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.

Guam: Crispa, Toyota prevail (March 3, 1984)

Crispa and Toyota handily beat their local counterparts in a prelude to their two-game exhibition series in Guam.

Crispa, Toyota win in Guam

By Joe Quirino

Tempo

Published Monday March 5, 1984

GUAM, March 4 (via Philcom) — Crispa showed too much class in routing the Varsity selection, 134-109, Saturday night in a warm-up for its duel with arch-rival Toyota here.

It was a real treat for the thousands of Filipino fans who jammed the University of Guam gym as the multi-titled Redmanizers virtually toyed with the Americans.

Guam: Crispa, Toyota play local teams (March 3, 1984)

Crispa and Toyota arrived in Guam for a two-game exhibition series to cap off their storied rivalry. The series came almost a month after the stunning sale of the Toyota franchise to Beer Hausen.

Crispa, Toyota play today

By Bert Eljera

Tempo

Published Sunday March 4, 1984

GUAM, March 3 (via Philcom) — The series they have been calling here as a dream-come-true but actually is the curtain call of the storied Crispa-Toyota rivalry gets going tomorrow at the 4,000-seat University of Guam gym.

Crispa takes on the varsity selection, the stronger of two local sides the pros will be playing against, at 8 p.m. while Toyota meets the Guam All-Stars, a team powered by players from the University of Guam at 6:15 p.m.

Jaworski, Arnaiz blast sale (Feb. 16, 1984)

Toyota’s stunning sale to Beer Hausen left hurt feelings among its players, particularly the backcourt tandem of Robert Jaworski and Francis Arnaiz.

JAWORSKI, ARNAIZ BLAST SALE

‘Unfair and immoral’

By Al Mendoza

Tempo

Published Friday Feb. 17, 1984

Robert Jaworski yesterday threatened to quit basketball while Francis Arnaiz branded as “highly immoral” his sale to Beer Hausen.

“I was hurt,” said Jaworski. “Most of us were not consulted about the sale. The management made a totally unfair decision when they sold out to Beer Hausen.”

Jaworski and Arnaiz, together with nine other Toyota players, were sold to Beer Hausen Tuesday in a management decision that shocked millions of basketball fans.

Toyota disbanded (Feb. 15, 1984)

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.

Goodbye Toyota (Feb. 14, 1984)

Valentine's Day turned out to be a sour one for Toyota fans after Tempo columnist Beth Celis first reported the team's decision to disband before the start of the 1984 PBA season despite a denial from team manager Jack Rodriguez.

Goodbye Toyota

By Beth Celis

Tempo

Published Tuesday Feb. 14, 1984

Toyota is out of the All-Filipino conference of the Philippine Basketball Association. And, for all intents and purposes, Toyota won’t be around the rest of the pro season.

A confidential source, who requested anonymity, yesterday, confirmed a Tempo report that Toyota is disbanding this year due to the hard times.

“It is definite. Management has made the decision to disband the team,” the source said. “It is irrevocable.”

Toyota-Crispa in Guam (Feb. 13, 1984)

Team manager Jack Rodriguez confirmed Toyota’s participation in a goodwill series against Crispa in Guam, marking the first time the rivalry will be played on foreign soil.

Toyota to Guam vs Crispa

Tempo

Published Tuesday Feb. 14, 1984

It’s definite Crispa and Toyota, the country’s winningest professional ballclubs, will play a two-game exhibition series starting Feb. 29 in Guam.

Touyota team manager Jack Rodriguez made the confirmation yesterday as he looked forward to the first meeting of the two teams outside the country.