The rivalry (April 20, 2023)

Lito Tacujan, who covered the infant years of the PBA before becoming the sports editor of The Philippine Star, reflected on the great Crispa-Toyota rivalry in 2023 and was later posted by Philstar.com.

The rivalry

By Lito A. Tacujan

Posted Thursday, April 20, 2023

Philstar.com

Its all fire and brimstone.

The be-all and end-all of what the core of the PBA was all about in its first eight years.

The Crispa-Toyota rivalry was probably forged in hell for all the scintillating  games they dished out, the thrillers that sometimes ended in violent brawls and inflicted injuries to the players.

Or at one time being hauled to a military camp.

 

“There’s no rivalry so intense, contentious, personal.” said an old PBA watcher.

Reunion: Forgotten dream revisited (June 1, 2003)

Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez reflected on the defining moment of Toyota’s victory over Crispa in the 2003 PBA Reunion Game.

Crispa cries rematch

By June Navarro

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Published Sunday June 1, 2003

IT was a forgotten dream revisited.

Not even Sen. Robert Jaworski, who drilled in the night’s most memorable basket, had fancied such a fantastic ending.

The old, graying devotees came to worship in hordes again.

The players, cold, rusty engines, started their battle slowly, taking creaky strides as though climbing a mountain.

But once they hit their stride, the old, bitter rivalry smoldered.

The cage legend that was Crispa (March 3, 1985)

Crispa's disbandment served as a cover of the March 3, 1985 issue of the Philippine Panorama, with sportswriter Al Mendoza providing an in-depth story of how the Redmanizers decided to end their glorious PBA tenure.

THE CAGE LEGEND THAT WAS CRISPA

By Al S. Mendoza

Philippine Panorama

Published Sunday March 3, 1985

BASKETBALL’S self-styled experts had misread their crystal balls. Even the scalper, the most grizzled cage scientist in the land, didn’t see it coming. Nobody had dared say it was blowin’ in the wind.

So, when it finally came, it came like a thunderbolt. The news sent shock waves all over the land. To millions of cage devotees in this basketball-crazed nation, it was simply unbelievable.

Barber shops and plush coffee shop, talipapa and supermarket, every conceivable public space was abuzz. From Aparri to Jolo, from Marawi to Laoag, people were asking: “How come? What happened? Why?”

The Day Toyota Died (March 4, 1984)

Al Mendoza looked back at the stunning decision of the Toyota management to sell its franchise to Beer Hausen prior to the start of the 1984 season in a lengthy feature published by the Philippine Panorama.

The Day Toyota Died

By Al S. Mendoza

Philippine Panorama

Published Sunday March 4, 1984

THE ANNOUNCEMENT came minutes before noon of February 15.

“Management has been grateful to all you guys,” Jack Rodriguez started. Ten men of all sizes didn’t know it was coming. They were all in a happy mood. They have no inkling that anybody, least of all Jack, would be so nasty as to break their hearts. Just the day before they had celebrated Valentine’s Day. One of the boys didn’t make it to Jack’s office because he had overslept.

“Your achievements brought honor to the company,” Jack continued. “The feats that made Toyota one of the great basketball teams in the land made us all very happy and proud of you all.” Pause. The boys started to sense something eerie.

“Hey, what’s this?” one of them asked.

Manotoc: It's still a long way to go (Aug. 31, 1983)

Crispa coach Tommy Manotoc lamented on losing to Toyota in the start of its Grand Slam in the 1983 PBA Open Conference.

It’s still a long way to go — Manotoc

By Clyde Mariano

Tempo

Published Wednesday Aug. 31, 1983

If there is anything that Crispa cannot live down to, it will be the humiliation it absorbed from arch rival Toyota last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Redmanizers failed to exploit the absence of three key Toyota players and took a shocking 102-93 defeat in the PBA Open Conference.

But Crispa coach Tommy Manotoc said it’s still a long way to go.

Ocampo: Don't count out Toyota (July 2, 1983)

Toyota coach Ed Ocampo lamented on the implications of his team’s loss to Crispa in the second phase of the 1983 PBA Reinforced Conference eliminations.

Don’t count out Toyota — Ocampo

By Raffy Japa

Tempo

Published Saturday July 2, 1983

There was no denying the pain and desperation etched in the face of the players of Toyota after the Silver Coronas bowed to Crispa last Tuesday.

With frayed nerves and heavy hearts, the Silver Coronas dragged themselves silently, most with heads bowed, to the dugout.

Never mind the prestige that accompany every Crispa-Toyota match. But Toyota’s loss to the rampaging Redmanizers put the Coronas’ back against the wall and dampened their qualifying chances.

Tommy is back (April 13, 1983)

Crispa defeated Toyota in the start of the 1983 PBA All-Filipino Conference semifinals despite missing coach Tommy Manotoc who was in Honolulu to witness the birth of his son Borgy.

Tommy is back

Tempo

Published Thursday April 14, 1983

Tommy Manotoc arrived yesterday from Honolulu and, after hearing of Crispa’s 109-102 victory over Toyota, told the Redmanizer: “I’m very proud of you all.”

Crispa’s Danny Floro, speaking for the Redmanizers, told Manotoc: “The boys dedicated this victory to you and your newly-born son.”

What did Fabiosa whisper? (Oct. 4, 1982)

A fan described in detail the fight involving Crispa’s Bernie Fabiosa and Rudy Distrito and Toyota’s Francis Arnaiz and Abe King that marred their second elimination round match in the 1982 PBA Open Conference.

What did Fabiosa whisper?

Tempo

Published Monday Oct. 4, 1982

With 1:32 left of regulation period, all hell broke loose in the Crispa-Toyota game Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Four players — Francis Arnaiz and Abe King of Toyota, Bernard Fabiosa and Rudy Distrito of Crispa — were subsequently thrown out by the referees after the hardcourt scuffle.

What really happened? An eyewitness, Corazon Navarro-Reyes, who was seated at ringside near where the incident took place, related her story to Tempo.

NBA refs officiate title series (Aug. 9, 1981)

NBA referees Lee Jones and Jim Capers were featured in an August issue of the Philippine Panorama after officiating the 1981 PBA Open Conference championship series between Toyota and Crispa.

With their 20 eyes, NBA referees could spot technical fouls that the local refs couldn’t (or wouldn’t?)

By Al S. Mendoza

Philippine Panorama

Published Sunday Aug. 9, 1981

Indeed, the scenario was a rarity, like the pearl in the proverbial deep blue sea. It was happening, this dream of ticket scalpers, this madness called the Sunday Suspense Theater: The Crispa-Toyota war.

Yes, the war was raging and a multitude was gripped no end by frenzy, suspense, panic, ecstasy. For everytime this madness occurs, the world stops turning; it had been that way ever since guys like Robert Jaworski, Atoy Co, Francis Arnaiz, Ramon Fernandez, Bogs Adornado, Philip Cezar invaded the hardcourt: to sow the seeds of cultism, hero-worship addiction to the national religion now commonly known as basketball.

Two on the road for Toyota (Feb. 20-27, 1981)

SWM SPECIAL REPORT: AN OFF-SEASON HARDCOURT PBA ROADSHOW

TWO ON THE ROAD FOR TOYOTA

Sports Weekly Magazine

Feb. 20-27, 1981

Once just might be enough, but twice?

“Well it could be something,” said Ed Ocampo as he mulled the impact of one win and a possible two over the Crispa Redmanizers in the light chill of a nearing dawn at the Verandah coffee shop of the Hotel Magellan in Cebu City.

It was just 12 hours before the Toyota Tamaraws, with Ocampo as their new coach, were to take on the Redmanizers at the Cebu Coliseum in the first of a two winningest ballclubs aimed at enabling Cebu and Davao to raise funds for the coming Papal visit to these two Southern Cities.

Probably more than Coach Baby Dalupan who only came to Cebu on the day of the game, Ocampo, who arrive with his boys ahead of Dalupan, had a lot riding on the outcome of the Tamaraws’ first meeting with their arch rivals for PBA supremacy. Even assuming that the games were exhibition, nothing-at-stake stints.

Arnold Tuadles sizzles anew (Dec. 19-26, 1980)

Arnie Tuadles reflects on his revived play in the 1980 PBA All-Filipino title series for Toyota against Crispa and the firing of coach Fort Acuna in a Sports Weekly Magazine feature.

ARNOLD TUADLES SIZZLES ANEW
(Or, the rebirth of Arnold T.)

By Pyke F. Jocson

Sports Weekly Magazine

Dec. 19-26, 1980

It's been a seesaw affair.

Yes, from that time he made a sensational debut in the PBA which paved the way for his earning the 1979 PBA Rookie of the Year up to the end of this season's All-Filipino, Arnulfo “Arnold” Tuadles’ caging has been characterized by ups and downs, but mostly ups, thank God.

Sensational was the best word to describe Tuadles last year for he was just that with a capital S. No other newcomer in the pro league could lay claim to the word other than him A graphic proof of this was his being named to the mythical five, dislodging the veteran Freddie Hubalde.

Right after the All-Filipino last year, Tuadles game slipped. Some said he’s gone swellhead. Others said he was too hot to handle. Some insiders insisted he was acting like a spoiled brat.

To these accusations, Tuadles could only exclaim in disbelief.

Fort and The Big J: End of a friendship (Dec. 19-26, 1980)

Sports Weekly Magazine took a close look at the war of words between Robert Jaworski and Fort Acuna, who was fired as Toyota coach during Game 3 of the 1980 PBA All-Filipino title series against Crispa for benching his long-time teammate.

Fort And The Big J

End of a friendship

Sports Weekly Magazine

Dec. 19-26, 1980

Their friendship daed back to their MICAA days when both were members of the Meralco ballclub.

When. the Reddy Kilowattmen were disbanded, Sonny Jaworski and Fort Acuna remained together as both were signed up by the Komatsu Komets, the first team fielded by the Delta group of companies in bigtime competition.

The return of Danny Florencio (March 7-14, 1980)

After Almost Two Years In ‘Cooler’

THE RETURN OF DANNY FLORENCIO

Sports Weekly Magazine

March 7-14, 1980

One year and five months after he found himself in Dante Silverio’s cooler and eventually on his way out of the Toyota line-up, Danny Florencio finally made it back Friday night last week to the Araneta Coliseum, the scene of his greatest triumphs and biggest disappointments in pro basketball.

Danny’s comeback game was Toyota’s pre-season exhibition match with no less than the Tams’ arch rivals for league supremacy, the Crispa Redmanizers, now known as the Walk Tall Jeansmakers. The game was the nightcap of a benefit twinheader staged as part of of an ongoing campaign to raise funds for the forthcoming visit to the Philippines of Pope John Paul II.

As no doubt Danny had wished it, his “homecoming” to his old ballclub bore with it touches of those days when he was the bleacher crowd’s “nino bonito” and his being placed under preventive suspension by the then Coach Silverio had not placed yet his playing career under a cloud.

The Incredible Abe King (June 29-July 6, 1979)

Abe King’s superb play for Toyota in the 1979 PBA All-Filipino semifinals, highlighted by his 60-point output against Crispa that set a record for the season, was featured in the Sports Weekly Magazine.

The Incredible Abe King

COMING OF AGE OF A ONETIME ‘PROBLEM BOY’

By Peter N. Acosta

Sports Weekly Magazine

June 29-July 6, 1979

Earlier in the elimination competitions of the current PBA All-Filipino, Abe King had tried to pull off one-handed dunks. Both times, all he got for his effort was a titter from the crowd as the ball hit the inner rim of the goal and bounced out.

But last June 16, in, of all games, the first encounter between the Toyota Tamaraws and the Crispa Redmanizers in the double round semifinals, King caught a pass from Ramon Fernandez and just when it seemed as all he would do with his solo stint under the basket was to go for a higher percentage lay-up shot, he twisted and rammed the ball in a reverse dunk ala Dr. J.

It was a stunning grandstand play by King and for it, he drew cheers from the packed house thatg attended the packed house that attended the third meeting in the 1979 All-Filipino between the league's two titans.

Super Coach (Jan. 23, 1977)

The Philippine Panorama, the Sunday magazine of Bulletin Today, ran a feature of coach Baby Dalupan after steering the Crispa Redmanizers to the 1976 PBA grand slam.

SUPER COACH

By Chelo R. Banal

Philippine Panorama

Published Sunday January 23, 1977

IT was the best of times. Crispa overpowered stubborn Toyota 11 times during the 1976 pro basketball league to sweep to an overwhelming triple victory. Needless to say, it was a grand slam, a sensational season, a mind-blowing performance and, in a very sweet sense, an everlasting Crispa thrill.

After a cold start in the pro (it was the fourth in team standing in the PBA's first conference first round), the Crispa Redmanizers recovered the fire of their MICAA days to become the Toyota Comets' archrivals for the first and second tournament titles. The rivalry would long be cherished. Finally, Crispa dethroned two-time champ Toyota during the 1975 third conference and since then never went down from its Number One post.

The Redmanizers won 39 of their 57 games during the PBA's first year series. Changing names to Crispa Denims (for advertising purposes since the Crispa-Floro factory in Pasig started milling out denim materials), the quintet bagged 46 of its 61 games during the PBA's second year. Four championships out of six conferences in the Philippine Basketball Association so far. The statistics make Virgilio ' Baby' Dalupan the winningest coach in the league.

How Crispa did it (Nov. 20, 1976)

Not even the warning signs of a fortune teller and an injury to Bogs Adornado hampered the Crispa Redmanizers' march to the 1976 PBA Second Conference crown.

How Crispa did it

By Ding Marcelo

Bulletin Today

Published Saturday November 20, 1976

The omen was bad in Crispa's bid for its third straight Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) championship.

Team manager Danny Floro, whose consultations with fortune tellers and some other not-so-divine characters prior to each championship series carry the weight of grim finality, was shaking his head after emerging in one such session during his team's sojourn in Cebu two weeks ago in the PBA semifinals.

“Wala, hindi raw kami magtsa-tsampyon,” he said with grief written in his face. According to Floro, the fortune teller, obviously with a Visayan accent, had warned him that some of his players would be out to sabotage his bid for a third straight crown.

All that mattered for Crispa was to win (July 13, 1976)

The Daily Express broke down Crispa's title victory over Toyota in the 1976 PBA All-Filipino Conference finals in what became a turning point in the classic duel between the two archrivals.

All that mattered for Crispa was to win

By Ernesto Gonzales

Philippines Daily Express

Published Tuesday July 13, 1976

IN THE FABLED Crispa-Toyota rivalry, dyed-in-the-wool Crispans will never forget the last 12 minutes of Sunday's classic.

It was the stretch the Redmanizers almost bungled a 19-point lead that could have changed the fortunes of the series.

Coach Baby Dalupan just about summed up the Redmanizers' last-quarter plight: “With an almost insurmountable lead, the idea of a crown conquest danced in their heads. Their concentration was distracted. And when Toyota mounted a rally, they panicked.”

It was not really an ideal way to clinch a championship match. But this was a victory against Toyota and no matter how the final game was decided, Crispa's title march was nothing short of spectacular.

Crispa-Floro, Team of the Year (Jan. 11, 1976)

The Philippine Panorama took a closer look at the Crispa Redmanizers after beating the Toyota Comets in the 1975 PBA All-Philippine Championship. The Sunday weekly magazine of Bulletin Today even mentioned the Redmanizers as the Team of the Year for capturing the most important title of the PBA’s inaugural season.

We’re No. 1

By Chelo Banal
Philippine Panorama
Published Sunday January 11, 1976

THERE’S jubilation now in the Crispa quarters as there should be when a team feels vindicated. Twice the Crispa boys were close to it but didn’t make it. Finally the pieces fit, the poem rhymed and they took the PBA All-Philippine championship title.

Never mind the bruises - they’ll heal in time - and the fines - it’s only money - and Philip Cezar’s suspension - he’ll only miss half the ‘76-PBA’s first conference. For the moment the Redmanizers are ready to paint the town red.

Don Pablo Floro is holding small brown envelopes containing cash bonus for each player. As the Redmanizers break into wide smiles for their souvenir team photos, he says, “Ang sinasabi ko lang sa inyo ay maging loyal kayo sa team.” He takes a puff at his cigar and then distributes the envelopes while the boys cheer wildly.

STREAK-SNAPPING PLOT

The Sports Weekly Magazine published an inside look at how Crispa snapped its six-game losing skid against Toyota during their out-of-town PBA Second Conference semifinal game in Cebu City.

STREAK-STOPPING PLOT

THE INSIDE STORY
Sports Weekly Magazine
Published November 14-21, 1975

Thousands called them favorite ‘Whipping Boys! Almost everybody, including the fanatical followers, thought the Crispa-Floro Redmanizers had been buried too deep when they lost six straight matches to Toyota. But Sunday night in Cebu City, the Florians came alive, subjecting the Comets to a humihilating defeat that untangled a skein of defeats.

Also, the spell’s broken when the final buzzer sounded the end of their 48-minute hostility with the Redmanizers leaping with joy into each other’s arms and an ardent admirer jumping into the center of the court shouting, ‘They can’t beat us all the time. We did it. The jinx is shattered!’

Rodolfo Segura: He keeps his chin up (Oct. 31-Nov. 7, 1975)

Sports Weekly Magazine’s feature on Ompong Segura after his go-ahead basket gave Toyota a thrilling victory over Crispa in the 1975 PBA Second Conference.

RODOLFO SEGURA: HE KEEPS HIS CHIN UP ON THE HARDCOURT

Sports Weekly Magazine

October 31-November 7, 1975

The crowd had started sparse in the Second Conference of the PBA. But last October 9 at the Araneta Coliseum, a large crowd came to see the classic match between the top two favorites in the tournament — Toyota and Crispa-Floro.

The going was tough. The hordes of Toyota fans in the Coliseum were shrieking at the top of their voices. The score was even at 108. With barely three seconds to go, Rudy Segura received a long pass from Jake Rojas, Rudy made a line drive from the left angle and laid up to beat the gun. And Segura’s heroics clinched the game for the Comets at 110 to Crispa’s 108.