Speech #1100006747

From 1934 to the outbreak of World War II. the Monterey Minatos virtually dominated all other teams within the Central California Coast Counties Athletic Association. In 1938. just three Minato trackmen won nine of the eleven events at the YMCA Olympics at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. Built in 1927. the JACL Hall was originally the Japanese Association building. erected for the purpose of creating a community center for immigrant Japanese. In 1942. the leaders of the Japanese Association gifted the building to the JACL as a way to keep it serving the community. During World War II. the building was used by the National Guard. and after the war it became a hostel for returning internees.