40 Years After: Crispa-Meralco rivalry remembered

Forty years ago, the legendary Crispa Redmanizers and their fierce rivals, the Meralco Reddy Kilowatts fought in an intense championship showdown in the President's Cup. The two titans of the old Manila Industrial Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) battled it out in a highly-physical encounter won by the Redmanizers, 75-66. Among the teams' biggest stars included sweet-shooting Adriano Papa, 'Daredevil' Danny Florencio, Rudolf Kutch, 'Magic Man' Rudy Soriano, Billy Abarrientos, uncle of the 'Flying A' Johnny Abbarientos and Johnny Revilla of Crispa. Their heralded counterparts from Meralco were Robert Jaworski, who became larger than life when he played for Toyota and became playing coach of the Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA, Olympians Orly Bauzon and Jimmy Mariano, Larry 'Little Fox' Mumar, Big Boy Reynoso and Alfonso Marquez. Handling the two fabled squads were Virgilio 'Baby' Dalupan of Crispa and Lauro 'The Fox' Mumar of Meralco. Curiously, Meralco is making a comeback in local cage scene via the Philippine Basketball Association. Meralco will be formally launched on August 26, which happens to be the birthday of former Meralco mentor Valentin 'Tito' Eduque. Here's the article of the late great Tony Siddayao, considered as 'The Dean of Philippine Sportswriting' for the old Manila Times on August 22, 1970. - RCJ/OMG, GMANews.TV