Nostalgia time: Kelan kayo unang nanood ng PBA game na live?

[Aleancelo]

Ako, yung opening ng 1986 season sa Ultra. Courtside seat kami ng erpat at ng kuya ko. Naaalala ko pa, ang muse ng Ginebra, si Gretchen Barretto (then the Gretchen B-Joey L romance started). Sa newcomer na Alaska, si Joey Albert. Sa Manila Beer, si beauty queen Peachy Sacasas. Di ko na maalala yung iba. Ang ceremonial toss, si Kris Aquino, kasama si FVR (katatapos lang ng EDSA Revolution so sumisipsip ang PBA Board of Governors). Ang master of ceremonies: the late great Joe C. First game: Shell vs. Alaska (winner: Alaska). Second game: Manila Beer vs. Great Taste (winner: Great Taste). Kayo, kelan kayo unang nakapanood ng PBA na live?

[Gospel of Judas]

2006. ginebra vs red bull. i don't watch much pba live. i have watched more live laker games than pba games. a sad fact, but hey at least i've already seen staples center

[AnthonyServinio]

SINCE IT was almost impossible to procure Toyota-Crispa tickets in 1981, my dad had to settle for the next best thing, a double-header that involved both legendary rivals.

In the first game, Toyota walloped Finance, Inc. Toyota had the super incompetent Melton Werts as one of its import while Finance paraded seven-footer Jim Zoet.

In the main game, Crispa survived CDCP in overtime.

Today, I cannot count how many PBA games I watched live.

[StJames]

Can't remember which year (1984?) but it involved a very strong Great Taste team composed of Bogs Adornado, Ricky Brown, Jimmy Manansala, Manny Victorino, Arnie Tuadles, Joy Carpio, Rafael Sison, Joey Marquez, Joel Banal etc. against a Crispa team that was going to dissolve soon.

[Jay P. Mercado]

I forgot the name of the partner of former Canadian national team player Jim Zoet - I think it was Michael Carter or something who was the other import of the Finance Funders. Zoet first played in Philippine shores when he was part of Team Canada in the 1978 World Basketball Tournament alongside future NBA stars Leo Rautins and Jay Triano. This team finished 6th overall in the tournament hosted by Manila sometime October of 1978. Zoet was later replaced by Jesse Boyd as his skills were proven inutile in the PBA wars.

Melton Wertz was Toyota's other import alongside resident import Andrew Fields. If I'm not mistaken, Wertz was replaced by Victor King in the same conference who, although not even half as good as Fields, was definitely much better than the lemon Wertz. The two (Fields and King) powered Toyota to the 1981 Open Conference championship against Crispa 3-2 in a series officiated by NBA referees Lee Jones and Jim Capers. Crispa had James Hardy and Byron "Snake" Jones as their reinforcements against CDCP's George Lister and Edmond Lawrence.

Note that both Toyota and Crispa were "handicapped" at that time as they can only field in one of their two imports in the game. CDCP (which had the 6'11 Lawrence and the 7'0 Lister), Finance, Inc. (Zoet and Carter) and other also-ran teams were allowed to field both their imports simultaneously. Incidentally, the Builders would probably have the tallest import combo in the history of the PBA with these two players. Later on, Lister was replaced by Jeff Wilkins who stood at 7'0 tall as well...

Regarding the topic, my first ever live game was a match between the U/Tex Weavers and the Toyota Comets in the second round of the eliminations of the 1975 AFC. This was the birthday present given to me by my elder sibs as I just turned 7 years old back then...

[Aleancelo]

In the first game, Toyota walloped Finance, Inc. Toyota had the super incompetent Melton Werts as one of its import while Finance paraded seven-footer Jim Zoet.

Oh, I thought Manila Beer's import Lewis Brown (1985 Open Conference) was the first 7-footer in the PBA (followed by Feihl in the 90s). Meron pa palang Jim Zoet.

[Jay P. Mercado]

Aleancelo,

Actually, the first seven footer to play in the PBA was back in 1977 featuring the caucasian 7'0 Steve Stroud. He played alongside the 6'7 Chris MacMurray for the 7/UP Uncolas in the Open Conference of the said year, in tandem with the firebrand called Danny Florencio. Florencio went on to win topscoring honors for that season, averaging 32.3 points per game, the highest scoring average by a local in PBA history.

In 1976, U/Tex paraded the goateed Dan Knight (+) who stood an inch shorter than 7 feet. But because of his afro hairdo, Knight stood almost like 7'1 although he was listed at 6'11. Knight was paired with a caucasian import, the 6'6 Lee Haven in the 1976 Open Conference for the Weavers.

Lewis Brown, who actually first played for the Great Taste Discoverers in the 1980 or 1981 Open Conference, also suited up for Crispa in the 1982 Open before his last stint with Manila Beer in 1985. Brown though was listed at 6'11 and not 7 feet tall.

Other seven footers to my recollection were Earl Barron for Red Bull and a certain Johns for Coca-Cola.

[neth_row]

Can't remember either. It was probably a San Miguel game during Jun Bernardino's tenure as commish.

[Aleancelo]

Thanks for the info, Jay.

Yung ticket ko ng first PBA game na napanood ko, nasa akin pa. May autograph ni Gretchen B. Tandang tanda ko pa yung event, not because of the 2 not-so-spectacular games (walang game ang Ginebra). But it's because on that day, I became a recipient of Filipino generosity. May katabi kaming mag-ama. Yung anak na batang babae (i think she's only about 4 or 5), binilhan ng tatay niya ng siopao asado. Ayaw nung bata, e yung tatay, bawal ang cholesterol. Sukat ba namang ibigay sa akin yung siopao. Kung nababasa nung ama ito: Boss, salamat po ng marami. I was a complete stranger and yet, you were kind enough to give me the siopao that you bought.

[Direct Hit]

My first game that I've watch them live was in 1987 or 1988. the First game was Magnolia vs. Presto. The the second game was Alaska against the IBA all-stars. Which was the main reason why me and my dad went there. Just to see those IBA players. Sean Chambers was still part of the IBA. Sa Ultra pa yun laro

[OhmsIlagan]

ako 1995 yata, a game between purefoods and a team I cannot remember. binentahan ako ng tito ko ng tiket ala scalper. Since I dont know how much ang tiket sa isang game, he was able to sell it to me with a big mark-up . . pero ok lang kc the reason i bought it is to have a date with my crush . . he he he naging *** **** after a week . . so ok na rin . . d ko n nga pala maalala *** result ng game kasi iba ginagawa namin non eh he he

[KevinDurant]

1996 season...Ginebra vs. Shell (first game)
Marlou Aquino's maiden conference..
He outplayed Benjie Paras at that game at the Araneta..
Jawo was still playing coach for the Gins..
Ginebra won that game..

[KevinDurant]

^^I think the upper A back then costs 24 pesos..
...upper B and bleacher..12 pesos..

[rhk111]

I was in High School, & my cousin who was from the province wanted to watch the PBA games live, so he bought me along. Couldn't remember much about the game, though.

[Ala8n]

My first game na live sa napanuod PBA sa Ultra 1985 first conference. Syempre Ginebra ang laro first year ni Jaworski as playing coach ng Ginebra, naalala ko pa kompleto kami ng Dad at brother ko pati uncle lahat die hard kay Jaworski at scalper pa kami bumili ticket hehe..

[hitman_97]

^^^ tanda mo pa ba how much a ticket costs at that time?

[Jay P. Mercado]

Circa 1985, I think the Lower Level at the ULTRA was worth P100 while the Upper Level section was at P60...

[James Ty III]

Ginebra vs. Shell, the KO game for the last finals berth in the 1985 AFC at the ULTRA.

Nanood ako sa talagang itaas ng ULTRA.

Shell won that game and moved to the finals.

And now that I'm a sportswriter, I get to watch all the games live.

[master_mei]

Game 4 ng finals between Ginebra and TnT.
Inawardan ng BPC si Menk, umiskor ng 47 si Caguioa pero talo yung Ginebra kaya malungkot kame nung umuwi :P

[neueziel]

First pba game ko na live was pba all stars vs. Shaq's all stars.
Yung Non exhibition naman was 1998 afc game 5 sa cuneta. Alaska vs San Miguel