Al Chase to be honored at UH baseball game

A member of Al Chase’s family will throw out the first pitch at the University of Hawaii baseball game Friday night at Les Murakami Stadium, when the Rainbow Warriors host UC-Irvine in the first of a three-game series.

The game is scheduled to start at 6:35 p.m.

There will also be a moment of silence for Chase, the retired Star-Bulletin sportswriter who died last week of natural causes days short of his 72nd birthday.

“Everybody got along with Al,” said UH baseball coach Mike Trapasso, whose team was covered by Chase for five years at the end of the writer’s career. “He always had that pleasant disposition whether we won or lost. I was a new, young head coach. If we’d be struggling he’d come up and say things will get better. He never put his arm around me but it felt like he did.”

Al’s 7-year-old grandson, Noah, is tentatively scheduled to throw out the first pitch.

Al’s wife, Lee, daughter, Lisha, and granddaughter, Maya, are among other family members scheduled to attend.

“I remember going to the games as a little girl with my mom while my dad worked up in the press box,” Lisha said. “The stadium always felt like a second home to me and I loved watching my dad talk with the coaches and athletes down on the field after the games.”

Services for Al Chase are Saturday, April 12 at Central Union Church, starting at 1 p.m. with visitation to follow.