| biography | Ken Kutsukake was a star catcher for the legendary Asahi team. His wife Rose (Sato) was the daughter of Mohei Sato, author of the historical book “Kanada no Sakae - Prosperity of Canada”. Ken’s father, Tsugio Kutsukake was from Tochigi Prefecture in Japan, immigrating in 1907. His father's business ventures included the Shinyokan, a hotel at 324 Powell Street, and a market at 356 Powell Street. In 1920, he moved to 176 Powell Street, running a successful hotel. In March 1915, he entered into a partnership with Mr. Kitazawa and Mr. Arai, the Taiheiyo Sogo Shokai (Pacific Mutual Company). They lived in Nihonmachi and by 1941 were living at Arden Hall at 540 East Hastings Street, Vancouver.
Ken took his name from his favorite baseball hero, Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns of the 1920’s. Ken lived and loved baseball so much that he became a member of go-gun (fifth level) on the Asahis clovers team at age 12 in 1934 and known as “catcha-catcha- Kutsukake”. Reggie Yasui was the first catcher, then Mousie Masuda, and Koei Mitsui, Ken was the catcher from 1939 to the end of the 1941 season and was one of the ‘Last Asahis’. He was also on the winning Asahi Giants 1935 Championship team. Kutsukake was an effective catcher for not only calling the pitches behind the plate, but had to be quick and agile for outside pitches and wild throws, a quick release and to gun down the base runners and block home plate. He proved his ability beyond a doubt as he became catcher for Nishihara, Maruno, and Kaz Suga in the Asahi title at Powell Street grounds.
During the evacuation in 1942, Ken along with Naggie Nishihara as his battery mate, formed and organized a team in Kaslo, BC. In Montreal, he joined a French team in Montreal as catcher in the Atwater Baseball team in 1947. Then in Toronto in 1948, he played baseball at Christie Pits and later became associated with the Western Nisei Baseball club and the Midget Baseball Club which won the West Toronto Minor Baseball Association Championship in 1950. He also managed the Bestway Nisei Baseball team which won the City Championship at the old Millen Stadium. His last association with baseball as a manager was in 1956, when the Honest Ed’s Nisei Baseball team won the Senior Baseball Championship. Ken then put all his energy into bringing about the successful Asahi reunion in 1972.
In 1992, he continued active in the community in Toronto and the Iwata Travel Agency, playing golf for fun. In 1994, Norio Goto filmed a documentary about the Asahis that was broadcast in Japan. On May 15, 2002, Ken was acknowledged with other Asahi players Mickey Maikawa, Kaz Suga, Kiyoshi Suga, and Yuki Ono at the Sky Dome in Toronto. The Asahi’s were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on June 28th, 2003. Ken was able to do an acceptance speech with his colleagues Mickey Maikawa, Kaye Kaminishi, Kiyoshi Suga, and Mike Maruno. The National Film board of Canada also did a documentary entitled “Sleeping Tigers” which screened in April of 2003 and won Best Feature Documentary at the Asian Film Festival held in San Diego, California in October that year. Ken passed away in 2004 and left a legacy in photos of early Nihonmachi.
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