[7] At 12 years old, following the signing of Executive Order 9066, he was interned at the Poston War Relocation Center with his father and two brothers.

[4][8] After three years, when World War II ended, he was released and began attending Exeter Union High School from which he graduated in 1947.

[8] Hirayama set single-season and career school records in stolen bases which would not be surpassed until 1987 by Tom Goodwin.

[11] After college, Hirayama signed a professional contract with the St. Louis Browns and spent the 1952 season with the Stockton Ports.

[12] After being discharged, Hirayama signed with the Hiroshima Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball on the insistence of fellow Japanese-American Kenichi Zenimura.

His playing career was cut short when he ran into a wall and suffered a nerve injury which caused him to lose some vision in his right eye.

[15] After returning to the United States, Hirayama also worked as a teacher and administrator in the Clovis Unified School District in addition to his scouting duties.