Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto

Background:

     In October 2023, I visited the "Sparky" Kawamoto Swim Stadium. I had fond memories of taking swimming lessons from Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto when I was a child at the NAS pool in Hilo, Hawai'i. 

     When I did an internet search to look up information about Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto, none appeared. I was very sad about this, but I realized that this was because "Sparky" Kawamoto died in 1982 before the internet was fully developed.       

     This fact inspired me to create this website to honor and memorialize Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto so that hopefully when people do an internet search on him, they will be able to learn about him and all of his accomplishments.
Biography
     Charles Kiyoichi "Sparky" Kawamoto was born in Hilo, Hawai'i on July 6, 1908. His parents were Seki Kawamoto and Annie (Hila).
     In his early years, Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto was a star "barefoot football" player (Hilo Shinmachi Devil Dogs, Waiakea Pirates, Shells) and coach (Ola'a Invaders, Hilo Shinmachi Devil Dogs - later renamed The Wailoas). (Please see the "Barefoot Football Yrs" tab.)

     In addition, Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto  founded and coached the Shinmachi Town Swimming Club in Hilo, Hawaii, in the 1930s. It was later renamed the Hilo Aquatics Club. Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto used the Wailoa River as his training grounds since there were no swimming pools available.

     According to sports writer, Andy Baclig, Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto's formula for success was discipline, rigid training, and the "fighting spirit."

     "Sparky" coached Yoshinobu Oyakawa, who went on to win the 100-meter backstroke Olympic gold medal at Helsinki, Finland in 1952, beating Adolph Kiefer’s Olympic record which had stood since 1936. Yoshinobu Oyakawa set world records at 100 yards and 100 meters for the straight-arm backstroke style. 

     "Sparky" also coached Richard "Sonny" Tanabe, who competed in the Olympics in Melbourne, Australia in 1956.    

     Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto also coached numerous swimming champions, including Ed Kawachika, Lawrence Hao, Dennis Baker, Masami Takahata, and Yoshinobu Terada. Other outstanding swimmers that were coached by "Sparky" Kawamoto were: Joe Kalua, Walter Silva, Jr., Roy Tanabe, Curtis and Robert Carlsmith, Carl Fujita, and Masa Onuma.

     "Sparky" was named the Big Island’s Sportsman of the Year in 1952 and received citations of accomplishment from the mayor of Honolulu in 1952 and from the Hawai'i County Board of Supervisors in 1956. 

     Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto retired from his sales job at American Factors (Amfac) in 1972. However, he continued to conduct swimming classes for youngsters even after he retired. He was the originator of the "Learn-to-Swim" project.

     In 1973, "Sparky" created a swimming exercise program for retirees called "Aquathenics" in the Parks and Recreation's Senior Program. This program received statewide attention. The program helped many stroke patients and provided therapeutic exercises for people with disabilities.

     "Sparky" served on Hawaii County’s committee for planning and designing Hilo’s first Olympic-sized pool in the 1970s. 
     On January 19, 1982, the Olympic-sized pool at the Ho'olulu Park Complex was renamed the "Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto Swim Stadium." The address of the Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto Swim Stadium is: 260 Kalanikoa Street, Hilo, Hawai’i  96720.
     Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto passed away on April 7, 1982. He was survived by his wife, Haruko, three sons, a daughter, and seven grandchildren at the time of his passing.

     "Sparky" Kawamoto was inducted posthumously into the Hawai'i Swimming Hall of Fame when it was founded in 2002.