OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Totoy Tingzon, from a player, public school teacher to father of youth baseball
By Eddie Alinea of The Manila Times
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 14 Sep 2020
Totoy Tingzon.
Rodolfo “Totoy” Tingzon started as a baseball player, became a school teacher and acknowledged as father of youth baseball in the country and the whole of Asia, celebrates another milestone in his life in the sport he loves most.
Totoy is turning 94 years old today, September 14, half of which he spent propagating baseball, a job he and siblings inherited from their father Julio, a topnotch player himself during his competitive days and, coach and maestro when he retired.
Totoy, he confessed. might not have inherited his father’s playing abilities that earned for the latter a seat in the University of the Philippines – Manila baseball team as a young recruit from Tacloban City.
Don Julio became a star player, co-founder of the legendary Canlubang Sugar Estate Sugar Barons, national team coach that carried the country’s colors in countless international competitions, including the First Baseball Federation of Asian won by the Philippines in 1954 and the now-defunct Far Eastern Games from 1913 to 1934.
Totoy, who played for the National University Bulldogs to earn a college degree, himself admitted his brother Julio “Baby” Jr. was a better player than he was, but accepted the old man’s leadership and managerial acumen must’ve rub on him later in his career.
After college, Totoy took the responsibilities of coaching and managing the Canlubang team when his father passed away, guiding the Barons to seven straight Manila Bay Baseball League title conquests from 1965.
In 1966, he was named to manage the Philippines to the First World Amateur Baseball Championship held in Honolulu where the Filipinos brought home the bronze medal by finishing third behind eventual winner the United States and runner up Japan.
Inspired by that bronze medal finish, Totoy went on to organize the Little League Baseball Association of the Philippines along with MANILA TIMES columnist Ka Doroy Valencia and several businessmen-sportsmen, including then PR practitioner, Dr. Dante Ang Sr., now The Manila Time’s Chairman Emeritus aimed at providing grassroot program.
The move gave the opportunity to young boys from the provinces to compete in national and international competitions.
Disappointed by the Little International’s refusal to give the country, as a young member of the organization, field national selections to the subsequent World Series, Tingzon withdrew from the LLBI.
He then formed the Philippine Tot Baseball Association and applied for membership in the PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) movement of the U.S.A. to continue his family’s tradition in the development of baseball and softball.
In 1990, after ending up second in the Asia-Pacific Bronco (11-12 age bracket) from late 70s, the Philippines aptly Christened the “President’s Kids,” in honor of their no. 1 supporter, President Marcos, stashed away with the Pony Baseball International World Series plum.
Tingzon’s son Rodolfo “Boy” Jr., is currently the Southeast Asian Regional head of the PONY movement. Totoy's daughter, Liza, was, at one time, the Secretary General of Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines.
His grandchildren and great grandson namely Rodolfo Jaime "RJ", Christopher John, Katherine Anne, Anna Melissa were all baseball scholars at the De La Salle University-Manila. His great grandson, Johan is a star player for the La Salle Greenhills Team.
Totoy" entered politics to become Vice Governor of Laguna from 1980 - 1986 and then Congressman of the 2nd District of the province from 1990 to 1993. He is now retired, keeping safe and healthy amid the CCovid 19 pandemic.
“Sayang, Pare, plano ko pa naman isang malaki na pagdiriwang ang b-day ko ngayon para magkita-kita tayo ng miyembro ng 365 Club (365 Club is an association of government officials, media men and businessmen-sportsmen founded by then Mayor Nemesio Yabut and Ka Doroy since Martial Law days),” Totoy told this writer in a telephone conversation on Saturday.
“Anyway, di bale, ipagdasal ko na lang habaan pa ng isang taon ang buhay ko para next year, in my 95th birthday, mas malaking pagtitipon ang magawa natin,” he said.
“I’ll be inviting everybody. Lahat ng kaibigan natin sa media, ikaw, si Dr. Ang, Willie Jurado, Recah Trinidad, Al Mendoza, etc. Sama-sama uli tayo,” he said rather excitedly.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea of The Manila Times.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Fit To Be Unified: Xander Zayas Defeats Abass Baraou To Unify Junior Middleweight World Titles
Sun, 01 Feb 2026Trazo beats Jabagat in Talisay
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Into fights Sanchez on Feb. 9 at Villa Kristen
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 01 Feb 2026Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson: Styles Make Fights Fitting Cliche
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Bryan Flores Wins Majority Decision Over Starling Castillo in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Sat, 31 Jan 2026KinetixSports Legacy Run on March 1
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 31 Jan 2026THE RING 6: OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER FOR TEOFIMO LOPEZ VS. SHAKUR STEVENSON
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Legendary Soccer Player Sergio Ramos to make professional boxing debut
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Weigh-In Results: Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou
Sat, 31 Jan 2026Teofimo vs Shakur Fight Analysis
By Ralph Rimpell, Sat, 31 Jan 2026Rohan Polanco-Christian Gomez Welterweight Showdown Canceled
Sat, 31 Jan 2026NEWCASTLE WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED AS MURTAZALIEV AND KELLY CLASH FOR WORLD TITLE
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Boxers Make Weight for Brico Santig’s Exciting 21-Bout Promotion in Thailand (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 30 Jan 2026“It’s time for TSABZ to shine” Get to know Tanaka Saburi as he retuns March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
Fri, 30 Jan 2026