Herb Wakabayashi

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Other
SexMale
Full nameOsamu "Herb"•Wakabayashi
Used nameHerb•Wakabayashi
Original name若林•修
Born23 December 1944 in Neys Internment Camp, Ontario (CAN)
Died1 June 2015 in Sapporo, Hokkaido (JPN)
Measurements166 cm / 70 kg
AffiliationsSeibu Tetsudo Tokyo, Tokyo (JPN)
NOC Japan

Biography

Herb Wakabayashi played ice hockey for Japan at the 1972, 1976, and 1980 Winter Olympics, carrying the Japanese flag at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics Opening Ceremony. He also played at the 1978, 1979, and 1982 World Championships, although never at the A level. Wakabayashi moved to Canada with his family when he was only 6-years-old.

He became quite a good baseball player, helping his Chatham Junior Maroons win league titles in the Ontario Baseball Association. Wakabayashi played hockey at Boston University from 1965-69. A center, he played in Japanese pro leagues from 1969-85, all with Seibu Tetsudo Tokyo. Wakabayashi was inducted into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and is also a member of the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1972 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) JPN Herb Wakabayashi
Ice Hockey, Men (Olympic) Japan 9
1976 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) JPN Herb Wakabayashi
Ice Hockey, Men (Olympic) Japan 9
1980 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) JPN Herb Wakabayashi
Ice Hockey, Men (Olympic) Japan =11

Other participations

Games Role NOC As
1980 Winter Olympics Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony JPN Herb Wakabayashi