Baby Gustilo home again - SPORTING CHANCE by Joaquin M. Henson

A few weeks ago, a Japanese newspaperman arrived in Manila with the cremated remains of former Filipino fighter Loreto (Baby) Gustilo in an urn. Yasuhiro Kojima, a staff writer of Sankei Shimbun Newspaper Co. Ltd. of Japan, came to deliver the urn to Gustilo’s relatives. The problem was Kojima didn’t know where to find any of the surviving relatives.

Kojima’s friend Sachi Takahata is doing research on Filipino fighters in Japan and pointed him to the late Flash Elorde’s widow Laura Sarreal. Unfortunately, Mrs. Elorde couldn’t help Kojima although she remembered meeting Gustilo with D’Flash in Osaka in 1957.

"Bai (the Flash’s nickname) was in Osaka for a fight (against Hidemi Wade whom he knocked out in five rounds)," recalled Mrs. Elorde. "I was told that Gustilo once fought and lost to Speed Cabanela. When Bai and I met him, Gustilo — who spoke like a Japanese — had already retired from boxing."

Gustilo went to Japan in 1941 and never came back to the Philippines. He was stranded when the war broke out and lived in Osaka. After the war, Gustilo became the Japanese flyweight champion. He died in Osaka last Nov. 2 at the age of 79.

"He was a popular professional boxer in Japan right after World War II," said Kojima. "According to old boxing fans, he was like a god among young Japanese fighters in the 1950s. He was loved by Japanese fans, established a family in Japan, and never returned to the Philippines. I have no idea which barrio he was from. I don’t know where his relatives are. The only fact I know is that his son Reynaldo Bajato worked at UP Los Baños in Laguna in the 1970s."

Kojima said he was told that Gustilo was born in Iloilo City and that was where he went during his recent trip here. He was also told that Gustilo left behind a son, Reynaldo, in Los Baños before going to Japan.

Finding no relatives, Kojima left the urn at the Our Lady of the Assumption church in Barangay Obrero, Iloilo City, care of Fr. Maurillo Silva. He flew to the Philippines at his own expense to bring Gustilo back to his hometown. Kojima said he wanted Gustilo "to sleep in peace." The Japanese writer was here for only a few days.

If you know where to track down any of Gustilo’s relatives or if you remember anything at all about Gustilo – particularly as a fighter, please call me at Tel. 527-6007.

Meanwhile, Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) President Frank Quill of Australia has promised to help cancer-stricken teenaged fighter Gregie Simbajon.

In a letter to Simbajon’s manager Marty Elorde, Quill said, "The OPBF will, of course, do something. Gregie Simbajon is in my prayers and the prayers of my wife Sue. Please be assured the OPBF will help to the full extent of our capacity, even though it will not be anywhere near enough to cover what is needed."

Quill said he is also requesting financial assistance from World Boxing Council (WBC) President Jose Sulaiman through the governing body’s Friendly Hand Foundation.

The WBC formed the Foundation to help indigent boxers and their families, whether former champions or not, with medicine and food pensions, wheelchairs, dentures, surgeries, other medical necessities, and funerals for a dignified burial.

In a report submitted during the WBC Convention in Mexico City last October, Sulaiman said the Foundation had given over $1 Million to poor fighters and their families the last 25 years. He added that the Foundation remits a monthly allowance of $200 to $500 for food and medical pensions to former fighters like Emile Griffith, Kid Gavilan, Saensak Muangsurin, Wilfred Benitez, Joe Becerra, Alfonso Zamora, Raul Macias, Alphonse Hamili, and many others. It has also paid for the surgery and cancer treatment of Jose Medel and provided financial support for his disabled daughter, arranged for the burial of Argentinian Pascual Perez, found dead in the streets, and surgery and medical treatment for Joe Louis’ widow, among many others.

The Foundation will likely send at least $1,000 for Simbajon.

Cebu-based businessman Tony Aldeguer was the first to contribute to a fund for Simbajon who is battling bone cancer. Simbajon, 19, turned pro last year and has figured in only three fights, winning twice by first round knockout. He is confined at St. Luke’s Hospital in the care of Dr. Cipriano de los Reyes.

Those who wish to help may contact Elorde at Tel. 825-1554.

Postscript. Our "No. 1 Contest" winner Ramon Noel wrote: "I was surprised and elated to read your column last Jan. 26, ‘Prayer works in draw,’ in which you proclaimed nationwide the power of prayer in our lives. Indeed, our good God is full of pleasant surprises as countless friends and relatives, after reading your column, congratulated me and affirmed that prayer does work. My daughter called me up from medical school at Perpetual agreeing with your column — prayer works in her studies and doctors always pray before operating. My older brother Prof. Eduardo Noel, teaching economics at La Salle, affirms that prayer works in the teaching profession. A friend Louie de Manila of UP Diliman also read your column and was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was chosen over 25,000 entries by quoting Matthew 19:26: ‘Nothing is impossible.’ My cousin Titong Sagarbarria, a La Salle player of the 1976 NCAA champions with Lim Eng Beng as captain, congratulated me and would like to make public that their team coached by Tito Eduque was a prayerful team. Another good friend, godfather of my daughter Camille, Deputy Executive Secretary Louie Liwanag II, congratulated me and affirms that prayer works at all times even during his student days at La Salle and now at Malacañang." ... Ardin Buenaventura said Danny Seigle is his favorite San Miguel Beer player in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) ... Nuel Medelo of Davao City said he likes the "Trend Watch" innovation we’ve introduced in the PBA TV coverage ... Rizaldy Ong said "the PBA must get strict with the salary cap and punish severely those who violate it — it is for the league’s own good."