Legend Herb Wakabayashi Passes Away
Herb Wakabayashi
Wakabayashi, known as a hockey player primarily, was inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 in the Athlete-Modern category.
Moving to Chatham, Ontario in 1950, Wakabayashi quickly became an integral part of the Chatham sports community, helping Chatham teams win five OBA baseball titles, and a league title playing for the Chatham Junior Maroons.
He would later go on to play NCAA hockey for Boston University, where he was Athlete of the Year, an All American, and was inducted into the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978.
Wakabayashi’s hockey career would reach its pinnacle as he was the flag bearer, and represented Japan three times at the Winter Olympics for ice hockey.
Wakabayashi passed away in Japan, where he had been living.
From CKSN, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Wakabayashi family, and everyone who knew and loved Herb.
So sorry to hear about Herbie – he leaves us far too soon. That being said I was unaware that he had been battling cancer. He was the best I ever had the honor of playing hockey with. My thoughts go out to the family and all the Chatham guys that played with us at BU – Larry, Mickey, Eddie and Steve, what a great bunch of guys. My apologies if I have missed any.
I was very fortunate to coach Herb in two sports at Boston University, hockey, in which Herb was a standout, and baseball, where as a senior he hit an astounding .399 for batting average, and was a First Team All Star, in addition he was a truly amazing person, a great example to all that played sports, he was a winner, sound character, solid competitor, loved, admired, respected by all, his sister Shirley, brother Mel, and rest of family were always visiting and became solid supporters of Boston University athletics, I am a better person to have known and been able to associate with him, he leaves us to soon, our love, respect and sympathy goes out to the entire Wakabayashi Family, may he rest in peace!
Our thoughts go out to all the many Chatham players that played here at BU, a solid group of players that helped turn the hockey program around to become one of the better college programs in North America.
just hapenned to think of this great person,look him up in internet,only to find he had passed away…my condolences to his family…i atended BU and his name stood out for both the ethnicity and his great ability in hockey. to me, he represented all foreign people that daily strive to be better and contribute in this amazing NATION…rest in peace.