Tanduay Rhum Masters

Infobox PBA team
logo=Tanduay Rhum Masters logo.gif
picsize=99px
color1=yellow
color2=red
name=Tanduay Rhum Masters
founded=1985| history=Tanduay Rhum
YCO-Tanduay
Tanduay Rhum Makers
Tanduay Rhum Masters
1975-1988; 1999-2001
colors=Red and gold
company=Elizalde family, Asia Brewery Corporation
coach_label=Head coaches
coach=Caloy Loyzaga, Tito Eduque, Turo Valenzona, Alfrancis Chua (PBL and PBA), Derrick Pumaren
titles= PBA: 3 (1986 Reinforced, 1986 All-Filipino, 1987 Open)
PBL: 7 (1995 Imports Reinforced, 1995 All-Filipino, 1995-96 1st Danny Floro Cup, 1996 2nd Danny Floro Cup, 1997 Makati Mayor's, 1997-98 All-Filipino, 1998 Centennial)
withdrew=1988
readmitted=1999
rewithdrew=2001
pattern l=_thinredsides|body l=FFD700|shorts l=FFD700|title l=Light uniform
pattern d=_thinyellowsides|body d=ff0000|shorts d=ff0000|title d=Dark uniform
The Tanduay Rhum Masters is a former Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Philippine Basketball League (PBL) basketball team.

History

Tanduay Rhum was then a brand owned by the late Don Manolo Elizalde, the same owner of Yco Paints and other consumer items. At that time already, Tanduay was the number one selling rum in the world and was considered as one of the biggest and banner products that the country exported to other countries.

Don Manolo was closely associated to Philippine sports, having been active in several fields like basketball, tennis, swimming among others. The Elizaldes have closely associates themselves with basketball -having formed the winningest Philippine basketball team of the '60's. Players who have donned the Yco Painters jersey back in the 60's included Caloy Loyzaga, Bonnie Carbonell, Ed Ocampo, Dading Cuna, Freddie Webb, and Robert Jaworski. Along with Ysmael Steel, the two teams established the biggest rivalry back in the '60's, not unlike Crispa and Toyota in the '70's.

PBA days

When the PBA was conceptualized in 1975, Don Manolo, whose team was actively involved in the MICAA and National Seniors, was one of the pioneers of the league when he joined forces with stellar businessmen like Domingo Itchon, Ricardo Silverio, Ernest Escaler, Walter Euyang, Emerson Coseteng and Danny Floro to break away from the BAP stranglehold.

The Elizalde team, though competitive, never got to win a PBA title until Ramon Fernandez was taken in from a direct trade with Manila Beer for Abet Guidaben in the mid-80s. Top players who donned the Yco/Tanduay jersey included Freddie Webb, Mike Bilbao, Rene Canent, Valerio "Botchok" Delos Santos, Joy Cleofas, Marte Samson, Rino Salazar, Abe Monzon and Rookies of the Year for 1977 Jimmy Taguines and 1978 Jimmy Manansala. Imports who have played for Tanduay in the early years included Kevin Cluess, Odell Ball, David Payne, Bernard Harris, Gene Moore, Tim Hirten, Curtis Berry, Jerome Henderson, Bill Bozeat and 1981 Reinforced Conference Best Import awardee Russell Murray. The venerable Caloy Loyzaga handled the coaching chores of Tanduay mostly during the 70s. Some handles that this team used during those times included the Esquires, Distillers and ESQs. .

It was in 1985 when they started to become a championship contender. Led by Abet Guidaben and Freddie Hubalde coming from the disbanded Crispa Redmanizers team, Tanduay became a team to reckon with and was able to secure other players like Willie Generalao from Gilbey's Gin (he followed his mentor Turo Valenzona when the latter was chosen to coach the team then), Abet Gutierrez, J.B. Yango, and Padim Israel. The 1986 and 1987 seasons were the franchise's banner years as they won 3 conference titles out of 6, including a pulsating 3-1 victory in the All Filipino against arch rivals Ginebra San Miguel. At that time, Fernandez was already suited up for Tanduay and was instrumental in bringing the crown to the Elizalde franchise. Two topnotch imports, Rob Williams and Andre McKoy likewise led the team to a 4-2 victory against Great Taste in the 1986 Reinforced Conference. Their arch rivals Ginebra placed 3rd that conference powered by imports Terry Duerod and Clinton Wheeler.

After their first title, the whole squad brought the championship trophy to the grave of their late owner. The Rhum Masters followed it up with its second straight PBA crown winning the All-Filipino Conference over Ginebra San Miguel in the championship series. They also won their last championship in the 1987 PBA Open Conference defeating a powerhouse Great Taste team led by Philip Cezar, Atoy Co, Abe King, Arnie Tuadles, Bernie Fabiosa, superstar rookie Allan Caidic and import Michael Young. Tanduay, on the other hand, had its core players Fernandez, Hubalde, Israel, Yango, Generalao, Dela Cruz and added a devastating import in David Thirdkill who was a member of the 1986 NBA Champion Boston Celtics.

Disbandment

A business blackeye occurred in late 1987 when a couple of Tanduay drinkers died allegedly owing to the liquor. This caused a major backlash in terms of sales as revenues collapsed and almost put the Elizaldes to bankruptcy. This forced the hand of Elizalde right hand man Pepito Del Gallego to disband the team, but not after Purefoods Hotdogs of the Ayalas was able to secure a deal with the team and the league to get their players as well as the luxury of getting five picks in the amateur ranks to beef up their lineup. Hence, Jojo Lastimosa, Glenn Capacio (another Yco player), Jerry Codiñera and Edgar Tanuan formed the rookie group of Purefoods that became the cornerstones of the franchise playing alongside veterans Fernandez, Hubalde, Yango, Generalao, Israel, Onchie Dela Cruz, and Totoy Marquez. Alvin Patrimonio (a former Yco player himself in the PABL), eventually joined the team after fulfilling his commitments with his last amateur team and Purefoods corporate rival Swift Hotdogs sometime in June that year.

Eventually, the company was sold to Lucio Tan for a nominal price, thereby strengthening Tan's foothold on the beverage industry. At that time, he was still trying to penetrate the beer market that San Miguel dominated with brands like Beer Hausen, Beer na Beer, Manila Beer, etc. With Tanduay, he was guaranteed to have the number one selling non-beer liquor in the country, sales of which were even better than the present number one Ginebra San Miguel.

Philippine Basketball League stint

Tanduay later resurfaced in the Philippine Basketball League under the ownership of Lucio Tan and son Lucio Tan, Jr. Prior to the name change, they were known as Stag Pale Pilsen with Marlou Aquino, Bal David and Jason Webb in the lineup. The Rhum Masters won several PBL crowns under head coach Alfrancis Chua and players Eric Menk, Jomer Rubi, Chris Cantonjos and Mark Telan. It also held a PBL-record 18 straight win in the 1998-1999 Yakult PBL Centennial Cup but lost in five games to Doctor J Rubbing Alcohol, when the Centennial Rhum Masters blew a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five affair.

After Tanduay's move to the PBA, Asia Brewery kept their PBL franchise, renaming it as the Colt .45 Strong One's with Ritualo leading the squad. Colt45 placed fourth in the 1999 PBL Challenge Cup before disbanding from the league.

Return to the PBA

In 1999, Tanduay made its return to the PBA as the league's ninth member. As part of the agreement, the league allowed six players from their PBL lineup to be elevated to the pro league. Tanduay also nabbed Fil-American Earl Sonny Alvarado as the top pick.

In their first season, Tanduay placed second to Shell in the 1999 PBA All-Filipino Conference but their second stint in the PBA were marred by several controversies such as the deportation of alleged "Fil-sham" (bogus Filipino) Alvarado which led to a forfeiture of several Tanduay games during the 2000 season.

In the 2001 offseason, Tanduay made soundwaves in the PBA when they signed Danny Ildefonso of corporate rival San Miguel Beermen a whooping 16-year, 98 million peso offersheet. The league though, nullified the said deal since it was believed that the offersheet violated the team's salary cap.

Bong Tan also made a controversial comment calling the PBA, "a San Miguel league", a reference to a speculation that the PBA is favoring the then-San Miguel Corporation teams San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra.

Tanduay left the PBA again after the 2001 season, selling its rights to FedEx and was renamed as the FedEx Express (now known as the Air21 Express).

Players of note

PBA's 25 greatest players

*Ramon Fernandez- "The Franchise" won his third MVP while with the team.
*Abet Guidaben
*Freddie Hubalde

Other notable players

First Tanduay team

*Raymund "Chuck" Barreiro
*Mike Bilbao #4, #40
*Rene Canent #18
*Eleazar "Ely" Capacio #15
*"Benjie" Cleofas
*Ricardo "Joy" Cleofas #16
*Ramon "Onchie" dela Cruz #9
*Roberto "Bert" dela Rosa #7
*Valerio "Botchok" delos Santos
*Angelito "Itoy" Esguerra
*Willie Generalao #42 - "The General", "Wily Willie"
*Abet Gutierrez #13
*Padim Israel #17
*Rey Lazaro #12
*Federico "Bokyo" Lauchengco
*Romulo Mamaril
*Jimmy Manansala #11
*Abelardo "Abe" Monzon
*Rino Salazar
*Tano Salazar
*Marte Samson
*Vic Sanchez #12 - "Rambo"
*Jimmy Taguines #44
*Freddie Webb #14 - "Fastbreak Freddie"
*J.B. Yango #24 - "Cuyapo Kid"

econd Tanduay team

*Rene Alforque
*Sonny Alvarado
*Chris Cantonjos
*Jeffrey Cariaso - "The Jet"
*Jayvee Gayoso - "Mr. Adrenaline"
*Dondon Hontiveros
*Rudy Hatfield - "The H-Bomb"
*Pido Jarencio - "The Fireman"
*Bobby Jose - "The Firecracker"
*Noli Locsin - "The Tank"
*Eric Menk - "Major Pain"
*Dindo Pumaren - "The Bullet"
*Mark Telan
*Jomar Rubi
*Jason Webb

Imports

*Kevin Cluess
*Odell Ball
*David Payne
*Bernard Harris
*Gene Moore
*Tim Hirten
*Curtis Berry
*Jerome Henderson
*Bill Bozeat
*Russell Murray
*David Pope
*Rob Williams
*Andre McKoy
*Benny "The Outlaw" Anders
*Andy Thompson
*David Thirdkill
*Freeman Williams
*Ira Clark
*Ronnie Fields
*Maurice Bell
*Kevin Freeman
*Billy Thomas

External links

* [http://mypba.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=781 MYPBA.com Thread: Tanduay History and Trivias]

PBA