Alberto ?Big Boy? Reynoso passed away last Tuesday at his home in Sacramento, California last Tuesday according to Ruffy Ignacio, secretary general of the PBA Legends USA Foundation.
Ignacio informed the Manila Standard that he had received a call from Francis Arnaiz who played alongside Reynoso in the early years of the PBA to relay the sad news. Reynoso was 71.
According to Ignacio, Reynoso whose young brother Cristino ?Tino? Reynoso, another PBA player who passed away in 2008, ?has been on and off various illnesses.?
Power forward Abe King who also played alongside Reynoso plans and is now Chairman of the PBA USA Legends Foundation plans to bestow a worthy honor on ?Big Boy.?
Reynoso stood around 6?2? but played big, using his solid build to muscle his way inside.
During the 1960?s and early 70?s Reynoso played in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association before the pro league the PBA was formed in 1975 when he joined the glamour team Toyota coached by Dante Silverio.
He was 35 years old when the PBA was formed and played three seasons, 1975 to 1977 averaging 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds a game.
Reynoso was selected numerous times as center for the Philippine national team.
While playing for Meralco in a game against Crispa in the MICAA alongside Robert Jaworski at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum both Reynoso and Jaworski attacked referees Dr. Ting Cruz and Jose Obias due to s series of patently bad calls and were suspended for life by then BAP president Lito Puyat who many years later lifted the suspension.
The bad calls angered Reynoso who was slapped with a charging foul when he backed up Rudy Kutch and promptly threw the ball at referee Cruz. Both Reynoso and Jaworski who raced onto the court from the bench beat up the two referees.
It was very much against Reynoso?s disposition because he was normally a gentle giant on the court and a soft-spoken individual outside the arena.
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