Irvington Grammar School joined the Washington Township baseball league in 1936 and fielded 12 players; they won half their games, playing Centerville, Mission San Jose, Niles, Decoto and Alvarado. Team members came from various backgrounds: George Nakamura, 2b; Ben Kawata, cf; Chris Gomes, p; Willie Borba, lf; Ben Mozzetti, rf; Alex Bier, fb; Walter George, ss; Richard Garcia, 3b; Albert George, c; John Ura, John Soares and Melvin Garcia, substitutes. (Caption courtesy of Holmes, Philip & Jill M. Singleton)Otokichi, also known as Frank (pictured) and Miyo Tsuji came from Hiroshima, Japan to Centerville in 1891 and settled on the Bunting estate (Sycamore Farm) on Thornton Avenue. The Tsujis worked doing ranch and domestic work for the family, but later moved off the estate to farm on their own. (Caption courtesy of Phil Holmes) Wendell Burdette Williams had a farming business in Centerville in which he planted, packed and shipped produce. Many Japanese-Americans farmed or worked in the fruit and vegetable industry locally. Pictured is one of the packing houses, where workers are preparing celery for transport.In 1915, Clara Patterson, Ardenwood’s well-educated and wealthy owner, hired California’s first woman architect, Julia Morgan (pictured), to remodel a Japanese “teahouse” from the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition into a residence on her property. It was moved by barge from San Francisco. The project reflected Clara’s respect for Japanese culture at a time when Japanese immigrants were making important contributions to California’s agriculture. Clara passed away in 1917, and the project was never completed. On Dec. 8, 1941, one day after the nation of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the building was destroyed by fire. Only a pile of rubble remains. (Caption partially taken from East Bay Parks District)
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