Time to come home

PBA legend Francis Arnaiz is coming home for good.

Since leaving Manila for the US in 1986, the fabled Mr. Clutch has lived in San Francisco and Sacramento raising his family with wife Bebe.  It was during his life abroad that Arnaiz found the Lord or as he put it, “the Lord found me.”

For Arnaiz, leaving Manila was the beginning of a new chapter in his rediscovery.  In his last PBA conference, Arnaiz played only four games and sat out most of the action with an injury.

Still, it was a memorable conference because his team, Ginebra San Miguel, won the title with Billy Ray Bates and Michael Hackett leading the charge. 

“I knew it was time to go,” recalled Arnaiz, who is here on a visit.  “I couldn’t play like I used to and didn’t want to continue playing unless I could play like before.  All my life, it was just play.  It wasn’t really living.  Sure, I had a grand time but it wasn’t life.”

Arnaiz turned his back on a “frivolous” existence that was cloaked in glamor and living on the fast lane to find the real meaning of life in the US. 

“I did odd jobs in my first few years,” said Arnaiz.  “Of course, it felt good to be recognized by Filipinos in the US but I was determined not to live in the past.  I owed it to my wife and my children.”

Before long, Arnaiz realized a life centered around God was what really mattered.  It was the rediscovery that gave meaning to his life.

“I began to reach out to people and talk about the Lord,” said Arnaiz.  “I was never much of a speaker but I found inspiration in God.  I wanted to share what happened to me.  I wanted others to know the fulfillment of living with the Lord in your heart.”

Although Arnaiz devoted himself to God’s service, he never forgot the sport that he learned to love as a boy.

“I think I must have been in kindergarten when my teacher told my mother I would someday become a basketball player,” he said.  “My teacher saw me shooting my school bag into a hole.  When I was a kid, I used to roll up socks or clothes into a ball and shoot it in some kind of bin or garbage can.  I’ve always loved sports like my parents.  I got into football then basketball.”

Arnaiz, 56, played basketball in an elementary league in La Salle Bacolod then became a star at St. Clement’s High School in Iloilo. “My coach in St. Clement’s was Joe Piamonte and I owe him a lot for my fundamentals,” he recalled.  “During those days, we were all just players who did everything.  We were all guards, forwards and centers.  Our basic play was to give the ball to me and I took care of the rest.  I represented the Visayas in a national competition in Marikina and was spotted by Fr. Edgar Martin who brought me to Ateneo.”

In 1969, Arnaiz saw action for the Blue Eagles squad that won the NCAA seniors crown.  His teammates included Marte Samson, Joy Cleofas, Baby Boy Morales, Chito Afable, Tito Panlilio, Bobby Rius, Frank Harn and Mai-Mai Fernandez. 

Then, Arnaiz joined Meralco in the MICAA where he was united with Sonny Jaworski.  When Meralco was disbanded, Arnaiz went back to Bacolod for nine months then was called back to Manila to play for a new club, Komatsu, with the Big J.  Komatsu evolved into Toyota and in 1975, the club joined the PBA.

Arnaiz said one of his most unforgettable basketball experiences was suiting up for the Philippine team in 1973.  “It’s a different feeling when you’re playing for your country,” he said.  “I don’t even remember if we got bonuses for winning the Asian championship.  It didn’t really matter because all we wanted was to play our best for our country.  Today, I know it’s tough to win in Asia.  But winning isn’t everything.  The important thing is we play our best.  If that means sacrificing by working our butts off, then that’s what it takes.”

Arnaiz played 12 years in the PBA and won 10 championships, including the title in his last conference in 1986.  He wound up his career scoring over 10,000 points and compiling close to 3,000 assists in 613 total games. 

The second of four children (oldest is sister Kookie and brothers are Leo and Nacho), Arnaiz is in town to visit his 85-year-old mother Terry.  He’s also drumbeating for the PBA Legends Tour in the US next month and helping out Nacho set up a network of convenience drug stores in gasoline stations.  Arnaiz  has four children – Inigo, 31, Kiko, 27, Tammy, 22 and Nicole, 21.

After playing in the Legends Tour, Arnaiz said he’s packing up and coming home.

“Just like it was time for me to leave Manila in 1986, now it’s time for me to leave Sacramento and come back home,” said Arnaiz.  “I’ve worked eight years for the State of California in a 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. desk job processing applications for a teaching license.  I don’t think I’ll stay around to work for a pension. I’ve done basketball clinics for kids in California, something I call Camp David. I’ll be happy to get involved in basketball again in the Philippines.”

Arnaiz recently met SBP executive director Pato Gregorio and they hit it off. 

“I appreciate the SBP’s vision,” said Arnaiz. “If there’s anything I can do to contribute in accomplishing the SBP’s objectives, I’m available. The approach must be long-term. We’ve got to build a pyramid where our base is a solid foundation of players. 

“I could also do clinics, coach or even do commentary for radio or TV.  It’s time to give back to the sport that gave me a name. That much, I owe to the fans.”