PBA Opening 1984

Aug 8, 2023 - 17:40 Updated: Jul 6, 2024 - 16:07

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1. PBA Opening 1984

PBA Opening 1984
Date : March 25, 1984
Location : Araneta Coliseum, Cubao , Quezon City

List of PBA teams participated :

Beer Hausen Brewmasters( Shareholdings Inc.- Andrew H. Jao )
Country Fair Hotdogs( Sanyu Group of Companies- Pablito L. Bermudo )
Crispa Redmanizers( P. Floro and Sons - Narciso Bernardo )
Gilbey's Gin Tonics( La Tondeña Incorporada -Carlos Palanca III )
Great Taste Coffee Makers ( Consolidated Foods Corporation - Quirino Marquinez )
Gold Eagle Beermen ( San Miguel Corporation - Nazario Avendaño )
Tanduay Rhum Makers ( Elizalde & Company Tanduay Distillers, Inc. - Johnny Jose )

As early as two o'clock, despite the heat of a sweltering summer afternoon and the prospect of a steamier, more sul- try time inside a Big Dome that is not longer air-conditioned, thick bands of big- time local basketball's faithful began streaming in for the inaugurals of PBA '84. What they saw two hours later, as the curtains finally rose on what had been basketball's biggest show since 1975, seemed worth the increased prices of admission, the long wait and the almost sauna bath atmosphere inside the Araneta Coliseum. It was sheer hokum, but the crowd of some 25,000 loved every minute of it. As for the opening twinbill, well, in the first game San Miguel Beer slugged Tanduay and that was expected but in the nightcap, a now revved-up, now high- powered Great Taste Coffee squad, now coached full time by former Crispa bench tactician Virgilio (Baby) Dalupan, socked it to defending champion Crispa and that was not in the formcharts.

"It looks like we're off to a flying start," gushed PBA Commissioner Maria no Yenko Jr., and that is putting it mildly. Earlier, league officials had worried out loud over the possible adverse effects the tight money situation and the absence of Toyota, concededly the most popular ballclub in the PBA, would have on the 10th season of local basketball's big box office attraction. The way the big crowds came back to the big dome for Sunday's inaugurals, it seemed all would be well for the PBA, And especially after Great Taste pulled the rug from under heavily-favored Crispa in an off-the-formchart decision that seated with the members of the PBA board of governors, and symbolizing with his presence the "reconciliation" of amateur and pro basketball, said Joe Cantada, was BAP and FIBA president Lito Puyat, who, incidentally and along with two other prominent basketball personalities, Danny Floro of Crispa and Chino Marquinez of Great Taste Coffee, are running in the Batasan elections in Metro Manila,

The crowd was led in the singing of the national anthem by Jam Morales, who faltered slightly towards the end of her rendition, drawing titters from the crowd. Of the teams who were able to latch on to the members of a Toyota team that is no more, the one that drew the most applause was Gilbey's which now counts with Jaworski and Francis Arnaiz in its line-up. In a tribute to the memory of the late Andy Soriano, the festive crowd went silent for a minute to pray for the soul of the sportsman-industrialist president of San Miguel Corporation who passed away last week in Spain. Belated league citations, on the one hand, were presented to three players who achieved individual feats of achievement in PBA '83. The awardees were Robert Jaworski, Fortunato (Atoy) Co and Abet Guidaben, last season's MVP., Then it was time for the formal opening and PBA president Palanca, looking crisp and composed in a barong, did his chore in a crisp tone. "Let the games begin," said the 32- year-old business executive who's general- ly credited with providing the league with the kind of leadership it needs in its battle for survival..