Tanduay Rhum Masters

Tanduay Rhum Masters
History
Tanduay Distillery (1975-1977)
Tanduay ESQ (1978-1979)
Tanduay Esquires (1980–1981)
YCO-Tanduay (1981–1983)
Tanduay Rhum Makers (1983–1987)
Tanduay Gold Rhum Masters (1999)
Tanduay Rhum Masters (2000–2001)
Joined PBA 1975
(Readmitted: 1999)
Team colors Tanduay Distillery/ESQ/Esquires
Red, gold and white
              
Red, black and white
              
YCO-Tanduay
Red, green and white
              
Red, black and white
              
Tanduay Rhum Masters
Red and gold
         
Company Elizalde and Co., Inc.
(1975-1987)
Tanduay Distillers, Inc.
(1999-2001)
Owner(s) Manuel "Manolo" Elizalde ✝ (1975-1987)
Lucio C. Tan Sr. (1999-2001)
Head coach Tanduay Distillery/ESQ/Esquires/YCO-Tanduay/Tanduay Rhum Makers (1975-1987)
Roberto Littaua
Carlos Loyzaga
Valentin Eduque
Freddie Webb
Sonny Reyes
Orly Castelo
Arturo Valenzona
Ely Capacio
Tanduay Rhum Masters (1999-2001)
Alfrancis Chua
Derrick Pumaren
Disbanded 1987
(Disbanded again: 2001)
Championships

3 championships

1986 Reinforced
1986 All-Filipino
1987 Open

5 Finals Appearances
Uniforms
Light
Dark
Tanduay Gold Rhum
Leagues Philippine Basketball League
Founded 1995
History 1997-1999
Location Philippines
Team colors Red and gold
         
President Lucio K. Tan, Jr.
Head coach Alfrancis Chua
Championships PBL (3):
1997-1998 Makati Mayor's Cup
1997-1998 All-Filipino Cup
1998-1999 Centennial Cup
This article is about the Tanduay teams (1975-1987, 1999-2001) in the PBA. For the PBA D-League team, see Tanduay Light Rhum Masters.

The Tanduay Rhum Makers (1975-1987) and Tanduay Rhum Masters (1999-2001) were two basketball franchises associated with the same liquor brand that played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

The original franchise, owned by Elizalde & Co., Inc., was a founding member of the PBA. From 1975-1980, the team played under the name Tanduay Distillery; Tanduay ESQ and Tanduay Esquires; then as, YCO-Tanduay in 1981-1983. The final name used by the original franchise was the Tanduay Rhum Makers (1983-1987). The original franchise won a total of three PBA championships. In 1988, the franchise was acquired by Pure Foods Corporation and played as Purefoods.

The second franchise played under the name Tanduay Rhum Masters and was owned by Tanduay Distillers, Inc. (the present owners of the Tanduay liquor business). It first played in the Philippine Basketball League (1997-1999) and joined the PBA (1999-2001). The PBA records of the original Tanduay PBA franchise (1975-1987) were maintained for the second incarnation.

Tanduay Rhum Makers – the original franchise (Elizalde era, 1975-1987)

Sports patron, Manuel “Manolo” Elizalde, formed the first Philippine basketball dynasty, the YCO Painters, during the post-war era. Players who have donned the famous YCO red and white jersey included Carlos Loyzaga, Bonnie Carbonell, Ed Ocampo, Dading Cuna, Freddie Webb, and Robert Jaworski. Its rivalry with the Ysmael Steel Admirals during the 1950s/1960s, preceded that of Crispa and Toyota in the 1970s/1980s.

The first Tanduay basketball team was organized by Elizalde during the early 1960s for a minor league called the Businessmen’s Athletic Association (BAA). The team, composed of senior YCO players and some collegiate prospects, was short-lived.

In 1975, Elizalde became actively involved in the formation of the Philippine Basketball Association joining forces with several MICAA team owners to break away from the Basketball Association of the Philippines stranglehold. But instead of moving the YCO Painters franchise to the PBA, Elizalde participated in the PBA under the name Tanduay Rhum (a sister company of YCO).

The venerable Carlos Loyzaga handled the coaching chores during the most of the 1970s. Notable players who donned the Tanduay jersey included Freddie Webb, Mike Bilbao, Rene Canent, Valerio "Botchok" Delos Santos, Joy Cleofas, Marte Samson, Rino Salazar, Abe Monzon and Rookies of the Year for 1977 Jimmy Taguines and 1978 Jimmy Manansala. Imports who have played for Tanduay in the early years included Kevin Cluess, Odell Ball, David Payne, Bernard Harris, Gene Moore, Tim Hirten, Curtis Berry, Jerome Henderson, Bill Bozeat and 1981 Reinforced Conference Best Import awardee Russell Murray.

Though competitive, the team started to become a championship contender after a massive rebuilding during the 1985 PBA season, securing former Crispa players like Abet Guidaben, Freddie Hubalde and Padim Israel, along with Willie Generalao from Gilbey's Gin. However, three weeks after the start of the 1985 PBA Reinforced Conference, Guidaben was traded in favor of Ramon Fernandez from Manila Beer.

The original Tanduay franchise won a total of three PBA championships, beginning in the 1986 PBA season during the 1986 PBA Reinforced Conference. After winning its first title, the team brought the championship trophy to the grave of their late owner, Manolo Elizalde. It also won the 1986 PBA All-Filipino Conference and the 1987 PBA Open Conference.

Disbandment

A business blackeye occurred in late 1987 when a couple of Tanduay drinkers died allegedly owing to the liquor. This caused a major backlash in terms of sales as revenues collapsed and almost put the Elizalde & Co., Inc. to bankruptcy.

Pure Foods Corporation, then owned by Ayala Corporation, secured a deal to acquire Tanduay's PBA franchise. The franchise would play under the name Purefoods beginning the 1988 PBA season.

The Tanduay business enterprise was acquired by the Lucio Tan group of companies.

Second Tanduay franchise (Tan era, 1997-2001)

In the Philippine Basketball League (1997-1999)

In 1997, the Tanduay name resurfaced in the Philippine basketball scene at the Philippine Basketball League under the ownership of Lucio Tan Sr. group of companies and managed by son Lucio "Bong" K. Tan, Jr. Prior to using the name "Tanduay Gold Rhum Masters", this team was known as Stag Pale Pilseners from 1995-1996, with Marlou Aquino, Bal David and Jason Webb in the lineup. The Rhum Masters won several PBL crowns under coach Alfrancis Chua and players Eric Menk, Jomer Rubi, Chris Cantonjos and Mark Telan. It also held a PBL-record 18 straight wins in the 1998–1999 Yakult PBL Centennial Cup, but lost in five games to Doctor J Rubbing Alcohol, when the Centennial Rhum Masters blew a 2–0 lead in the best-of-five affair. After Tanduay's move to the PBA, Asia Brewery kept retained the PBL franchise, renamed as Colt 45 with Ritualo leading the squad. Colt 45 placed fourth in the 1999 PBL Challenge Cup before disbanding from the league.

Return to the PBA (1999-2001)

In 1999, Tanduay made its return to the PBA. As part of the agreement, the league allowed six players from Tanduay's PBL lineup to be elevated. Tanduay also acquired Fil-American Earl Sonny Alvarado as the top pick. The records from the original Tanduay franchise (1975-1987) were retained for this franchise.

In its first season, Tanduay placed second to Shell in the 1999 PBA All-Filipino Conference but their second stint in the PBA were marred by several controversies such as the deportation of alleged "Fil-sham" (bogus Filipino) Alvarado which led to a forfeiture of several Tanduay games during the 2000 season. In the 2001 offseason, Tanduay made soundwaves in the PBA when they signed Danny Ildefonso of corporate rival San Miguel Beermen a whopping 16-year, 98 million peso offersheet. The league though, nullified the said deal since it was believed that the offersheet violated the team's salary cap.

Bong Tan also made a controversial comment calling the PBA, "a San Miguel league", a reference to a speculation that the PBA is favoring the then-San Miguel Corporation teams San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra. It was also said that Tanduay violated the PBA's salary cap many times by having their players sign a separate contract apart from the required PBA Uniform Player's Contract that made the players richer than any PBA team's bench players by a few hundred thousand pesos. This was already denied by the management.

Disbandment

Realizing its failure to win a championship despite a stellar line-up of Fil-American players and established veterans, Tanduay disbanded after the 2001 season, selling its PBA franchise to FedEx Express for a reported sum of PHP 60-75 million. A firesale ensued as the Rhum Masters traded their key players Eric Menk (to Barangay Ginebra Kings), Dondon Hontiveros (to the San Miguel Beermen) and Jeffrey Cariaso (to the Coca-Cola Tigers).

Season-by-season records

Legend
     Champion

     Runner-up


     Semifinalist

Season Conference Team name Overall record Finals
W L %
1975 First Conference Tanduay Rhum 6 18 .250
Second Conference
All-Philippine
1976 First Conference 11 21 .344
Second Conference
All-Philippine
1977 All-Filipino Conference 29 28 .509
Open Conference
Invitational Conference
1978 All-Filipino Conference 24 31 .436
Open Conference
Invitational Conference Toyota 3, Tanduay 1
1979 All-Filipino Conference 24 23 .511
Open Conference
Invitational Conference
1980 Open Conference 16 23 .410
Invitational Conference
All-Filipino Conference
1981 Open Conference YCO-Tanduay Rhum 13 29 .310
Invitational Conference
1982 Reinforced Filipino Conference 21 20 .512
Invitational Conference
Open Conference
1983 All-Filipino Conference Tanduay Rhum Makers 24 29 .453
Reinforced Filipino Conference
Open Conference
1984 First All-Filipino Conference 14 26 .350
Second All-Filipino Conference
Invitational Conference
1985 Open Conference 24 35 .407
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference
1986 Open Conference 37 27 .578
All-Filipino Conference Tanduay 3, Ginebra 1
Reinforced Conference Tanduay 4, Great Taste 2
1987 Open Conference 22 23 .489 Tanduay 4, Great Taste 1
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference
1988 Open Conference Tanduay disbanded from the PBA.
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference
1989 Open Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference
1990 First Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
1991 First Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
1992 First Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
1993 All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
1994 All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
1995 All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
1996 All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
1997 All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
1998 All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Centennial Cup
Governors Cup
1999 All-Filipino Cup Tanduay Rhum Masters 29 21 .580 Shell 4, Tanduay 2
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
2000 All-Filipino Cup 15 5 .750
Commissioner's Cup 7 8 .467
Governors Cup 6 5 .545
2001 All-Filipino Cup 5 9 .357
Commissioner's Cup 4 7 .364
Governors Cup 5 8 .385
Overall record 336 396 .459 3 championships

Players of note

In alphabetical order. Members of PBA Hall of Fame and PBA 25 Greatest Players are in boldface.

First Tanduay team (Elizalde era, 1975-1987)

  • Ramon Fernandez - #19
  • Abet Guidaben - #5
  • Freddie Hubalde - #10
  • Raymund "Chuck" Barreiro - #4
  • Miguel “Mike” Bilbao - #4, #6, #20, #40
  • Rene Canent - #18
  • Eleazar "Ely" Capacio ✝- #15
  • Benjamin “Benjie” Cleofas - #15
  • Ricardo "Joy" Cleofas - #16
  • Ramon "Onchie" dela Cruz - #9
  • Roberto "Bert" dela Rosa - #7
  • Valerio "Botchok" delos Santos
  • Angelito "Itoy" Esguerra - #16
  • Wilfredo “Willie” Generalao - #42
  • Alberto Gutierrez - #13
  • Federico “Padim” Israel #17
  • Rey Lazaro - #12
  • Federico "Bokyo" Lauchengco - #77
  • Romulo Mamaril - #33
  • Jimmy Manansala - #11
  • Abelardo "Abe" Monzon
  • Rino Salazar #14
  • Tano Salazar #11
  • Marte Samson
  • Vic Sanchez - #14, #12 – "Rambo"
  • Jimmy Taguines - #44
  • Freddie Webb - #14 – "Fastbreak Freddie"
  • J.B. Yango - #24

Imports

Second Tanduay team (Tan era, 1999-2001)

  • Rene Alforque
  • Sonny Alvarado #15 - "The Punisher"
  • Chris Cantonjos #33
  • Jeffrey Cariaso #28 – "The Jet"
  • Jayvee Gayoso #22 – "Mr. Adrenaline"
  • Dondon Hontiveros #7 - "Cebuano Hotshot"
  • Rudy Hatfield – "The H-Bomb" #34
  • Pido Jarencio #25 – "The Fireman"
  • Bobby Jose #11 – "The Firecracker"
  • Noli Locsin #6 – "The Tank"
  • Eric Menk – "Major Pain" #30
  • Dindo Pumaren #10 – "The Bullet"
  • Mark Telan #13
  • Jomar Rubi
  • Jason Webb #1

Imports

See also

External links

Preceded by
(start)
PBA teams genealogies
1975–1987
Succeeded by
Purefoods TJ Hotdogs
Preceded by
(elevated from the Philippine Basketball League)
PBA teams genealogies
1999–2001
Succeeded by
FedEx Express
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