Baseball is undoubtedly the leading pastime in Japan.
The Asian country’s national team is world caliber and a powerhouse in the region since last century, when the Philippines used to be in the continent’s Top 4 along with South Korea and Chinese Taipei.
But time flew as fast as the speed of a homerun hit as the Japanese, Koreans and Taiwanese reached the status as baseball powers in the world stage, while Filipinos were left reigning in their regional kingdom of Southeast Asia.
But the new leaders of the sport in the Philippines want more.
They’re now moving heaven and earth to regain the country’s glory in baseball and put it once again in the Asian map of competition in the near future.
An avenue to do just that is the Liga Baseball Philippines, formed by respectable businessmen/ sportsmen in the country, led by Land Bank of the Philippines Chairman Amando N. Zamora, President Jose Antonio V. Munoz and Executive Director Rodolfo N.Tingzon, Jr., with Directors Joaquin C.Loyzaga, Rene Andrei Q. Saguisag, Jude H. Turcuato, Felipe Antonio B. Remollo, Jose Emmanuel M. Eala, Josedinno M. Mariano, Raymond B. Tolentino, Michael M. Zialcita and Anthony R.Suntay, together with Executive Administrator Mariano N. Arroyo and Corporate Secretary Julie Anne Yabes at the helm.
“Eight teams will slug it out in the inaugural LBP ‘Tingzon Cup’ (in honor of the legendary baseball leader Rodolfo Tingzon Sr.) as they showcase high-level competition in the country’s first commercial baseball league,” said Zamora during the LBP executive meeting at Amigo’s in BGC, Taguig City.
“All the teams participating can be a contender for the historic LBP maiden season. Rivalry in the LBP looms as baseball kibitzers and enthusiasts will surely follow their team from tri-media to socmed. And by that time, baseball fans are back at the venue, the historic Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila,” said an optimistic Munoz.
Tingzon expressed the importance of rivalry in the LBP like the collegiate teams from the UAAP and the possible battlefield everytime the two teams owned by Japanese nationals based in the Philippines will be at war in the diamond.
The Japanese are here to help baseball back on its feet with consent from baseball leaders here and the players in giving opportunities to play in the Japan League while they learn and compensate for their livelihood.
“The proud Japanese will surely outhit each other everytime they meet and of course the collegiate arch rivalries. Let’s bring it on!” said Tingzon.
One of the Japanese teams is the KBA Stars, owned by national baseball consultant Keiji Katayama, while the other one, the IPPC Hawks, is ran by longtime Philippine baseball supporter Kunifumi Itakura.
Other teams which are also title contenders are the NU Bulldogs, UST Growling Tigers, Samurai u-18, PK Holdings Thunders, Ateneo Blue Eagles and Manila.
The LBP Tingzon Cup, sanctioned by the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association, headed by president Loyzaga, will kick off on May 26 at the RMBS.
