He was selected by the Rough Riders in the first round of the 1976 CFL draft after playing CIAU football at York University.
William Hatanaka was born on May 3, 1954, in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada, to a Japanese-Canadian mother, and a Scottish and Métis father.
[4] Hatanaka was selected by the Ottawa Rough Riders in the first round, with the sixth overall pick, of the 1976 CFL draft.
[1] On November 28, 1976, he returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown in the 64th Grey Cup against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
[1] Hatanaka attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School, and has served on the Board of Governors at York University.