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About The Philippines

Baseball is played in the Philippines as an amateur sport, governed by the Philippines Amateur Baseball Association in Manila, affiliated with the IBAF. It was especially strong in the pre-war years, but has slumped in popularity through the last half of last century. However, today it is in the ascendent once again, with renewed fervor towards promoting the sport nationwide.

In the "Golden Age", the highlight was undoubtedly the visit of an All-Star team which included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmy Foxx, that embarked on an 18-game tour of Asia in 1934. Ruth and Gehrig's team stopped for a week at the Philippines in December that year. Gehrig took bragging rights as the first to hit a home run at Rizal stadium on Dec. 2. Ruth hit the second home run in the same game, and another on Dec. 9. Stadium historians list the 71-year-old facility's "most celebrated moment" as local Cavite pitcher Armando Oncinian's strikeout of Ruth in one of the games.

The Rizal Memorial Basebal Stadium currently hosts the Southeast Asian Games baseball competition, including teams from the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar. It has fallen on hard times with the downturn of the sport in the country, but still hosts a number of Filipino league games each year and recently had a fresh coat of paint as part of a 12 million Philippine peso (US$220,000, euro188,000) refurbishment.

Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium Built: 1934 Left field: 313' Left Centre: 349' Centre Field: 385' Right Centre: 344' Right Field: 303' Seating Capacity: 10,000+ First Homerun: Lou Gehrig Most Celebrated Moment: Armando Oncinian strikes out Babe Ruth Most Notable Visitors: Jimmie Foxx, Gehrig, John McGraw, Ruth

The state of baseball in the Philippines parallels the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the country. During the golden age, baseball was the national pastime. Filipinos had a particular interest and excelled in this sport to the extent that the country attracted international competition. During the dark ages, economic depression coupled with neglect in schools brought about a marked decline in the sport and paved the way for a lack of diamond talent. At present, there is a renaissance in Philippine baseball.

With gold being secured by the national team in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games, it's clear that baseball remains a popular team sport in the pearl of the orient. The Southeast Asian Games is played every two years, with countries rotating as hosts. In 2005, the Philippines hosted the SEAG's inaugural baseball competitions in the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The recent SEAG conquest has garnered this nation its first invitation to the 2006 Asian Games from the Baseball Federation of Asia, the sport's governing body in the region. Philippine Amateur Baseball Association president Hector Navasero, who received the formal invitation from BFA Presidential Advisor Yukichi Maeda of Japan, welcomed the Philippines' inclusion.

"It is an honor for the Philippines to be invited to play in the Asian Games," said Navasero, the central figure in the sport who has been at the helm since 1986.

Something must be going right on the Philippine diamond. The numbers are telling. From the grassroots to the adult level, baseball has thrived. Participation and involvement continue to increase as evidenced by the number of leagues, tournaments, and circuits that have sprouted since the turn of this century.

The Kids International Diamond Sports Baseball, National All-High School Baseball Championships, and Titans League have provided additional avenues for the game and much needed baseball competition across the different levels that were previously centered around the International Little League Association of Manila, Little League Baseball Philippines, Tot Baseball, Private Schools Athletics Association, University Athletics Association of the Philippines, and Philippine Amateur Baseball Association Seniors League.

Despite this continued proliferation of teams across the nation, the standards of international level competition have not yet been met above the high school level. Progress comes with competition, and in time the Philippines will no doubt continue to build on its international stocks.

The Philippines has produced at least three US Major League players:-

RHP Robert William (Bobby) Chouinard, born 1/5/1972. He played from 1996 (Oakland) to 2001 (Colorado) with stops at the Diamondbacks and Brewers in between. He finished his career with a 4.58 ERA from 111 games, and with an 11-8 winning record and 1 save from 13 starts.
Infielder Benny Agbayani, born Tuesday, December 28, 1971, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Agbayani was 26 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 17, 1998, with the New York Mets. Although he was raised in Hawaii, his parents are Filipino.
Left Fielder Bobby Balcena [dec] was born on Saturday, August 1, 1925, in San Pedro, California, of Filipino parents. Balcena was 31 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 16, 1956, with the Cincinnati Redlegs. He started playing baseball (and football) for his team at San Pedro High School, and played many years for the Pacific Coast League. Member of the 1955 PCL champion Seattle Rainiers. He scored two runs in two official at-bats in seven games for the 1956 Cincinnati Reds, and was a longshoreman in the off-season. He died in San Pedro in January 1990.

Baseball provides the Philippines a great opportunity for nation-building. For in baseball, Filipinos can play their strengths. Material sourced with thanks from Titans Baseball.

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