Paras, Magsanoc head PBA Hall of Fame nominees

MANILA, Philippines – Two-time MVP awardee Benjie Paras and buddy Ronnie Magsanoc led seven other esteemed personalities nominated to compose the fifth batch of honorees to the PBA Hall of Fame.

In a strong consensus in a meeting Wednesday, the PBA Hall of Fame selection/nomination committee also named as nominees former Rookie of the Year awardee Arnie Tuadles, Lim Eng Beng, import Sean Chambers, coach Ed Ocampo, referee Egmidio Cahanding, longtime league board member Elmer Yanga and media man Fred Luarca.

The STAR columnist Joaquin Henson chaired the selection/nomination committee that included PBA officials Rickie Santos and Willie Marcial, PBA Press Corps president Musong Castillo, TV5’s Magsanoc, sports columnist Dennis Principe and Paras, representing PBA players.

Their nominations will go through screening by the honors committee before they eventually make the Hall of Fame. The induction of the next batch of PBA Hall of Fame honorees will be held either on the opening of the next PBA season or in an stand-alone event prior to the opening.

A total of 36 individuals in four previous batches have been enshrined into the Hall of Fame, including 12 during its launch in 2005.

The first batch was composed of Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Atoy Co, Philip Cezar, Bogs Adornado, Francis Arnaiz, Baby Dalupan, Leo Prieto, Emerson Coseteng, Rudy Salud, Danny Floro and Joe Cantada.

Abet Guidaben, Manny Paner, Danny Florencio, Norman Black, Ron Jacobs, Domingo Itchon, Danding Cojuangco, Dante Silverio, Tony Siddayao and Pinggoy Pengson made up the second group enshrined in 2007; Bobby Parks, Allan Caidic, Samboy Lim, Hector Calma, Ricky Brown, Honeyboy Palanca and Jun Bernardino the third batch in 2009; and Alvin Patrimonio, Billy Ray Bates, Freddie Hubalde, Tommy Manotoc, Tito Eduque, Mariano Yenko and Bobong Velez the fourth group in 2011.

A total of 44 individuals, including 34 players, made the initial list of candidates for the 2013 batch.

Out of the 34 players, 21 were left after the open discussion and deliberation among members of the selection/nomination committee.

Then as part of the process of eliminations, the committee members nominated six each in a secret balloting.

Paras emerged the topnotcher with seven votes, followed by Magsanoc and Chambers with six each and Tuadles and Lim with five apiece.

Players getting at least one vote were Byron Snake Jones, Jerry Codinera, Bernie Fabiosa, Ato Agustin, Jojo Lastimosa, Abe King and Padim Israel.

Then the group nominated a coach, a team manager, a league official and a media personality, thus, came in Ocampo, Yanga, Cahanding and Luarca.

All candidates have been previously nominated except Cahanding and Yanga.

“After the process, I asked the group ‘are we going to add more?’ There’s a proposal to add two more players. After dividing the house, we stuck with five,” said Henson.

“Yung mga players, cream of the crop talaga. It’s a very strong consensus,” Henson also said.

Paras is the strongest contender with his illustrious playing career highlighted by MVP awards in 1989 and 1999. In 1989, he made a record as the league’s first rookie/MVP winner.

Magsanoc is also right there on top, being a topnotch guard during his time. He was a one-time First Mythical Team awardee and three-time Second Mythical Team honoree.

If ever, the Shell triumvirate of Paras, Magsanoc and Tuadles would all be enshrined to the Hall of Fame at the same time.

Tuadles, while with Toyota, was the first Rookie of the Year to make the First Mythical Team in 1979.