Sports heroes open exhibit

MANILA, Philippines - An all-star cast of athletes gathered to formally inaugurate the “Pagpupugay” exhibit paying tribute to 19 Filipino sports legends at the lobby of the Resorts World Manila last Sunday and project proponent Chino Trinidad said he hopes the memories will inspire future generations to follow in their footsteps.

The sports heroes who graced the inauguration were six-time bowling world champion Paeng Nepomuceno, 57, four-time bowling world champion Bong Coo, 65, 1996 Atlanta Olympic silver medalist Onyok Velasco, 40, PBA legend Samboy Lim, 52, Asia’s first chess grandmaster Eugene Torre, 62, three-time Olympic cager Ramoncito Campos, 89, two-time world boxing champion Gerry Penalosa, 41 and two-time Olympic long jumper Elma Muros, 47. Also attending the opening rites were the late Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation president Antonio de las Alas’ daughters Ching Montinola and Menchu Concepcion, Resorts World Manila assistant vice president for special events/promotions Francis Bonnevie and reigning Women’s International Boxing Association minimumweight champion Gretchen Abaniel.

Trinidad conceptualized the “Pagpupugay” project and said a program to honor the 19 legends will be held at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre in the Resorts World Manila on June 12. The exhibit is scheduled to run for two weeks but Trinidad said he will request Resorts World Manila management to extend the display until the end of the month. The 19 legends are Paulino Alcantara, Pancho Villa, Teofilo Yldefonso, Miguel White, Felicisimo Ampon, Ben Arda, Caloy Loyzaga, Flash Elorde, Anthony Villanueva, Arianne Cerdena, Lita de la Rosa, Efren (Bata) Reyes, Ceferino Garcia, Simeon Toribio, Nepomuceno, Velasco, Coo, Torre and Manny Pacquiao.

“It’s a fitting tribute to our sports heroes,” he said. “This was one year in the making and judging from the public response at the opening, it will go a long way in creating awareness of the greatness in Philippine sports. Today, we read headlines exposing corruption in our society. Through this exhibit, we want to remind our people that there are Filipinos in the Hall of Fame, not only in the Hall of Shame.”

The exhibit extends to the full length of the Resorts World Manila lobby. A highlight is a half-scale wax sculpture of basketball legend Loyzaga diving for a loose ball in the Philippine jersey he wore at the 1954 FIBA World Championships in Rio de Janeiro. The sculpture was made by Bon Mujeres and is in the mold of a McFarlane figure known for its detail and human likeness. Trinidad said his dream is for every one of the 19 legends to be immortalized in the same way.

Campos, who played basketball at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics, said he never imagined an exhibit of this high-quality execution could be possible. “When Chino talked to me about this exhibit last year, I thought it couldn’t be done,” said the fabled ambidextrous shooter who saw action on the 1946 UAAP undefeated basketball senior men’s champion UST team. “Now that it’s here, I invite every Filipino to see the exhibit because it celebrates the golden years of Philippine sports.”

Velasco attended the inauguration with his Olympic silver medal on hand. He came with his four children and was mobbed by fans. In the exhibit, he appears in a mural honoring the greatest Filipino fighters done by Hael Pinat. The collage of pictures shows Pacquiao, Elorde, Nonito Donaire, Villa, Garcia, Dodie Boy and Gerry Penalosa, Luisito Espinosa, Villanueva, Erbito Salavarria and Velasco.

In another collage made by Pinat, the greatest Filipino basketball players are shown featuring Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Lim, Allan Caidic, Alvin Patrimonio, Jayson Castro, Marc Pingris, Loyzaga, Campos, Benjie Paras, Ed Ocampo, Lauro Mumar, Narciso Bernardo, Jacinto Ciria-Cruz, Charlie Badion and Boni Carbonnel.

Portrait artist Alfred Galvez made oil paintings of the sports heroes and they’re also on display. Additionally, artist Jun Aquino did a painting of Loyzaga as a backdrop to the wax sculpture and artist Ronilo Abayan contributed two paintings of Pacquiao, one as a neophyte boxer working out and another as a world champion battling Juan Manuel Marquez.

Video tributes on three 52-inch LG monitors show films of Philippine sports milestones like Simeon Toribio high-jumping for the bronze medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and Pancho Villa knocking out Jimmy Wilde to become Asia’s first world boxing champion in New York in 1923. An easy-to-follow timeline highlighting milestones in the history of Philippine sports is another feature of the exhibit with caricatures and sketches of heroes done by a team of artists including Gener del Mundo, Pinat and John Henson. The timeline includes an item on football star Alcantara who became FC Barcelona’s all-time leading goal scorer in 1927.

A section on the 1954 FIBA World Championships in Brazil showcases the game ball signed by the Philippine team, the bronze medal given to each Filipino player and the actual No. 9 jersey worn by Pons Saldana. Also on display are Villanueva’s 1964 Olympic silver medal and the 1988 Olympic bronze medal won by lightflyweight boxer Leopoldo Serrantes.