it was basketball, track, baseball, he wanted to help give kids more opportunities,” said Victor. “He was a police officer, he walked a beat for a good deal of time, so he was always involved with the community. Word spread fast when he was involved in something because he knew who to talk to — all the coaches, all the (various sports leagues) organizers, he had a network.”
Walter Victor formed youth leagues and also was at the forefront of most adult leagues that are still in existence, though possibly under different names than they were back then.
He was instrumental in senior league teams through his “Termite Tavern” club teams in the 1940s and ‘50s when the Hilo Armory would fill up for games with the Pirates, Eagles, Bears, Wanderers and others. There was no college basketball, so the senior leagues, which often included former college players, was the highest level of basketball on the island, and it felt like that in the gym.
“It was quite a scene,” said Mike Victor. “That place filled up, like, all the way up and it was noisy and raucous. We didn’t have TV at that time — at least most of us didn’t — and the entertainment would be to go watch these guys battle. Noisy and wild is what I remember.”
Before the malls came in, Walter Victor walked that police beat and made friends wherever he went.
He attended St. Mary’s church and after the eighth grade, transferred to St. Louis school on Oahu, but as soon as he graduated, he was back on the Big Island and seemed forever to be organizing, helping, coaching or playing.
“This was a person who spent every waking minute helping people,” said Curtis Narimatsu, a dedicated hobbiest of Hilo history, “at one time or another, I believe he touched every family, every kid in Hilo, he had a heart of gold.”
They used to say Walter Victor and former University of Hawaii at Hilo basketball coach Jimmy Yagi were probably the reason a lot of kids stayed out of trouble in Hilo, because there was always another game, another season, yet another sport that Victor would encourage them to play. Yagi helped in youth basketball and park department leagues.
Walter Victor did not believe in class structure, there was no cultural hierarchy for him, it was self-evident in his perspective that we are all equal, so he would engage with families from any background, every ethnicity and religion.
“I think it’s a crying shame more people aren’t aware of him and his impact,” said Narimatsu. “He was the epitome of the egalitarian instinct, he was all heart and simplicity. He wanted kids to be athletic, to be involved, to have fun, it was literally that simple for him.
“He was a man who had no dark side, he was loved and respected by everyone he met, whether it was as a cop on the beat, a coach, administrator or just a friend.”
That’s why you see his name on the ballfields where the youth of Hilo learn how to play the game and sometimes see themselves in the future, playing in college or beyond.
Without Walter Victor, our shared legacy of inspired athletes from the Big Island would not be what it is today.
He made us better people, with hope and purpose, and that’s something that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Send Bart your suggestions for people or clubs or teams that people need to know about to barttribuneherald@gamail.com