Tanduay Rhum Masters

Tanduay Rhum Masters
Joined PBA	1975 (readmitted 1999)
History	Tanduay 1975–1981 YCO-Tanduay 1981–1983 Tanduay Rhum Makers 1983–1987 Tanduay Rhum Masters 1999–2001
Team colors	Tanduay Rhum Makers (1975-1987) Red, white and green Tanduay Rhum Masters (1999-2001) Red, white and gold
Owner(s)	Manuel "Manolo" Elizalde (1975-1987) Lucio C. Tan Sr. (1999-2001)
Company	Elizalde and Co., Inc. (1975-1987) Tanduay Distillers, Inc. (1999-2001)
Head coaches	Tanduay Carlos Loyzaga Tito Eduque YCO-Tanduay Freddie Webb Tanduay Rhum Makers Sonny Reyes Orly Castelo Arturo Valenzona Ely Capacio Tanduay Rhum Masters (1999-2001) Alfrancis Chua Derrick Pumaren
Championships	Tanduay Rhum Makers PBA: 3 (1986 Reinforced, 1986 All-Filipino, 1987 Open) Tanduay Rhum Masters PBL: 7 (1995 Imports Reinforced, 1995 All-Filipino, 1995–96 1st Danny Floro Cup, 1996 2nd Danny Floro Cup, 1997 Makati Mayor's, 1997–98 All-Filipino, 1998 Centennial)
Disbanded	1988 (disbanded again on 2001)
Uniforms
Light uniform Dark uniform

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; 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 Purefoods Corporation.

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 was readmitted to the PBA (1999-2001). The PBA records from 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, when Elizalde participated in a minor league called the Businessmen’s Athletic Association (BAA). The team, composed of senior YCO players and some collegiate prospects, was shortlived.

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.

Purefoods 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)

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

Players of note

PBA's 25 greatest players

• Ramon Fernandez #19 – "The Franchise" won his third MVP while with the team.
• Abet Guidaben #5
• Freddie Hubalde #10

Other notable players

First Tanduay team (Elizalde era, 1975-1987)

• Raymund "Chuck" Barreiro #4
• Mike Bilbao #4, #6, #20, #40
• Rene Canent #18
• Eleazar "Ely" Capacio #15
• Benjamin Cleofas #15 – "Benjie"
• Ricardo "Joy" Cleofas #16
• Ramon "Onchie" dela Cruz #9
• Roberto "Bert" dela Rosa #7
• Valerio "Botchok" delos Santos
• Angelito "Itoy" Esguerra #16
• Willie Generalao #42 – "The General", "Wily Willie"
• Abet Gutierrez #13
• 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

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
• 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

• Kevin Cluess
• Odell Ball
• David Payne
• Bernard Harris
• Gene Moore
• Curtis Berry#00
• Jerome Henderson #31
• Francois Wise
• George Melton
• Russell Murray #33
• David Pope #66
• Ronnie Valentine #44
• Rob Williams #21
• Andre McKoy #33
• Benny "The Outlaw" Anders
• Andy Thompson #22
• David Thirdkill #22
• Freeman Williams #20
• Ira Clark
• Ronnie Fields
• Maurice Bell
• Kevin Freeman
• Billy Thomas

External links

• MYPBA.com Thread: Tanduay History and Trivias