PBA TO SALUTE SPORTS HEROES TODAY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 17 Dec 2006
Despite the heartache of not being able to compete in the Doha Asian Games where it clearly had a good chance of going for a coveted gold medal, the country?s premier basketball league ? the PBA ? will salute our sports heroes during the main game between Purefoods Chunkee Giants and the Red Bull Barakos Sunday,
PBA Commissioner Noli Eala said it was only fitting that the PBA pay tribute to our new breed of sports heroes who have brought honor to our country despite the odds.
Eala said they would wish Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao who visits the PBA to watch the games whenever he can and is an avid basketball fan on his 28th birthday which is being celebrated in grand style in his hometown of General Santos City.
The PBA will also honor our Asian Games boxing gold medalists, flyweight Violito Payla and bantamweight Joan Tipon against world-class opponents and gutsy bronze medalists - light flyweight Godfrey Castro and lightweight Genebert Basadre.
Eala said the PBA which had in the past honored billiards greats Efren ?Bata? Reyes, Francisco ?Django? Bustamante and World Pool Champion Ronnie Alcano will also celebrate the 9-ball gold medal victory of Antonio ?Ga-ga? Gabica.
The boxing medalists will be accompanied by Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Manny Lopez who has expressed confidence that the country?s coveted first Olympic gold will come in boxing.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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