FOR many especially the younger generation, Yoyong Martires is known more for his many roles in comedy movies, most of the time alongside Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey De Leon, sometime during the 1980s and 1990s, and even as a public servant as a former vice mayor and councilor of Pasig City.
But for some like basketball legend Ramon Fernandez, Martires, yes with an ‘S’, will also go down as one of the best Filipino basketball players of their time. Martires, who on Wednesday passed away at the age of 77, was a member of the Philippine team to the 1972 Olympics.
“He was one of the better defensive players na guard at his height,” said Fernandez in an interview with SPIN.ph on Wednesday. “Kung kumpiyansa kang magdi-dribble sa harap nun, aagawan ka niya sa bilis niya."
READ Yoyong Martires, PBA great, Olympian and actor, dies aged 77
So good was his defense that, according to the research of PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon, Martires was the first member of the league’s 500-steals club which he reached on May 1, 1980. He is currently in a tie with current TNT player Ryan Reyes for 10th in the all-time steals list with 753.
“He may not be the best shooter around but he was a very good defender and a very good guard," said Fernandez.
No Philippine basketball team has returned to the Olympics after that stint in Munich where Martires was teammates with Fernandez, who went on to become a four-time MVP in the PBA.
Aside from national teams to the Asian Games and ABC Championships, Fernandez became teammates with Martires with the SMC Braves, the precursor of the San Miguel Beermen. The Braves won the 1973 National Open before Fernandez moved to Toyota.
“He was already in the national team in the early 70s I believe. Tapos 1972, he was already in the Olympics. He was always in the national team. That proves his capabilities,” said Fernandez.
With Fernandez moving to a different team, Martires stayed with the San Miguel team on until the company joined the PBA until he retired in 1982 while also playing briefly for Countryfair.
Fernandez said that even during their playing days, Martires was already a funnyman.
“Natural comedian si Yoyong. Kapag nasa quarters kami or nasa abroad kami, karamihan sa amin, nasa kwarto niya, nakikinig sa mga patutsada niya at mga kuwento niya. Masayang kasama,” said Fernandez, who was in the company of Martires just a few months ago as ambassadors in the East Asia Super League final in Lapu-Lapu City last March.
Fernandez said he was the least surprised when Martires took his funny side to the big screen where he, most of the time, plays a character who seems to be always in a bad mood, only for him to reply by saying “Hindi. Nagpapaliwanag lang” when asked if he is angry.
In fact, Fernandez said Martires already graced the big screen way before those comedy roles as the two appeared in a movie as part of a fund-raising activity for the national team.
Fernandez said he and Martires portrayed fictional basketball players in the said movie.
“’Yung 1973 team namin, when we were preparing for the World Basketball sa Puerto Rico, nag-paproduce si Lito Puyat (then Basketball Association of the Philippines president) ng film na The First Five. Fund-raising ‘yun for the Philippine team for Puerto Rico. Kuwento ‘yun ng mga buhay-buhay namin sa probinsya.
“Hindi nahihiya,” said Fernandez of Martires of being a natural on-screen.
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