ROSALIO 'Yoyong' Martires, a basketball great who later ventured into showbusiness as a comedian and later became a public servant in his adopted city of Pasig, died on Tuesday, his family announced.
He was 77.
The razzle-dazzle Cebu-born point guard carved a name for himself in Manila during the pre-PBA days of the MICAA and became a member of the last Philippine basketball team to play in the Olympics in 1972 in Munich.
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Martires later played 10 years as a professional in the PBA, suiting up mainly for San Miguel/ Royal Tru-Orange franchise which was also his team in the old MICAA, and briefly with Country Fair before retiring in 1984.
He was actually a two-time champion with San Miguel, including being part of the first-ever championship team of the SMC franchise while still carrying the brand name Royal Tru-Orange in 1979.
The Orangemen defeated the highly-favored Toyota Tamaraws in the 1979 Open Conference Finals, 3-1. Among Martirez's teammates back then were the import tandem of Larry Pounds and Otto Moore and Olympic teammate Marte Samson.
Ed Ocampo, also a teammate of Martirez in the 1972 Olympic team, was head coach of Royal Tru-Orange.
He won a second title with the Beermen during the 1982 Invitational Conference where they beat the Crispa Redmanizers in the best-of-three finals, 2-1, behind import Norman Black.
But Martirez was just a shadow of his old self by that time.
He finished his career having played in 326 games and averaged 6.4 points. Martirez was also a member of the 500-steals club, compiling a total of 753 career steals to rank no. 9 in the all-time list.
The former Southwestern University star later ventured into acting, mainly in comedy flicks alongside Tito, Vic and Joey, and entered politics in Pasig, where he served as vice mayor for three terms and councilor until 2022.
Friends and family said the fleet-footed guard died due to complications brought by pneumonia.
He was last seen in the sports community on April 24 gracing a tribute held for the 1972 Olympic team, joining former teammates Jimmy Mariano and Marte Samson.
Among the first to pay tribute to the fleet-footed point guard was four-time PBA MVP Mon Fernandez, who was also Martires' teammate in the Philippine team that won the ABC (now Fiba-Asia Cup) in Manila in 1973.
That national team, which also included the likes of Robert Jaworski, William 'Bogs' Adornado, Abet Guidaben, Francis Arnaiz, Dave Regullano, Joy Cleofas, Big Boy Reynoso, Manny Paner, Tembong Melencio, and Mariano, still stands as the last Philippine side to win the Asian Championships.
"I will forever be proud of your accomplishments," said Fernandez. "Your legacy as a sportsman and as a public servant will remain an inspiration to many.
"Maayong pagpahuway, Yong," the Cebu-based basketball great added.
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