Softball at baseball great pararangalan sa PSA Awards

MANILA, Philippines – Nagawa niyang bigyan ng karangalan ang Pilipinas sa softball at baseball.

Kaya naman gagawaran si Filomeno ‘Boy’ Codiñera ng Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) ng Lifetime Achievement Award sa Annual Awards Night na iniha­handog ng Milo at San Miguel Corp. sa Feb. 13 sa One Esplanade sa Pasay City.

“It’s about time the great Boy Codiñera or ‘Mang Boy’ to all us, be accorded with an award that speaks volume about his stature as a distinguished softball and baseball player who did us proud not only in Asia but around the world. The man truly deserved it,” sabi ni PSA president Riera Mallari ng Manila Standard.

Si Codiñera ay isang long-time member ng pamosong Blu Boys kung saan siya humataw ng pitong sunod na doubles noong 1968 World Championships  sa Oklahoma, USA na naglagay sa kanya sa Guinness Book of World Records.

Ipagdiriwang ni Codiñera ang kanyang pang-77 taon sa Marso at isa lamang sa mga awardees na pararangalan ng PSA sa gabi kung saan kikilalanin sina world boxing champions Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire Jr., at rising golf star Miguel Tabuena bilang co-Athletes of the Year.

Si Codiñera ay dati ring miyembro ng Philippine team na nag-uwi ng bronze medal noong 1966 World Amateur Baseball Championship sa Hawaii.

Ama ni basketball star Jerry at nina ex-PBA players Harmon at Pat, naglaro si Codiñera para sa Blu Boys na nagkampeon sa Asian Men’s Softball Championship noong 1967, 1973 at 1977.

Ginabayan din niya ang University of Santo Tomas sa pagpitas sa apat na baseball championships at anim na softball titles sa UAAP.

Isang retiredong miyembro ng ‘Manila’s Finest,’ mi­yembro rin si Codiñera ng Canlubang Sugar Barons na nagdomina sa Manila Bay Baseball League at mga local softball tournaments noong 1950’s hanggang 1970’s.

Ang mga naunang nagawaran ng nasabing award na ibinibigay ng pinakamatandang media organization, nasa ika-67 taon, ay sina champion coach Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan, boxing referee Carlos Padilla, dating International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative Frank Elizalde, one-time FIBA-Asia secretary-general Mauricio ‘Moying’ Martelino at ang namayapang si basketball great Carlos Loyzaga.

Ang gala night na inihahandog ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, Maynilad, Accel, Globalport, Rain or Shine, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Senator Chiz Escudero at SM Holdings ay pangungunahan nina hosts Quinito Henson at Patricia Bermudez-Hizon.

Bukod sa Athlete of the Year at Lifetime Achievement Award, ibibigay din ng PSA ang President’s Award (Gilas Pilipinas), Ms. Volleyball (Alyssa Valdez), at Mr. Basketball (Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo).

May award din para sa Executive of the Year, mga major awards sa iba pang sports, posthumous, at citations, kasama ang lahat ng gold medalists sa nakaraang Southeast Asian Games sa Singapore.