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Philippines, 30 Sep 2024 |
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OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Another pitch for Caloy Loyzaga’s induction to FIBA Hall of Fame PhilBoxing.com Mon, 30 Dec 2019  Carlos Loyzaga. By EDDIE G. ALINEA -- The Manila Times Last Christmas eve while feasting on the Noche Buena with wife Annie, children Wendell, Ana Alfonsa, Monique, grandchildren Ziggy and Auds and guests, bayaw Resty and hipag Bella, this OUTSIDER received a text message from basketball great Alvin Patrimonio extending to the family the blessings of the Holidays. Alvin, second of only three players to have accorded four MVP awards by the PBA, also asked what happened to the pitch this OUTSIDER had repeatedly made in behalf of legend Carlos “Caloy” Loyzaga, Philippine basketball’s “Big Difference,” to be inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame. The last time I made a pitch for Caloy was, if I can remember right, was last year during our national team’s preparations for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. I told Alvin, who Purefoods fans, teammates and fans, including media, fondly call “Cap,” that Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said the sport’s local ruling body had been preparing the groundwork for Caloy’s nomination, or whatever was needed for Hall induction. I never heard from Al again since then, I told Cap. I promised Cap, though, I’ll follow it up to the SBP head after the holidays. Cap further suggested how about constructing a basketball stadium named after Caloy, which I said, is a good idea. I even told him there’s no need constructing a new stadium, just renamed ULTRA in Pasig City, which, by the way, is owned by the Philippine Sports Commission, to Carlo Loyzaga Stadium. We both agreed we should if only to honor the colorful memories of Loyzaga as the best ever basketball player that came this shore and in Asia as well. Alvin, now the team manager of Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok vowed to help relay the idea to the SBP. My conversation with Alvin lasted up to the wee hours on Christmas day. We talked on variety of things related to the Hall of Fame, which, to both of us, the FIBA has continuously been ignored, not only King Caloy but as well as the country’s contribution to the growth of basketball not only here, but in Asia and then world as well. To the uninitiated, the FIBA included, the Philippines is one of the countries that played the sport first in 1905, along with Russia and India, ahead of Cuba (1906), Italy and Korea (1907), Poland, Japan and Sweden, Peru (1911). The Filipinos came next only to Canada where the game originated (1901), Puerto Rico, (1902) and Turkey (1904). Mexico, though, is acknowledged as the first country where basketball was first played outside of the United States a year after Canadian James Naismith invented the game. What turned out to be the national mania that is basketball actually started on the wrong foot. Girls were the first to play the game in 1905 in what should establish the Philippines as pioneer in women’s basketball. it was not until five years later when boys competed in their first basketball tournament. The Philippines earned the honor of being among the 20 countries to have been invited to take part in the 1936 Olympic Games where basketball was first played. The national team fans loved to call “The Islanders,” made up of skipper Ambrosio Padilla, Charles Borck, Jacinto Ciria Cruz, Franco Marquicias, Primitivo Martinez, Jesus Marzan, Amador Obordo, Bibiano Ouano, John Worrel, Fortunato Yambao, alternates Miguel Pardo and Antonioi Carillo and coached by Dionisio “Chito” Calvo acquitted themselves admirably, winning four and losing only one – to eventual champion the United States. The “Darling of the Crowd” Filipinos could have romped off with the silver medal, but the quirk of format relegated them to fifth, still up to this day, is unmatched by any Asian country. In the 1954 World Championship (FIBA World Cup today) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Philippines lost only two games – to winner the USA and runner up Brazil – to finish third, also the highest by any Asian nation. It was here that King Caloy served as cog in the Philippine campaign by emerging one of the tnree top scorers in the entire tournament with an average 16.4 points per game, next to Uruguay’s Oscar Moglia (18.6 ppg) and Carl Ridd of Canada (18.2 ppg). Loyzaga’s feat earned him a spot in the World Mythical Team along with Kirby Minter of the U.S., Moglia, Zenny de Acevedo and Vladimir Marquez, both of host Brazil. It was an honor that stood unmatched by any Asian player for five decades until Chinese Yao Ming did the trick in the early 2000s.  |
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