4 PBA greats, Jun B head Hall of Fame honorees

MANILA, Philippines - Four cage greats and one of the most beloved officials in its 35-year history comprised the third batch of honorees to be inducted in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Hall of Fame.

Basketball superstars Samboy Lim, Allan Caidic, Hector Calma and Ricky Brown lead the short, seven-man list that make up this year’s Hall of Fame awardees who will be feted on Oct. 9 in a special awards ceremony at the posh Shangrila hotel in Makati.

The late league commissioner Emilio ‘Jun’ Bernadino joins the four retired players in the select roster together with former PBA chairman Carlos ‘Honeyboy’ Palanca of La Tondena and seven-time Best Import winner Bobby Parks.

PBA chairman Lito Alvarez of Burger King presented the honorees together with Hall of Fame Executive Committee members Tony Chua of Barako Bull, Rene Pardo of Purefoods and Atty. Mamerto Mondragon of Rain or Shine during the PSA Forum Tuesday at the Shakey’s UN Avenue branch.

“After more than two months of deliberation, we’re happy to formally announce this year’s batch of inductees in the PBA Hall of Fame,” Alvarez said in the session sponsored by Outlast Battery, Shakey’s, Accel and PAGCOR.

“So far, there are already 22 players and personalities who had been inducted, twelve in 2005 and 10 in 2007. So it’s getting difficult to select honorees, who are all deserving and worthy to be called Hall of Famers.”

Basketball’s Living Legend Robert Jaworski and four-time PBA MVP Ramon Fernandez headed the initial batch of players named to the elite list, while Abet Guidaben, coach Ron Jacobs and former project director Eduardo ‘Danding’ Cojuangco were among those included in the second batch.

The Hall of Fame selection is being done every two years.

Chua said plans are being made for the 6-foot Brown to come here and personally receive his plaque.

Brown, the 1985 PBA MVP, is now a principal at the Ross Middle School in Artesia, California.

Alvarez added a set of criteria have been enforced ever since by a selection panel that included commissioner Sonny Barrios, former chairman Joaqui Trillo, Alvarez, Chua, sports editors Ding Marcelo of the Manila Bulletin and Inquirer’s Teddyvic Melendres, veteran sportswriter and Tempo assistant editor Tito Talao, and long-time broadcaster Andy Jao, who heads the Hall of Fame’s nomination committee.

The honors committee that determined the final seven-man list was headed by former Vintage Enterprise head Bobong Velez.

Chua said musical and entertainment numbers during the award ceremony sponsored by Yakult, Outlast Battery, Smart and Highlander, will be provided by the Hitmakers and comedienne Giselle Sanchez. Also in the works is the probable appearance of tv/movie personality Kris Aquino, the better half of Purefoods star player James Yap.