Top 10 "Top 10s": Greatest Filipino Athletes (1920-1970)

     With my last two top 10s, I decided to do a two-part special, featuring the greatest FIlipino athletes of all time.  I've always found it foolish to compare athletes from the present generation to the ones from previous generations, as time brings about tons of changes,  whether they be the level (and number) of competition to the technology behind the game and equipment.  That's why I've made two lists.


Parameters:  All athletes with Filipino blood, who performed their feats of sporting greatness between the years of 1920 to 1970 will be included.


10. Felicisimo Ampon

     Many people state that height is clearly an advantage in tennis, but no one told FIlipino tennis great Felicisimo Ampon.  Despite being just 5 feet tall, Ampon was so good, he was even considered the best tennis player in the world, "inch for inch."  In 1937, Ampon brought international recognition to the Philippines by taking Davis Cup Singles Title.  He continued to lead the Philippine charge in Davis cup, but his most significant achievement would be winning the Pan AMerican Championship in Mexico.  Ampon also won titles in the Far east Games and a doubles gold in the 1954 Asian Games.  His most impressive feat, however, would have to be his stints at Grand Slam tournaments.  He is the first and only FIlipino in history to reach the quarterfinals of both the French Open and Wimbeldon (he was also the shortest man to ever play in a Grand Slam), both times giving then World's number 1 player Frank Sedgman the scares of his life.  Ampon also won the WImbeldon Plate Championship in 1953, which is a oturnament for the players eliminated in the first and second round. Perhaps the best description of Ampon's contribution ot tennis was summed up by British Ambassador Peter Beckingham who said Ampon was, " a great internationalist who has imparted a new meaning to the delicate game and is a credit to the sport."







   9.  Ceferino Garcia

     Filipino boxers have always earned the world's respect, being these fiery, small tornadoes.  Small, however, is the operative word as most of the country's greatest pugilists are in the lighter weight divisions like flyweight or bantamweight.  Garcia is an exception and what an exception he is.  In 1939, Garcia took on middle weight champ Fred Apostoli and cemented his place in sporting history as he knocked out Apostoli in the 7th round to take the belt.  Then, in a special treat for his fellow Filipinos, Garcia defended his crown at the Rizal Stadium against challenger Glen Lee.  In the first world title fight held in the Philippines, Garcia gave the crowd plenty to cheer for as he sent Lee sprawling in the 13th round.  In 1981, Garcia was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to the boxer who loved the, "bolo punch."


  8.  Anthony Villanueva


     Some athletes find it hard to escape their father's shadow, especially if they compete int he same sport.  Anthony Villanueva, however, had no such trouble.  Becoming a boxer like his Olympic medallist father Jose, Anthony represented the Philippines in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games in the featherweight division.  He went all to the way to the gold medal match, where observers called his loss to the USSR's Stanislav Stepashki, "controversial."  Despite his loss, Anthony became the Philippines' first Olympic silver medallist, a feat no one matched until 1996.  Combined with his father, the VIllanuevas would become the first FIlipino father and ason tandem to become Olympic medallists.


  7.  Simeon Toribio


     Filipinos have been known to make their mark in a variety of sports, like boxing, pool and bowling, Toribio blazed his own trail in his own sport.  Toribio, who later became a Bohol congressman, specialized in the high jump event of track and field competitions.  Representing the Philippines in the Far East Games, he won the gold medal in high jumping an astounding five times (1921, 1923, 1927, 1930 and 1934).  He was also named, "Asia's Best Athlete."  His greatest achievement would have to be his Olympic medal.  In the 1928 Amsterdam Games, Toribio cleared a height of 1.97 meters to claim the bronze medal.


  6.  Victoria Manalo

     While the quest for the Philippines' first official Olympic gold medal is still on, a Filipina has actually done it.  Victoria Manalo Draves competed in the diving competitions of the 1948 London Games.  Manalo Draves emerged as a dominant force, claiming the golds in both the 3 meter springboard and the 10 meter platform events.  She became the first woman in world history to win two diving events in the same Olympics. It's just too bad that she represented her birth country, U.S.A., and not her dad's.  She would've been at the top of this list.


  5.  Francisco Guilledo

     The name Francisco Guilledo probably doesn't ring any bells, because he was mostly known by a different name.  Pancho Villa is definitely one of the greatest boxers in Philippine history, one of the forefathers who have paved the way for the likes of Manny Pacquiao.  Despite being a mere 5'1" and 114 lbs, Guilledo compiled an amazing 67 victories, including one in 1923 when he defeated then world flyweight champ Jimmy Wilde by KO.  His fighting heart being his greatest asset, Guilledo would also be done in by it, as he continued fighting despite pain from a tooth infection.  His condition worsened and he succumbed to Ludwig's Angina in 1925.  It's heartening to know, though, that Guilledo's amazing life and career has been noticed by international journalists like WIlliam Detloff of the Ring.  His article on Guilledo is quite a read.


  4.  Carlos Loyzaga 

     Known as the, "BIg DIfference," Loyzaga did live up to his name.  At 6'4" Loyzaga had the ability to play multiple positions on the court and naturally became the leader of several successful Philippine basketball teams, including the Asian Games gold medal teams of 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1962 and the FIBA Asia gold medal teams of 1960 and 1963.  His leadership truly shone in the 1954 basketball world championships, where he led the Philippines to an unprecedented, unparalleled bronze medal finish.  He was so good that he was actually named to the "Mythical First 5," meaning in 1954, he was one of the top 5 basketball players in the world.


  3.  Ambrosio Padilla


     Nowadays, very few world-class athletes would be great image models for the importance of schooling.  Padilla, however, is and should be the greatest poster child that education is just as important as sports. While I never got to meet Padilla, it was a great honor for me to help create a video about him and interview his daughter.   A perennial Dean's Lister at Ateneo, Padilla would also lead the Blue Eagles to an NCAA basketball championship.  Then, he went on to lead the Philippines' charge in the Far East Games in 1930 and 1934, winning the gold medal in both editions.  In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Padilla led the Philippine basketball team into history, leading the country to a 5th place Olympic finish, the best finish by an Asian country in history (a feat still unmatched).  As if those feats weren't enough, Padilla went on to serve not only in key leadership positions in sports, but also as a senator.  The cherry on top of the sundae?  He was also a part of the team that drafted the 1987 constitution.  Filipinos all over the world should be thankful it was this baller-turned-senator that helped draft the constitution and not Robert Jaworski.


  2.  Gabriel Elorde

     Probably the greatest Filipino boxer before Manny Pacquiao came into the scene, "Flash" Elorde began boxing at age 16 and was a national champion just a year later.  In 1960, Elorde took on Harold Gomes, defeating him to become the WBC junior lightweight champion of the world.  Elorde's career was not defined by winning the championship or by his amazing 88 wins.  What makes Elorde great is the fact that he was the world champ from 1960 to 1967, making him the longest reigning world champion, a true hallmark a great and consistent fighter.


  1.  Teofilo Yldefonso


     There are many Filipinos who have competed and won in the Olympic Games, but only one has won two for the country.  Yldefonso, clearly the country's greatest swimmer of all time, won two bronze medals for the country.  The most amazing thing about that feat is that Yldefonso won in two separate Olympic games.  He won his first bronze in the 200 meter breast stroke (with a time of 2:54:40) in the 1928 Amsterdam Games.  Then, he improved on his own time (2:47:10) four years later in the 1932 Los Angeles Games to take a second bronze.  The man known as the Ilocano Shark continues to be the only double medallist in Philippine sports history, but his most impressive feat?  Yldefonso after fighting for the country in the Olympics and finding success, actually took up arms and literally fought for the country in World War 2, where he was killed in battle.  A true hero in every sense of the word, Yldefonso may have done too much, forever dooming his descendants, most especially swimmer and great grandson Daniel Coakley, to never achieve anything close to what he had done.


photos courtesy of wikipedia, spaceboykokong.blogspot.com, filipinohome.com, ssc.edu.ph, atinitonews.com, philtennis.com