Toyota team manager Jack Rodriguez announced the sale of its PBA franchise to Beer Hausen, a day after rumors of the Super Corollas' demise came out in the Valentine's Day issue of Tempo.
Corollas to Hausen
By Rey Bancod
Tempo
Published Thursday Feb. 16, 1984
Toyota, winner of nine PBA titles, formally announced yesterday the disbandment of its team.
Toyota players, led by 1982 Most Valuable Player Ramon Fernandez, have all been sold to a new league member, Shareholding Incorporated of the Lucio Tan group. The team will carry the name Beer Hausen and will be coached by veteran Bonnie Carbonell.
Toyota, however, retained its franchise and coach Ed Ocampo, who has been instructed to form another team that will participate in amateur tournaments.
The sale capped weeks of negotiations between Toyota and Shareholding and ended conflicting reports which have been circulating lately.
Toyota team manager Jack Rodriguez, who met the press yesterday, attributed the “shocking” development to the hard times which had the automative industry hard-hit.
“From a work force of a few thousands, we are now reduced to a mere three hundred employees,” said Rodriguez, gloom written on his face. “Mr. Ricardo Silverio believes that it would be unconscionable, under such circumstances, to maintain a high caliber basketball team.”
Rodriguez said there have been efforts to save the team, like slashing the budget, “but the morality of the problem is there.” He apologized to the press for denying negotiations, fearing that it may jeopardize the on-going talks with Shareholding.
Tuesday night, Valentine’s Day, Rodriguez said negotiations were concluded and Toyota lost its star-studded team.
All the existing contracts between Toyota and its players will be absorbed by the new team, Rodriguez said.
“We want to have this team which we formed and reared for 10 years to stay intact so we negotiated with several parties,” added Rodriguez. “The negotiations were aimed at protecting the interests and the future of our players, as well as the PBA and our fans.”
PBA Commissioner Mariano Yenko, who joined the press conference, said this was the first time that he attended a press confab with a heavy heart but added that the show must go on.
“There will be an initial shock among Toyota’s legion of fans but I’m sure they will get over it,” said Yenko.
Rodriguez, however, assured fans and supporters that Toyota will be back to uphold its great tradition.
“To them we pledge…Toyota will be back. And when we come back, we will do so with the same style that has characterized our team in the glory days of the PBA,” Rodriguez vowed.
Toyota won two All-Filipino titles, three Invitational crowns, three Open and one Reinforced in a glittering career highlighted by its fabled rivalry with Crispa.
Toyota will play its last matches against Crispa in Guam starting March 3. Ironically, Toyota’s “last hurrah” will not be held here in the old battleground, where great battles were waged in almost a decade.
Rodriguez expressed his gratitude to Shareholding for allowing its players to play in Guam and San Miguel Beer for letting Abe King join his former teammates.
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