Bill Inman

William N. Inman

• High School Punahou School

• Born ~1896 in Honolulu Hawai'i

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Bill Inman was one of the first pro baseball players from Hawai'i in its pre-statehood days. Inman was elected captain of the junior class baseball team at Punahou School in spring 1913. He was elected captain of the football team in fall 1913, and was also a champion shot-putter.

He signed with the San Francisco Seals in October 1914 and pitched three innings, allowing one hit, four walks and two runs (one earned). He reported that he had a contract for 1915, but was released in March as he was wild and needed more seasoning. He was determined to stay on the mainland and pitch in the California League, but signed with the Sioux City Indians in April. In an exhibition against a team from Mason City, Inman pitched a complete game, walking 6 and giving up 5 hits and 4 tuns. At some point he then hurt his arm and by July was in San Francisco to heal. By the end of the year he was back in Hawaii without ever appearing for Sioux City in a regulation game.

Inman later managed the "Wanderers" in Hawai'i League, also owning the team. Inman sold the team in June 1940 to Henry "Bob" Topping (brother of Dan Topping) and his wife, but stayed on as manager. That team essentially represented the Hawai'ian national team later that year in the 1940 Amateur World Series, when they tied Venezuela at 5-7, ahead of Mexico and Puerto Rico.