Bozo Wakabayashi

Tadashi Henry "Bozo" Wakabayashi (若林忠志) was a professional baseball player born March 1, 1908, in Oahu, Hawaii, and active as a pitcher. A second-generation Japanese American, he was the son of parents who had immigrated to Hawaii from Hiroshima, Japan. Born in Hawaii, he held dual citizenship between the United States and Japan. He renounced his Japanese citizenship in 1928 but revived it after moving to Japan.

Wakabayashi attended President William McKinley High School, where his powerful fastball made him the ace pitcher of the school's baseball team. In 1928, he was chosen to participate in an exhibition baseball tournament held in Japan, traveling there for the first time that year. Professional baseball did not yet exist in Japan at that time, and his amateur team played against university teams in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League. His pitching abilities drew attention, and Hosei University was particularly active in recruiting him. Wakabayashi was not opposed to remaining in Japan.

Wakabayashi died on March 5, 1965.