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Tom Kaulukukui
	Exhibit for Kaulukukui at the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame
Biographical details
Born	January 22, 1913; Honolulu, Hawaii Territory, U.S.
Died	March 9, 2007 (aged 94); Kailua, Hawaii, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Playing career
Football
1934–1937	Hawaii
Position(s)	Halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1941	Hawaii
1946–1950	Hawaii
1956–1959	ʻIolani
Baseball
1941	Hawaii
1947–1949	Hawaii
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1949–1951	Hawaii
Head coaching record
Overall	Football: 42–19–3
Bowls	3–2
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
	As a player Hawaii Rainbow Warriors No. 32 retired

Thomas Kaauwai Kaulukukui (January 22, 1913 – March 9, 2007) was an American football player and coach.^[1] He served as the head coach at the University of Hawai'i in 1941, as co-head coach with Eugene Gill, and from 1946 to 1950.^[2] From 1956 to 1959 he served as head coach of 'Iolani preparatory school in Honolulu.^[1]

Kaulukukui was a standout college athlete who earned 17 letters in five sports and was the University of Hawaii's first All-American football player. He was nicknamed "Grass Shack" by legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice.^[1] His number, #32, is only one of two numbers to have ever been retired by the Hawaii football program. He was inducted into the University of Hawai'i Sports Circle of Honor in 1981 and the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in 2021.^[3]^[4]

During World War II, he served as a lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Prior to joining the Army, he was in a work battalion with Japanese-Americans who were not permitted to volunteer for the military. After his coaching stint at Hawaii ended, Kaulukukui ran an insurance agency before being appointed as federal marshal for the District of Hawaii in 1959.^[5] Kaulukukui was also a trustee for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for 12 years and was chairman in 1989.^[3]^[6]

Head coaching record

Football


Year	Team	Overall	Bowl/playoffs
Hawaii Rainbows (Independent) (1941)
1941	Hawaii	8–1
Hawaii Rainbows (Independent) (1946–1950)
1946	Hawaii	8–2	W Pineapple
1947	Hawaii	8–5	W Pineapple
1948	Hawaii	7–4–1	L Pineapple
1949	Hawaii	6–3	L Pineapple
1950	Hawaii	5–4–2	W Pineapple
Hawaii:		42–19–3
Total:		42–19–3

Notes

^ Co-head coach with Eugene Gill

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Nakama, Wes (March 10, 2007). "Tommy Kaulukukui, sports legend, 94". The Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved October 18, 2010. Famed Big Island athlete did it all, then went on to coach at UH, 'Iolani
^ "Tom Kaulukukui Records by Year". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 23, 2006. Retrieved December 1, 2007.
^ ^a ^b "Thomas Ka'awai Ka'ulukukui". Hawaiian Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
^ "Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Unveils Class of 2021". Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
^ "Isle sports legend defined wisdom of warrior". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. March 10, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
^ Kaulukukui, Thomas. "Kaulukukui, Thomas USA" (PDF). 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration (Interview). Retrieved November 21, 2024.