NEW SPORTS HALL OF FAMERS. "Living Legend" Robert Jaworski, football legend Paulino Alcantara, and long jump queen Elma Muros-Posadas lead the 10 new inductees to the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame that were announced on Friday (March 12, 2021). They will be inducted formally in an enshrinement ceremony tentatively scheduled for May 29. (Photos courtesy of the Facebook pages of Jaworski, Alcantara, Muros-Posadas)
MANILA – The Philippine Sports Hall of Fame (PSHOF) will have 10 new members as the selection committee announced the latest additions on Friday.
Headlining the list is basketball's "Living Legend" Robert Jaworski, who won multiple championships in the collegiate, professional, and national team ranks.
He also became the symbol of Ginebra's "never-say-die" attitude that has become the Philippine Basketball Association team's mantra until today.
Also inducted to the PSHOF is football legend Paulino Alcantara.
Alcantara was a part of the Philippine team that thrashed Japan, 15-2, in the 1917 Far Eastern Championship Games, the predecessor of the Asian Games, by far the Philippines' biggest win in the international football circuit.
He was also one of FC Barcelona's first superstars, leading the current La Liga Santander powerhouse to six Copa Del Rey titles during the 1910s and 1920s while also becoming the club's youngest scorer at age 15.
Also making the list is long jump queen Elma Muros-Posadas.
Posadas won eight Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medals in the event alone while winning seven more in athletics.
Rounding out the headliners are Eric Buhain, a 13-time SEA Games gold medalist in swimming; Olympic bronze medal-winning boxers Leopoldo Serrantes and Roel Velasco; fellow Olympians Rogelio Onofre (athletics) and Gertrudes Lozada (swimming); champion bowler Arianne Cerdeña; and champion diver and basketball player and coach Dionisio Calvo.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez led the PSHOF selection committee as chairman, while Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino backstopped Ramirez as vice chairman.
Also making up the committee were Games and Amusements Board chairman Baham Mitra, POC and Philippine Football Federation secretary general Ed Gastanes, PhilCycling secretary general Billy Sumagui, Philippine Olympians Association president Akiko Thomson-Guevara, and University Athletic Association of the Philippines executive director Rebo Saguisag.
Also helping the selection committee's cause was a review committee consisting of top sports media personalities Ed Andaya, Joe Antonio, Rey Bancod, Dodo Catacutan, Quinito Henson, Tessa Jazmines, Jun Lomibao, and Tito Talao.
"I am pleased with the choices of both the review and selection committees. Congratulations to all the fourth-batch enshrinees!" Ramirez said.
"Na-appreciate ko ang review committee, malaking tulong. Salamat sa inyong recommendation (I appreciate the review committee. They are of great help. Thank you for your recommendation)," Mitra added. "I am glad that a new batch of people who fought for the country and sacrificed a lot will be given recognition to inspire the new generation of sports heroes."
Each enshrinee will take home PHP200,000 and a trophy.
The athletes' induction will be formalized through an enshrinement ceremony, the details of which will be announced soon.
The ceremony is tentatively scheduled for May 29, but the selection committee is looking to move it to an earlier date. (PNA)
