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[nastrans]

Sana magshare kaya ng history about Tanduay.

Well, ill share a few to start off Tanduay is one of the most popular ballclubs in league history. It started off as one of the teams in the now defunct MICAA and became of the teams that broke away from that league to formed the PBA.

The Rhummakers, as they used to call had several popular players like Mon Fernandez, JB Yango, Freddie Hubalde and Onchie Dela Cruz. They also had David Thirdkill, one of the most prolific imports in league history.

Tanduay disbanded after the 87 season but returned in 1999 under the Tan franchise. The team was bannered by Sonny Alvarado, Eric Menk, Jason Webb, and Pido Jarencio. Tanduay finished second to Shell in the 1999 All-Filipino Cup.

Since then, Tanduay encountered several controversies from Alvarado's deportation, Menk citizenship problems, to the controversial offer sheet given to Danny Ildefonso (16 year, P96 million in 2001).

Tanduay bid goodbye again after the 2001 season.

[Kid Rock]

[Jay P. Mercado]

Just some added thoughts...

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. I don't exactly recall what sport he used to handle when he was appointed as project director by then President Ferdinand Marcos in the early '80's - I believe it was swimming. But even before that, 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 (a first cousin of my mother actually), and yes, Bobby 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. 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 and considered as part of the second-tier teams (behind first raters Toyota and Crispa), never got to win a PBA title until Ramon Fernandez was taken in from a direct trade with Manila Beer for Alberto Guidaben in the mid-80's. 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 (yes, the former assistant of Jaworski), 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 70's. Some handles that this team used during those times included the Esquires, Distillers and ESQ's.

Their most successful stint as a team in the 70's was when they placed a strong runner-up to the Toyota Tamaraws in the 1978 Invitationals. Powered by two topnotch imports who were allowed to play simultaneously, the 6'10 Gene Moore and the 6'9 David Payne, they eventually succumbed to the Tamaraws who were then led by Bruce "Sky" King and Carlos Terry.

But it was in 1985 when they started to become a championship contender. Led by buddies Guidaben and Freddie Hubalde coming from the disbanded Crispa 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, JB Yango, and Padim Israel. 1986 and 1987 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.

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 beverage in the country, sales of which were even better than the present number one Ginebra San Miguel.

Because of Tan's love for sports, he was able to secure a franchise in the PBA once more through his oldest son Bong, Jr. which led them to secure an expansion franchise with a concession of bringing in their top players in the PBL. Hence, their first batch of players included Eric Menk, Jomar Rubi, Rene Alforque, Jason Webb, Chris Cantonjos and Mark Telan and 1999 top draft pick Sonny Alvarado, who along with veterans Pido Jarencio, JV Gayoso, and Bobby Jose (all picked up from the waivers) powered the Rhum Makers to a runnerup finish against Shell in the 1999 All Filipino Conference. And as Nastrans summed it up, the second generation Tanduay eventually folded up at the end of the 2001 season, selling its franchise to the Bert Lina-owned Federal Express.

[Joed'MangQUE]

^^^^ :omg2

kala ko si lucio tan agad ang may ari ng tanduay...tnx again JPM. :hehe

[nastrans]

Yup si Don Manolo nga ung unang owner nun.

Nabasa ko na shortly after Don Manolo's death in '85 or '86 na nagchampion ang Tanduay, dinala ata agad ung championship trophy sa puntod niya which I think was a good gesture.

Also, emotional daw ung announcement of disbandment nung team manager nila back then.

[Percival O. Flores]

Jay, Nastrans, Tolhits:

Tuloy niyo lang, binabasa ko at nag-eenjoy ako, Busy lang kasi ako sa isang kasong hawak ko sa Bocaue, Bulacan kaya lagi akong out-of-town ngayon.

Gusto niyo lahat ng defunct teams pag-usapan natin!

To the Administrators and Moderators:

Can't we make a PBA History, Facts and Trivia Section here for history buffs like me.

[Percival O. Flores]

The Lucio Tan (Sr. and Jr.) conection with the PBA

The first time that Lucio Tan, Sr. experimented with the idea of a fielding a PBA team was in 1983 when he leased or bankrolled the Sanyu franchise for the 1983 Open Conference. (The team played as Manhattan Shirts in the All-Filipino, Sunkist in the Reinforced--probably the RFM Concepcion's first experiment to play in the PBA).

When Toyota disbanded, the Asia Brewery of Lucia Tan, Sr. formed Beer Hausen composed mainly of former Toyota players (minus Jaworski and Arnaiz, whowent to Gilbey's Gins, and Arnulfo Tuadles and Chito Loyzaga who went to Great Taste; and Abe KIng who went to Gold eagle) and built around Ramon Fernandez (that was when he first became known as the Franchise, a nickname first used for Kareem Abdul Jabbar in the NBA).

The original Beerhausen Brewmasters line-up in 1984 were:

10. Ramon Fernandez (from Toyota)
20. Nicanor Bulaong (from Toyota)
3. Ed Cordero (from Toyota)
32. Timoteo Coloso (from Toyota)
16. Ricardo Relosa (from Toyota)
14. Leopoldo Herrera (from Toyota)
18. Emerito Legaspi (from Toyota)
4. Mike Bilbao (from Yco-Tanduay)
12. Victor Sanchez (from Yco-Tanduay)
13. Alberto Gutierrez (from Yco-Tanduay)
7. Roberto de la Rosa (from Yco-Tanduay)
4. Ramon Cruz (from Crispa)

Coach was Loreto Carbonell. The very first Fernandez vs. Jaworski game took place in the second playing date of the All-Filipino. Beer Hausen trashed Gilbey's Gins. Fernandez recorded the first of what would be more than 20 triple-doubles in the 1984 season.

It placed runner-up in the 2nd All-Filipino Conference, getting swept by Great Taste (3-0), which incidentally won its first title since joining the league in 1975.

In the 1984 Invitationals, they were reinforced by William "Butch" Hays, who would be named Best Import.

Ramon Fernandez was named MVP.

When Crispa disbanded, it took in Fortunato Co, Jr. and Elpidio Villamin from the dispersal draft. Former U-tex Wrangler and Redmanizer Matthew "Fritz" Gaston was signed as a free agent.

In 1985, it changed its name to Manila Beer.

In the 1985 Reinforced Conference, they lost the Finals to NCC. Their import Francois Wise (also a long-time Tanduay import) had to put up with the three "naturalized" Filipinos Dennis Still, Jeffrey Moore, and Arthur "Chip" Engelland. By then, Manila Beer had acquired the services of Abet Guidaben (traded for Ramon Fernandez, the first of the two celebrated Fernandez-for-Guidaben trades).

In 1986, they again lost the Finals of the Open Conference, this time against Ginebra San Miguel (Also, that team's very first championship). Their imports NBA veterans Michael Young and Harold Keeling were matched up against the celebrated Billy Ray Bates and Michael Hackett of Ginebra. Mihael Young was named Best Import, a decision roundly booed by the pro-Ginebra crowd. The series ended 4-1.

Soon thereafter, Manila Beer disbanded. THe Tans would later concentrate in the PBL (Stag and Tanduay). The Tans would have another team when they revived the franchise in 1999 only to disband it again after the 2001 season, selling the franchise to Fedex.

[Jay P. Mercado]

One of my most favorite recollection of the past PBA games was in the 1985 Reinforced Conference cited by Percy.

Francois Wise, a former U/Tex Wrangler import, was re-hired by Manila Beer due to the influence of now Red Bull Assistant Team Manager and former PBA analyst Andy Jao. At that time, Jao was the team manager of Manila Beer after having been a Manotoc understudy with the Wranglers. Having been familiar with Wise's game, and owing to the relative lack of firepower that Manila Beer had in the interior, it was deemed correct to have secured the bulky import's services for the franchise, especially after swingman Butch Hays couldn't carry the team to the championship the year before. From then on, Manila Beer coach Valentin "Tito" Eduque and Jao made sure that they would get someone powerful inside the paint to score points and rebound ferociously. Wise's creditable showing with the Wranglers made it easy for jao to convince team management of his choice.

At that time also, Ginebra was led by the inimitable Michael Hackett. Probably one of the most dominant 6'5 imports that came in the league, Hackett practically brought Ginebra to its feet single-handedly by scoring big and rebounding even bigger. The NCC team, powered by the 3 naturalized players, Dennis Still, Jeff Moore and Chip Engelland, was also one of the favorites then as the 3, plus the system employed by Ron Jacobs made it possible for them to mow down their opponents. Hence, it became a 3-team battle for the 2 slots in the finals.

Unfortunately, Ginebra was waylaid and failed to reach the finals, despite the awesome numbers chalked up by Hackett. They however were the only team with the distinction of having a better win-lose record against the NCC team, a feat not even Manila Beer could boast of. For NCC, their interior defense has always been the key element of their game, with Dennis Still as the main man in the middle. Dennis Still, at 6'8, was the tallest among the cagers back then and had the heft and bulk to make him even more powerful. While Wise was strong and muscular, he was only 6'4 and was easy picking for the taller Still.

Not Hackett though. Dennis Still, for once in his Philippine career life, has never encountered such an offensive and rebounding demon in the Gary Coleman look-alike (Gary Coleman was the 10 year old whiz kid of the hit TV show Diff'rent Strokes). Still once admitted that Hackett was a beast inside the paint, and couldn't stop him one-on-one. Such was the incredible talent that Hackett possessed.

Hence, it was not surprising that NCC wanted to go up against the Beermen instead of the Gins in the finals. First, because they couldn't contain Hackett. Second, the crowd will obviously be against them - something not amiss with Jacobs as he understands that his young wards can be severely affected by the heckling. The PBA also would have wanted a Ginebra-NCC series, not just because of the crowd-drawing ability of the La Tondeña franchise, but because they are more than a match for the National Team. At that time, it was unimaginable for an "amateur" team to win the PBA championship, most especially the national team, for it would weaken the stand of the league in general. But as mentioned, the Gins lost in a crucial semifinals game paving the way for the Manila Beer-NCC setto.

It was all easy picking from then on for the NCC team. Team defense and outstanding outside shooting doused all the excitement of the finals as the National team routed the Tan franchise 4-zip to take the crown - the first ever by an amateur team. Wise was bottled up bigtime, and for a player who averaged in the low 40's all conference long, he was only able to show a paltry average in the low 20's the whole finals series. Heck, he didn't even average in double figures in rebounds, a far cry from his 12-13 rebounds average per game before. Still on the other hand, dominated and tore apart the paint, averaging 18 boards a game with Moore collaring an average of 14 of his own for the entire series.

It was just too bad not to see what could have been one of the most spectacular finals series in PBA history. Ron Jacobs himself admitted that it was toughest going up against Ginebra since this was the only team when they had to go up against the crowd and the magic that is Robert Jaworski.

[arsonist2t]

IT WAS MID YEAR, JUNE 17, 1986 TO BE EXACT, HORNS TOOTED, CONFETTI FLAW AND CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPAGNE POP. AFTER AN ETERNITY OF 11YEARS AND ALL 32 CONFERENCES, TANDUAY FINALLY MADE IT TO THE SELECT CIRCLE OF PBA CHAMPIONS!!!! TANDUAY BEAT THE HEAVILY FAVORED GREAT TASTE 132-109. THE RHUMMAKERS WERE LED BY IMPORTS ROB WILLIAMS, ANDRE MC COY, ELY CAPACIO, THE LATE ALEX CLARIñO, ANTHONY DASALLA, ONCHIE DE LA CRUZ, DON RAMON FERNANDEZ, WILLIE GENERALAO, ABET GUTIERREZ, FREDDIE HUBALDE, PADIM ISRAEL, MARLOWE JACUTIN, ZALDY LATOZA, ANTONIO TORRENTE, VICTOR RAMBO SANCHEZ, JB YANGO.. GREAT TASTE WERE LED BY ALVIN FRANKLIN, JOHNNY BROWN, JEFF COLLINS, LEW JACKSON, MIKE WILSON, JOEL BANAL, JOY CARPIO, FRITZ GASTON, POL HERRERA, BAMBI KABIGTING, KONSEHAL ABE KING, BOKYO LAUCHENGCO, JIMMY MANANSALA, WILLIE PEARSON, CARLSON SAMLANI, RAFAEL SISON, AARON TORRES, MANNY VICTORINO, STEVE WATSON

[pippen]

Tanduay went back to the championship in 1999 kaso natalo sila sa Shell :D

Naalala ko ung namatay sa Tanduay Rhum na customers. Balita ko fake na Tanduay daw ang pumatay doon.