Too early to count chickens (April 28-May 6, 1977)

Vic Villafranca offered his insights on the Crispa-Toyota brawl in an article published by Sports Weekly Magazine a week after the incident.

A RUMBLE AND TUMBLE LEAGUE: TOO EARLY TO COUNT CHICKENS

THE LINE

By Vic Villafranca

Sports Weekly Magazine

Published April 28-May 6, 1977

For displaying conduct unbecoming professional basketball players and adults presumed to know the difference between right and wrong and an act of violence from a love tryst in the park, the nation's two celebrated ballclubs – Crispa and Toyota – got hit last week by a full cycle of punishments that from here on should make the more volatile members of both teams think twice before raising their hands. Even if it's only to go to the little boys' room.

It all began, a no doubt you might have heard from your favorite boxing promoter, when obviously, as a result of what transpired between them on the hardcourt in the closing minutes of their tense ballgame, the players of both teams went almost for each other's jugulars on their way to their respective dugouts.

What ensued was a full blown rumble, you know, the sort of thing one only sees in bar rooms and cowboy flies, in Hell's Kitchen and OK corals, in dead end streets and dark alleys and in those Friday night smokers that were once the bread and butter of Merting Besa's promotions at the Besa Arena.

Crispa, Toyota fined P5,000 (April 21, 1977)

PBA Commissioner Leo Prieto fined Crispa and Toyota P5,000 each for their post-game rumble in the opener of the 1977 PBA season, an incident that prompted Metrocom officials to arrest players from both teams.

Crispa, Toyota fined P5,000

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Friday April 22, 1977

Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Leo Prieto fined Toyota and Crispa P5,000 each yesterday for their players' involvement in last Sunday's post-game rumble at the Araneta Coliseum.

PBA legal counsel Rodrigo Salud said the fines are appealable within 72 hours.

Toyota coach Dante Silverio was slapped a fine of P1,000 after he was found guilty of cussing a referee following a technical foul he got from referee Estefanio Bernos in the dying seconds of the Toyota-Crispa match Sunday.

Arnaiz arrested after detention (April 19, 1977)

Players of Crispa and Toyota were released after spending a night in detention, but Francis Arnaiz was arrested after a separate incident involving him and Rudy Hines in a Toyota-U-Tex game at the Araneta Coliseum.

Another PBA row: Toyota cager arrested

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Wednesday April 20, 1977

Toyota beat Universal Textiles, 121-115, in the PBA first conference at the Araneta Coliseum. But the real story happened after the game.

Toyota's Francis Arnaiz, fresh from a one-night stint as a detainee at the PC stockade in Fort Bonifacio, was picked up after the game on orders of Brig. Gen. Prospero Olivas, Metrocom commander, for figuring in a commotion with Wrangler Rudolf Hines during the match.

Arnaiz, who keyed Toyota's first win in two games by scoring four of the last eight points of Toyota, including the go-ahead charities with a minute to go, was booked anew for violating conditions for his temporary release.

Crispa, Toyota players detained (April 18, 1977)

Players of Crispa and Toyota were detained by the Metrocom for their involvement in a postgame brawl that marred the start of the 1977 PBA season at the Araneta Coliseum.

All Crispa, Toyota cagers are detained

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Tuesday, April 19, 1977

The Metrocom placed under indefinite detention yesterday 21 Crispa and Toyota players who figured in a post-game riot at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday that left scores injured.

Arrested and now detained at Fort Bonifacio are:

Francis Arnaiz, Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Virgilio Cortez, Jesus Sta. Maria, Oscar Rocha, Aurelio Clarino, Rodolfo Segura, all from Toyota.

Philip Cezar, Alberto Guidaben, Rey Franco, Gregorio Dionisio, Cristino Calilan, Rey Pages, David Cezar, Armando Torres, Rodolfo Soriano, Fortunato Co, Jr., Tito Varela, Bernard Fabiosa, Alfredo Hubalde, all from Crispa.

Still being sought at presstime were Orlando Bauzon and Fortunato Acuna, also from Toyota. Metrocom authorities said they expected the two to give themselves up shortly.

Game 44: Crispa 122, Toyota 121 (April 17, 1977)

A postgame rumble between Crispa and Toyota marred the opener of the 1977 season in what is considered as one of the most memorable moments in PBA history. The Redmanizers won after a last-second technical foul by Tamaraws coach Dante Silverio.

Crispa-Toyota match marred by free-for-all

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Monday April 18, 1977

The circus of basketball hullabaloos that is the Philippine Basketball Association started last night with a real, crushing, big bang at the Araneta Coliseum.

Crispa snatched a last-minute 122-121 victory over Toyota, courtesy of Tamaraw coach Dante Silverio, whose being slapped a technical foul with three seconds left allowed Fortunato Co to sink the pressure-packed marginal shot in his dramatic march to the charity lane.

But the real meat of last night's story was the bloody riot that ensued after the game, undoubtedly a man-size blackeye for the ever-glorified PBA shebang.