Clouters’ hopes gone with loss of Fil-Am

BUSAN, South Korea — When the new version of the legendary Blu Girls begin their campaign in women’s softball against Korea today, the man whose name has been synonymous to the sport, or even baseball, would be ruing the loss of a prized find earlier this year.

Filomeno "Boy" Codiñera, whose exploits in the game landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records decades ago, could only shake his head when he recalled how a young Fil-Am from the West Coast could have been a great asset to the team.

Her name is Kristine Dedmon, a 17-year-old power hurler whose mom hailed from Ilocos Norte, and acknowledged as one of the top junior pitchers in the United States.

Filipino officials scouted her during the World Cup youth championship in Surrey, Canada early this year and were impressed by her performance.

They thought they had found a major weapon to help neutralize the strength of rivals Japan, China and Chinese Taipei in the women’s event until the girl was enlisted by the US national team and that dashed all hopes of the officials to figure prominently in Busan.

"We were thinking of breaking into the semifinals but I guess we will have to do it the hard way," said Codiñera.

The 63-year-old softball vice-president brought in a team with an average age of 19 with mainstays from the Rizal Technological University forming the nucleus of the squad.

The team finished fifth in a seven-team field in Bangkok and made it here by figuring in a third place tie with the Taiwanese in the Osaka qualifier in 2001. Carrying the hopes of the team are Hayde Bongas, Mechil Cristobal, Nimpa Baral, Jane Balbuena, Ailen Abello and Rodelie Gamazon.

"Mabigat ang laban but we will go down fighting for sure," said Codiñera.

The Philippines was once a superpower in the game in the late 60s and early 70s when the Blu Girls and Blu Boys rose to prominence behind the stewardship of the late Rizal Gov. Isidro Rodriguez.

It was in these glory years when Codiñera made it to the Guinness Book by hitting five consecutive doubles in a single game during the world championship in Oklahoma in 1968.

"Lahat ng pinalo ko double," said Codiñera. The feat enabled him to join two other Filipino greats -— bowlers Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo —- in the Guinness.

But those days were gone, those times when the RP clouters would hold their own against the best, when the Blu Girls would rank third and fourth in the world in 1970 and 1974 and churn out top-class softbelles like Julita Tayo, Lita Velasco, Mariquita Salazar, Josie Cruz and Letty Gempisao.

"Those stars started young like these girls and so there’s hope. Palaging may pag-asa," said Codiñera.