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Tanduay Rhum Masters

{{More citations needed|date=April 2015}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Use Philippine English|date=December 2022}}

{{About|the PBA team|the PBA D-League team|Tanduay Light Rhum Masters|the MPBL team|Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters}}

{{Infobox basketball team

|logo=Tanduay Rhum Masters logo.png

|logo_size=300px

|name=Tanduay Rhum Masters

|founded=1975

|history=Tanduay Distillery (1975-1977)
Tanduay Esquires (1978-1981)
YCO-Tanduay (1981–1983)
Tanduay Rhum Makers (1983–1987)
Tanduay Gold Rhum Masters (1999)
Tanduay Rhum Masters (2000–2001)

|colors=Tanduay Distillery/Esquires
Red, gold and white
{{Color box|red}} {{Color box|#FFB612}}{{Color box|white}}
Red, black and white
{{Color box|red}}{{Color box|black}} {{Color box|white}}
YCO-Tanduay
Red, green and white
{{Color box|red}} {{Color box|green}} {{Color box|white}}
Red, black and white
{{Color box|red}} {{Color box|black}} {{Color box|white}}
Tanduay Rhum Masters
Red and gold
{{Color box|red}}{{Color box|#FFB612}}

|company=Elizalde and Co., Inc.
(1975-1987)
Tanduay Distillers, Inc.
(1999-2001)

|owner=Manuel "Manolo" Elizalde (1975-1986)
Lucio C. Tan Sr. (1999-2001)

|coach=Tanduay Distillery/Tanduay ESQ/YCO-Tanduay/Tanduay Rhum Makers (1975-1987)
Loreto Carbonell
Roberto Littaua
Carlos Loyzaga
Valentin Eduque
Freddie Webb
Sonny Reyes
Orly Castelo
Arturo Valenzona
Ely Capacio
Tanduay Rhum Masters (1999-2001)
Alfrancis Chua
Derrick Pumaren

|championships=3 championships

1986 Reinforced
1986 All-Filipino
1987 Open

5 Finals Appearances

|dissolved=2001 (withdrew in 1987, and readmitted in 1999)

|1_pattern_b=_thinredsides|1_body=FFD700|1_shorts=FFD700|1_title=Light uniform

|2_pattern_b=_thinyellowsides|2_body=ff0000|2_shorts=ff0000|2_title=Dark uniform

}}

The Tanduay Rhum Makers (1975–1987) and Tanduay Rhum Masters (1999–2001) were two basketball franchises associated with the same Tanduay Distillers 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 Distillery; Tanduay ESQ and Tanduay Esquires; 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, its PBA franchise was acquired by Pure Foods Corporation and played as Purefoods.

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 joined the PBA (1999-2001). The PBA records of the original Tanduay PBA franchise (1975-1987) were maintained for the second incarnation. Its PBA franchise was sold to FedEx Express in 2002.

The original Tanduay franchise (Elizalde era, 1975–1987)

Businessman Manuel “Manolo” Elizalde formed the Philippines' first basketball dynasty, the YCO Painters, during the post-war era. Players who have donned the famous YCO red and white jersey included Carlos Loyzaga, Carlos Badion, Loreto Carbonell, Ed Ocampo, Mariano Tolentino and Kurt Bachmann. Its rivalry with the Ysmael Steel Admirals preceded that of Crispa and Toyota in the PBA.

The first Tanduay basketball team was organized by Elizalde during the early 1960s to compete in a minor league called Businessmen’s Athletic Association (BAA). This farm team of the YCO Painters had a brief existence.{{cite web|url=http://rpbasketballphotos.blogspot.com/2011/03/tanduay-ballclubs-early-years-in-1960s.html|title=Tanduay clinches BAA cage series}}

In 1975, Elizalde became actively involved in the formation of the Philippine Basketball Association as he joined forces with several MICAA team owners to break away from the Basketball Association of the Philippines stranglehold. The YCO Painters maintained their ballclub in the MICAA and their newly-formed professional team was named Tanduay.

=1977–1980=

With Carlos Loyzaga handling the coaching chores by 1977, replacing Bobby Littaua, Tanduay entered the semifinals for the first time in the 1977 All-Filipino Conference and almost made it to the finals but lost to Mariwasa-Honda Panthers on their last assignment as the Panthers went on to play the Crispa Redmanizers for the championship. The season had a Tanduay player Jaime Taguines becoming the second recipient of the Rookie of the Year honors.

In 1978, Tanduay had their first breakthrough year. After a third and fourth place finishes in the first two conferences of the season, the third conference Invitational championship allows the Esquires to simultaneously field their two imports. Gene Moore and David Payne led the team to score upset victories and enter the finals series against the Toyota Tamaraws. The Esquires lost to defending champion Toyota in four games. Tanduay again produced another Rookie of the Year awardee for the second straight season in Jaime Manansala.

===1979–1984===

The next six seasons would remain unfruitful and title-less campaign for the Tanduay ballclub despite being competitive and a darkhorse team in the early 1980s, signing some top amateur stars like Rey Lazaro, former San Beda Red Lions Frankie Lim and JB Yango. The team had a revamp of their lineup in 1984, giving up four of its veteran players, Roberto dela Rosa, Victor Sanchez, Alberto Gutierrez and Mike Bilbao to newcomer Beer Hausen.

=1985–1987=

Following the disbandment of the famed Crispa Redmanizers, the Tanduay Rhum Makers had a massive rebuilding, acquiring Crispa stars 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. Tanduay's coach at that time, Orly Castelo, was also replaced by former Gilbey's Gin coach Arturo Valenzona.

Tanduay finally won the first of three PBA championships beginning in the 1986 First Conference, behind imports Rob Williams and Andre Mckoy. {{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tGwVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gwsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3629%2C3037159|title=Tanduay: Sure of another big year|publisher=Manila Standard}} After winning its first title, the team brought the championship trophy to the grave of their late owner, Manolo Elizalde, who died a year before. Tanduay won their second straight championship in the 1986 PBA All-Filipino Conference and their third title in the 1987 PBA Open Conference with best import David Thirdkill.

=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 put parent company Elizalde & Company Inc. near bankruptcy.

Pure Foods Corporation, then a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation, acquired 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)

=In the Philippine Basketball League (1997-1999)=

{{See also|Stag Pale Pilseners}}

In 1997, the Tanduay name resurfaced in the Philippine basketball scene at the Philippine Basketball League under the ownership of Lucio Tan group of companies and managed by son Lucio "Bong" K. Tan, Jr. Prior to using the name "Tanduay Gold Rhum Masters", this team was originally 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 the team moved to the PBA, Asia Brewery retained the PBL franchise and was renamed Colt 45 with Renren Ritualo leading the squad. Colt 45 placed fourth in the 1999 PBL Challenge Cup before disbanding.

=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

class="toccolours" style="float: right; font-size: 95%;"
style="background-color: #F2F2F2; border: 1px solid #AAAAAA;" | Legend
{{color box|#FFE6BD}} Champion

----{{color box|#D0E7FF}} Runner-up

----{{color box|#DDFFDD}} Third place

class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
rowspan=2|Seasonrowspan=2|Conferencerowspan=2| Team namecolspan=3| Overall recordrowspan=2| Finals
WL%
rowspan=3| 1975First Conferencerowspan=18| Tanduay Rhumrowspan=3| 6rowspan=3| 18rowspan=3| .250
Second Conference
All-Philippine
rowspan=3| 1976First Conferencerowspan=3| 11rowspan=3| 21rowspan=3| .344
Second Conference
All-Philippine
rowspan=3| 1977All-Filipino Conferencerowspan=3| 29rowspan=3| 28rowspan=3| .509
Open Conference
Invitational Conference
bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 1978

All-Filipino Conferencebgcolor=white rowspan=3| 24bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 31bgcolor=white rowspan=3| .436
Open Conference
bgcolor=#D0E7FF

|Invitational Conference

Toyota 3, Tanduay 1
bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 1979

All-Filipino Conferencebgcolor=white rowspan=3| 24bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 23bgcolor=white rowspan=3| .511
Open Conference
Invitational Conference
rowspan=3| 1980Open Conferencerowspan=3| 16rowspan=3| 23rowspan=3| .410
Invitational Conference
bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|All-Filipino Conference

rowspan=2| 1981Open Conferencerowspan=5| YCO-Tanduay Rhumrowspan=2| 13rowspan=2| 29rowspan=2| .310
Reinforced Filipino Conference
rowspan=3| 1982Reinforced Filipino Conferencerowspan=3| 21rowspan=3| 20rowspan=3| .512
Invitational Conference
Open Conference
rowspan=3| 1983All-Filipino Conferencerowspan=15|Tanduay Rhum Makersrowspan=3| 24rowspan=3| 29rowspan=3| .453
bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|Reinforced Filipino Conference

Open Conference
rowspan=3| 1984First All-Filipino Conferencerowspan=3| 14rowspan=3| 26rowspan=3| .350
bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|Second All-Filipino Conference

Invitational Conference
rowspan=3| 1985Open Conferencerowspan=3| 24rowspan=3| 35rowspan=3| .407
bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|All-Filipino Conference

Reinforced Conference
bgcolor=#FFE6BD

|rowspan=3| 1986

Reinforced Conferencerowspan=3| 37rowspan=3| 27rowspan=3| .578Tanduay 4, Great Taste 2
bgcolor=#FFE6BD

|All-Filipino Conference

Tanduay 3, Ginebra 1
Open Conference
bgcolor=#FFE6BD

|bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 1987

Open Conferencebgcolor=white rowspan=3| 22bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 23bgcolor=white rowspan=3| .489Tanduay 4, Great Taste 1
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference
rowspan=3| 1988Open Conferencerowspan=34 colspan=6 align=center|Tanduay disbanded from the PBA.
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference
rowspan=3| 1989Open Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Reinforced Conference
rowspan=3| 1990First Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
rowspan=3| 1991First Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
rowspan=3| 1992First Conference
All-Filipino Conference
Third Conference
rowspan=3| 1993All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
rowspan=3| 1994All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
rowspan=3| 1995All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
rowspan=3| 1996All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
rowspan=3| 1997All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Governors Cup
rowspan=4| 1998All-Filipino Cup
Commissioner's Cup
Centennial Cup
Governors Cup
bgcolor=#D0E7FF

|bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 1999

All-Filipino Cupbgcolor=white rowspan=9|Tanduay Rhum Mastersbgcolor=white rowspan=3| 29bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 21bgcolor=white rowspan=3| .580Shell 4, Tanduay 2
Commissioner's Cup
bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|Governors Cup

bgcolor=#DDFFDD

|bgcolor=white rowspan=3| 2000

All-Filipino Cup155.750
Commissioner's Cup78.467
Governors Cup65.545
rowspan=3| 2001All-Filipino Cup59.357
Commissioner's Cup47.364
Governors Cup58.385
colspan=3| Overall record336396.4593 championships

Awards

=Individual awards=

class=wikitable
style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Most Valuable Player

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | Finals MVP

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Best Player of the Conference

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Rookie of the Year Award

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA All-Defensive Team

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Mythical First Team

valign="top" |

  • Jimmy Taguines - 1977
  • Jimmy Manansala - 1978

| valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Mythical Second Team

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Most Improved Player

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Sportsmanship Award

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Best Import

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" |

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" |

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

=PBA Press Corps Individual Awards=

class=wikitable
style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" | PBA Scoring Leader

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" |

! style="{{PBA color cell|Tanduay Rhum Masters}}" |

valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

| valign="top" |

Notable players

In alphabetical order. Members of PBA Hall of Fame and PBA 25 Greatest Players are in boldface.

===First Tanduay team (Elizalde era, 1975-1987)===

{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}

  • Ramon Fernandez - #19
  • Abet Guidaben - #5
  • Freddie Hubalde - #10
  • Allan Abelgas - #34
  • Dennis Abbatuan - #18
  • Ronnie Albor - #16
  • Zito "Chito" Bacon - #5
  • Raymundo "Chuck" Barreiro - #4
  • Miguel “Mike” Bilbao - #4, #6, #20, #40
  • Rene Canent - #18
  • Eleazar "Ely" Capacio - #15
  • David "Boy" Cezar - #17
  • Benjamin “Benjie” Cleofas - #15
  • Ricardo "Joy" Cleofas - #16
  • Ramon "Onchie" dela Cruz - #9
  • Roberto "Bert" dela Rosa - #7
  • Valerio "Botchok" delos Santos - #10
  • Joselito "Lito" Eguia - #12
  • Angelito "Itoy" Esguerra - #16
  • Wilfredo “Willie” Generalao - #42
  • Alberto "Abet" Gutierrez - #9 & #13
  • Cesar "Boy" Ijares - #36
  • Federico “Padim” Israel #17
  • Rudolfo "Rudy" Lalota - #9
  • Zaldy Latoza - #10
  • Reynaldo "Rey" Lazaro - #12
  • Frankie Lim - #4, #14
  • Geronimo Lucido - #12 1976 Rookie of the Year
  • Jaime "Jimmy" Manansala - #11 1978 Rookie of the Year
  • Alexander "Alex" Marquez #44 - "The Kamikaze Kid"
  • Abelardo "Abe" Monzon #2, #22 & #44
  • Horacio "Ace" Moreno - #88 & #8
  • Jerry Pingoy - #14
  • Marte Samson - #11
  • Quirino "Rino" Salazar - #7
  • Victor "Vic" Sanchez - #14, #12 – "Rambo"
  • David "Dave" Supnet #66 & #6
  • Jaime "Jimmy" Taguines - #44 - 1977 Rookie of the Year
  • Alex Tan -#40
  • Antonio "Tony" Torrente - #7
  • Reynaldo "Rey" Vallejo -#1
  • Luis "Tito" Varela -#32 - "Kojak"
  • Freddie Webb - #14 – "Fastbreak Freddie"
  • Jose Bernardo "JB" Yango - #24 - "The Cuyapo Kid"

{{colend}}

==Imports==

{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}

{{colend}}

=Second Tanduay team (Tan era, 1999-2001)=

{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}

  • Rene Alforque #18
  • Sonny Alvarado #15 - "The Punisher"
  • Chris Cantonjos #33
  • Jeffrey Cariaso #28 – "The Jet"
  • Jayvee Gayoso #22 – "Mr. Adrenaline"
  • Dondon Hontiveros #7 - "Cebuano Hotshot"
  • Rudy Hatfield – "The H-Bomb" #34
  • Pido Jarencio #25 – "The Fireman"
  • Bobby Jose #11 – "The Firecracker"
  • Noli Locsin #6 – "The Tank"
  • Eric Menk #30 - "Major Pain"
  • Dindo Pumaren #10 – "The Bullet"
  • Mark Telan #13
  • Jomar Rubi #7
  • Jason Webb #1
  • Bong Hawkins
  • Bonel Balingit
  • Jon Ordono

{{colend}}

==Imports==

{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}

{{colend}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{succession box

|before = (start)

|after = Star Hotshots

|title = PBA teams genealogies

|years = 1975–1987

}}

{{succession box

|before = (elevated from the Philippine Basketball League)

|after = FedEx Express

|title = PBA teams genealogies

|years = 1999–2001

}}

{{s-end}}

{{navboxes

|title=PBA finals champions

|list=

{{Tanduay Rhum Makers 1986 PBA Reinforced Conference Champions}}

{{Tanduay Rhum Makers 1986 PBA All-Filipino Conference Champions}}

{{Tanduay Rhum Makers 1987 PBA Open Conference Champions}}

}}

{{PBAdefunct}}

Category:Basketball teams established in 1975

Category:2001 disestablishments in the Philippines

Category:Basketball teams disestablished in 2001

Category:Defunct Philippine Basketball Association teams

Category:Philippine Basketball League teams

Category:1975 establishments in the Philippines