Hale Pai
Pacific American-News Journal
Nowemapa/Kekemapa - November/December 1996
Volume 2 Issue 11
Top Samoan athletes in the world will
congregate in Hawaii-1997
SAMOA INTERNATIONAL will host the
second annual Samoa International Sports Awards Banquet in
Honolulu, Hawaii on Friday January 31, 1997 to honor and
celebrate Samoan Athletes in the USA and around the world. Samoan
athletes (some of the best in the world) in sports such as
football, volleyball, boxing, diving, sumo, basketball, rugby,
weightlifting, strongman, tennis, cricket, baseball, Fautasi will
be honored.
The banquet will honor in particular this year’s Samoa
International College and high school annual "All Samoan
Football Stars" selected from the best football players of
Samoan ancestry in high schools and colleges in the US and
American Samoa.
While professional and world renown Samoan athletes may
capture the attention of the evening; "The emphasis of the
event is to focus attention on student athletes in high schools
and colleges, because we want to give a clear message to every
young Samoan that excellence in sports and education are
important values in the Samoan culture and the Samoan
people", said Jesse Sapolu, Chairman of awards ceremony and
legendary San Francisco 49ers center.
The banquet will start with the traditional Samoan
"Ava" conducted by chiefs and orators from Samoa, with
Bertha Samoa, the 1996-97 Miss Samoa-USA, as the
"Taupou".
Last year, the late Al Lolotai (Washington Redskin, 1945) and
Charles Ane Sr. (Detroit Lions, 1953) the first Samoans to play
in the NFL and Neff Maiava (Wrestling) were honored as the first
recipients of the Samoa International Sports Legend Award. The
award, given to retired Samoan athletes, recognizes their
talents, pioneering achievements, and an enduring legacy of
excellence for all Samoans.
Samoa International will announce the four recipients of the
Samoa International Sports Legends Award in November, 1996.
Samoa International Sports Awards would like to thank and
acknowledge the following sponsors for making the first annual
Award a huge success - Outrigger Hotels; Tihati Productions Inc;
Polynesians Airlines (Western Samoa); Bank of Hawaii; Al Pikelny
Inc. 7-Eleven Franchise (Seattle, WA); E`ola Products (Utah);
McStarlite Co. (CA); Royal Pacific Express (CA); Tamashiro
Market; TV-Samoa; Budget Rental Car; Pacific Mazda Subaru; Jesse
Sapolu Foundation; Royal Security Guard Inc; Point After; Brians
of Hawaii; Polymite Express; Samoa International Media; Taupou
Productions; HIT-TV; Lumanai O Samoa Radio KNDI and Melrose
Travel International (CA).
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Copyright © 1996 Hale Pai Pacific American-News Journal
Last modified: February 28, 1998
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