Robert Jaworski, Sr.

I originally posted this in mypba.com.

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Robert "Bobby" Jaworski, Sr. was born on March 08, 1946 to a Polish American father and a Filipino mother in Baguio City. He began to gain the fame when he started playing basketball for the University of the East Red Warriors in the 1966 season and towed the Recto-based school to the UAAP championship in the 1966 and 1967 championships. Because of his outstanding accomplishment with UE, he was first labeled "Big Hands" by the late sportscaster Willie Hernandez describing the large

Danilo Florencio

I originally posted this in mypba.com.

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DANILO ZOLETA FLORENCIO - probably the most dreaded offensive weapon in PBA history

Danny Florencio is a pioneer of the Philippine Basketball Association having played in the PBA from 1975 to 1983. He played for different teams like the U/Tex Weavers, the 7/Up Uncolas, the Toyota Tamaraws, and the Galerie Dominique Artistas. Florencio didn't have any monicker during his time, but he would probably establish himself as the very first "Skywalker" in the PBA, much ahead of Avelino "Samboy" Lim. Other broadcasters also called him "Daredevil Danny" for his innate ability to slash

The First Genuine Power Forward of the Philippines

I originally posted this in mypba.com

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Abraham Colombus King, Jr.

Year Joined the PBA: 1977

Monicker: Chairman of the Board

Career Scoring High: 60 points - as a Toyota player against Crispa
Teams: 
San Beda Red Lions (NCAA) 1975-1976
Crown Motors (MICAA) - 1976
Toyota (PBA) 1977-1983
Gold Eagle (PBA) 1984
Great Taste / Presto (PBA) 1985-1992
Purefoods / Coney Island (PBA) 1993-1994

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Abe King, Jr. was the starting power forward of MAN Diesel / Frigidaire in the MICAA before his mother team, the Toyota Tamaraws called upon his services at the start of the 1977 PBA season. Prior to that, King was King Bedan in 1975 and 1976 and was responsible in powering the Red Lions to a runner-up and champion finish in those years. 

An Immediate Starter for the Toyota Tamaraws

King was an instant starter for the Tamaraws as resident power forward Alberto "Big Boy" Reynoso

Arnulfo "Arnie" Tuadles, Jr.

I originally posted this in mypba.com.

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Arnulfo Tuadles, Jr.

Height: 6'2

Weight: 170 pounds (?)

Playing Position: Small Forward

Teams: Toyota, Ginebra, Great Taste, Alaska, Shell

Year Joined the PBA: 1979

Monicker: I don't recall except Joe Cantada used to describe Tuadles as "The Visayan debonaire" or "The Cebuano Loverboy"

Career Highlight: first PBA player to crack the Mythical 5 in his rookie season

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Arnulfo "Arnie" Tuadles was a stalwart in the MICAA, playing for the Manilabank Golden Bankers in the mid-70's before peddling his wares with the San Miguel Braves. Tuadles was one of the many talented Visayan players who donned the SMB uniform in the MICAA as the company was one of the movers and believers of tapping basketball talents from the grassroots. Tuadles, along with Marlowe Jacutin,

The Robert Jaworski Legend

I originally posted this in mypba.com on December 12, 2004.

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Ever wondered why Robert Jaworski became a legendary icon in the eyes of many a PBA fan? Here's one reason:

It was a semifinals game between Ginebra and guest team Northern Consolidated Cement powered by 3 reinforcements, Jeff Moore, Dennis Still and Arthur Engelland. Ginebra, on the other hand, was backstopped by import Michael Hackett. The game was seen by a sellout crowd at the ULTRA and

The PICAA

Originally posted by my brother, George Mercado, in mypba.com on August 22, 2006.


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I was a hoops junkie when I was a kid---blame it on our family business which was a news stand and that gave me the opportunity to read all the dailies at such a tender age. I even went out early morning, plying a paper route, delivering newspapers to the likes of Speaker Cornelio Villareal, Sen. Arturo Tolentino, and the like. Our newsboys that time were Tour of Luzon champs Rodrigo and Willie Abaquita, Jose and Manolito Moring, Edmundo de Guzman, and Romualdo Gabot. We used to have pan de sal and Star margarine

Philippine National Basketball Teams in the Early 70s

Originally posted by my brother, George Mercado, in mypba.com on August 19, 2006.


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Remember the Philippine Youth team in the 1st ABC Youth? This was an awesome bunch with the likes of Adornado, Regullano, Martirez, Paner, Sullano, etc. They steamrollered the competition, winning by an average of 20 point spreads. This was probably one of the last glittering moments of Phil basketball. Actually, ever since the Jakarta Asiad, Phil basketball started its plummet. In the Tehran Asiad, we lost to Israel and Iran---where the players were involved in a court melee. The Bangkok Asiad also was disastrous.

On Sportscasters

Originally posted by my brother, George Mercado, in mypba.com on August 19, 2006.


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Something to share though---Jack Garcia was probably the most underrated sportscaster of the 60s. He was overshadowed by the more flamboyant Willie Hernandez, but sorry to say I never liked the style of the Elizalde broadcasters---where Mr. Hernandez belonged. He had his brilliant moments, though. Jack Garcia was straightforward---we have to remember, radio was the medium, and listeners wanted to visualize the action. During the 68 Mexico Olympics, his coverage of the USA-Phil game was memorable. Our boys

MICAA in the Sixties

Originally posted by my brother, George Mercado, in mypba.com on August 18, 2006.

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Teams like Chelsea, Seven Up, San Miguel, Philippine Airlines, Yutivo, Puyat Steel, Ysmael Steel, and Yco were the headliners during those days. 

Chelsea was the mother team of the illustrious Kurt Bachmann. I believe this was the same company that manufactured Chelsea cigarettes. 

Seven Up's team was called the Marauders and was owned by the Syjuco family. It was also the first team for Ateneo superstar Baby Boy Morales. 

GCAA

I originally posted this in mypba.com on June 4, 2005. Thanks to Atty. Percival Flores for some additional information.

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The GCAA, or Government Commercial Athletic Association featured government agencies like the National Grains Authority (NGA), National Electrification Authority (NEA), National Irrigation Authority (NIA), and Masagana 99, which played as the Bureau of Agricultural Extension (BAEX).  The NGA was almost always the top team, winning a couple of titles in the late 70's with NIA almost often crowding them in the top spot, including snatching the 1977 title. Managing and coaching Masagana 99 was the

Robert Jaworski's Lifetime Suspension

i originally posted this in mypba.com on June 3, 2005. Thanks to Atty. Percival Flores for some additional information.

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A lot of fans constantly ask the reason why Robert Jaworski and MERALCO teammate Alberto "Big Boy" Reynoso were suspended for life by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) back in 1971. This happened in the MICAA tournament sometime December that year.

After a return stint from the 1971 ABC tournament held in Tokyo, Japan where the Philippines placed second, the game featured arch rivals Meralco and Crispa. In that game, with the Redmanizers ahead 65-50 going into the last twelve minutes of the second half, Reynoso was assessed a dubious charging foul on Rudy Kutch by referee Joe Obias. Reynoso went berserk and ran after the hapless Obias who got sideswiped by

PBA Rookies During the Early Years

I originally posted this in mypba.com on June 2, 2005. Thanks to Atty. Percival Flores for correcting some of the items.

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The finest amateur players that joined the PBA in the formative years mostly came from the MICAA. Here's a partial list:

Jimmy Taguines / Manilabank - joined the Tanduay Esquires in 1977 and became the PBA ROY; bruising power forward with a solid interior game

Virgilio Cortez / Manilabank - joined the Toyota Comets in 1976 and became the PBA ROY; excellent transition player recipient of the baseball pass from Jaworski and Fernandez

Jimmy Manansala / Yco - joined the Tanduay Esquires in 1978 and became the PBA ROY; hotshot

MICAA

I originally posted this in mypba.com on June 2, 2005.

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The Manila Industrial Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) was founded back in the late 1930's as a commercial league that featured not only basketball but also multiple other sports like baseball, football, and the like. The league was made up of different companies that represented various sectors of business. The big names that stood the test of time were the Yco Painters (referring to the paint owned by the Elizaldes), Ysmael Steel (a steel-making business owned by the Ysmaels), Crispa Redmanizers (garments owned by the