Billy Ray coming to Manila?

Declaring he’s now sober and clean, former PBA import Billy Ray Bates may be headed for Manila sooner than he thinks because the shoe brand he endorsed here 20 years ago is relaunching a basketball line in early May and may bring him over as a celebrity endorser.

Bates, 52, was an iconic figure in the PBA as the “Black Superman,” playing for Crispa and Ginebra San Miguel from 1983 to 1988. He wore his own signature Grosby shoes.

Since his departure from Manila in 1988, Bates fell into hard times. He became addicted to cocaine and alcohol. Bates was not in his right senses when in 1998, he held up a gasoline station at knifepoint and slashed attendant Philip Kettel’s ear in New Jersey. All Bates got in the heist was five dollars. He was later arrested and sentenced to serve seven years in prison.

Trying to straighten his life after completing his jail term, Bates now organizes basketball skills clinics with 1984 Philadelphia 76ers fourth round draft pick Earl Harrison. He’s keeping out of trouble and staying close to the game he loves.

Bates was rediscovered by PBA broadcaster Mico Halili who wrote about the Kentucky State star in his sports column on FHM.com.ph. Bates, who appears to be a big FHM fan, read Mico’s piece in the net and shot off an email to establish his location.

At first, Mico wasn’t sure if it was really Bates writing. He checked out Bates’ email address and received confirmation that it’s from an honest-to-goodness US base. Mico then went a step further and asked Bates to send a recent photograph. Bates obliged and sent a photograph taken last year. Mico was finally convinced the “Black Superman” had resurfaced.

Mico shared his Bates experience with fellow broadcasters, Sev Sarmenta and myself. I got Bates’ email address from Mico and wrote him. Within minutes of receiving my email, Bates replied and said, “I want to do clinics for kids when I come there and if anyone needs me for public relations events, I’m ready.” Bates also mentioned he’s been desperately trying to contact his friends at Grosby and Allendale, a uniform maker——without success.

The other day, Bates’ former teammate and PBA legend Chito Loyzaga said from what he knows, Allendale is no longer in business. As for Grosby, he was also not aware if it’s still in the market.

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But yesterday, I got a text from Joseph Ong saying Grosby is alive and kicking. Ong is the president and CEO of Creasia Marketing which is Grosby’s exclusive distributor in the country. Ong, a batchmate and close friend of San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen, is related to Manny Ong who was formerly with Rubberworld, the company that manufactured and distributed Grosby during the Bates era.

Creasia vice president for marketing and sales Kim Sia said when Rubberworld made a big push for another shoe brand KP in 1988-89, Grosby was put in cold storage. Grosby, however, wasn’t completely erased from store shelves. It was marketed on a small scale in selected stores, mainly in Mindanao , with a kiddies line.

Eventually, Creasia took over Grosby’s license from Rubberworld and now, there are major plans to relaunch a complete line of performance and lifestyle shoes.

Grosby is owned by Pacific Brands, a marketing and distribution company that represents Dunlop, Clarks, Slazenger and Hush Puppies shoes, among others, in Australia. It’s known as the “feel-good footwear” brand. Grosby started with slippers in 1925 and was sold in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK. Today, it is available in Europe and the US, pushing children’s shoes, school shoes, summer casuals, slippers, lifestyle and sports models like the Cyclone, Omni, Radical, Phantom, Phoenix and Planet.

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 “I will explore the possibility of bringing Billy Ray here,” said Ong. “I need to know the figures involved.”

Sia said he was surprised at the timing of Bates’ correspondence.

“It’s unbelievable,” he noted. “What are the chances of Bates making contact and asking about Grosby at the time when we’re planning a relaunch?”

Sia said the Grosby shoes to be sold here will be made in China and Vietnam. The least expensive model will be the lifestyle canvas shoe to retail at about P1,000 while the top-of-the-line basketball shoe will be over P5,000. When Bates played in the PBA, Grosby produced a basketball shoe strictly for the Philippine market. Now, two decades later, it will do the same.

Sia said while basketball will be a primary sport, Grosby will also put out shoes for running, cross-training, lifestyle and kids.

“We’ll unravel a complete line,” continued Sia. “We’ve got a new technology for basketball but at the moment, we’re not revealing what it is. That’s our secret. But it’s definitely going to set a trend. We’re interested to bring in Billy Ray and we’ll also be looking for local endorsers.”

With Grosby back in the picture, will Allendale be far behind?

“It’s possible Allendale is still doing uniforms,” said Mico. “Over in Recto and Raon, there are lots of sports uniform makers and I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them has roots to Allendale of the ’80s.”