Day of the Big J

As an avid Ginebra fanatic, it's uncanny for me to forget the date, March 8. Robert Jaworski, PBA's Living Legend, celebrated his 63rd birthday. I've been pre-occupied by a lot of things that this date slipped away from my senses. For those who were born only during the Daylight saving time era or worse to those people who were only introduced to PBB Housemates and Startruck Survivors, let's rewind father time, as I take you to a quick journey to one of the most popular personality in the country and one of the most colorful cager who ever wore a pair of sneakers.

Robert Salazar Jaworski's rise to stardom was not an overnight fairytale. He started his basketball career in University of the East under the tutelage of Legendary coach Virgilio Dalupan. He was a vital cog for the Red Warriors leading his team to 2 titles. A many time National Team member, "Jawo", as he was fondly called, was banned for playing basketball in 1971 with pal Big Boy Reynoso for punching a referee. But after 3 years, the two were reinstated due to immense public clamor. "The Big J", coined after the NBA's "The Big O", was already 29 years old when PBA saw it's birth in 1975. Playing alongside Ramon Fernandez at Toyota Comets, he began to carve his name and slowly rised into the leagues elites. In 1983,Toyota disbanded and management decided to give away their players. Jaworski disagreed and uttered the famous line "Ano kami, parang mga baboy na ibebenta por kilo"? He then signed, together with best friend Francis Arnaiz, with the Gilbey's Gin where his popularity blossomed. Changing the name to Ginebra in 1985, he became the first playing coach in the PBA. There, he converted the non believers to believers, proving time and again their "never-say-die" attitude, winning several championships with the Palanca franchise. As a testament to his immense contribution to the league, the PBA patterned its logo to him. In 1995, he made history by drafting son Dudut Jaworski in the Annual Draft making them the first father and son tandem in any sports history. In 1998, he ran for the Senatorial race, where he won, that forced him to retire from active basketball. In 1999, he left the game, but up to this date his famous jersey no.7 has not been officially retired.

His career in basketball is replete with intrigues, controversies and success. Love him or hate him, but he will forever be the Darling of the Crowd. Borrowing from his own statement made during the final years of his career " I can't imagine myself playing without them", pointing to the rafters where the Barangay Ginebra screamed their most famous chant "Jaworski!Jaworski!Jaworski!