(Note: The Philippines last competed in the basketball event of the Olympic Games in 1956 in Melbourne, with the PH team led Carlos Loyzaga, Mariano Tolentino, Tony Genato, Loreto Carbonell and Carlos Badion finishing seventh pace. A decade earlier, in 1936, known as the Islanders, a PH squad coached by Dionisio Calvo with players like Jacinto Ciria Cruz, Primitivo Martinez and Ambrosio Padilla flew to Adolf Hitler’s Germany three years into World War 2 and competed in the Berlin Olympics, wounding up fifth. The fervor to return to the Olympic stage, matched only by the country’s quest to win its first Olympic gold medal, continues to burn.
A few days ago, MB senior sportswriter Nick Giongco, on a holiday break with his family, was able to visit Berlin, specifically the Olympic venue where the Games were held 84 years ago, and was pleasantly surprised by what he saw.)
By NICK GIONGCO
The Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, site of the 1936 Olympics. (Nick Giongco)
BERLIN—The Olympiastadion, where in 1936 German dictator Adolf Hitler watched from the stands and declared the 11th Olympic Games open, remains a sacred ground for trophy hunters.
It was the venue where US trackster Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters, long jump and 4×100 with Hitler in attendance, almost scowling over how a ‘subhuman’ like Owens could humiliate the blonde-haired and blue-eyed Luz Long and put his concept of Aryan supremacy to shame.
Just steps from the Olympiastadion once stood the Tennis Stadium where basketball made its debut.
When tennis was scrapped, the outdoor venue was used to host the basketball games that featured 21 countries, including the Philippines.
The US team took the gold and the Philippines, despite sporting a 4-1 record, the lone loss against the Americans, the Filipinos placed fifth overall behind the US, Canada, Mexico and Poland.
A black-and-white marker of the Philippine basketball team in action against Mexico. (Nick Giongco)
Interestingly, an action photo of the Philippines playing against Mexico, is displayed on the marker leading to the entrance of the venue that was demolished towards the end of World War II and rebuilt to solely host hockey matches beginning in 1954.
But the tennis courts where Ambrosio Padilla led the Philippines to the highest ever finish by an Asian team in the Olympics—fifth—is long gone, having been replaced by residential buildings starting in 1982.
In 1936, the Philippines was represented by a total of 28 athletes from athletics, boxing, swimming, shooting and wrestling, and also from basketball, which also fielded Charles Borck, Primitivo Martinez and Jacinto Ciria Cruz.
No medals were brought back to the Philippines from Berlin even though boxer Cely Villanueva, swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso high jumper Simeon Toribio won a bronze each from the Los Angeles Games four years earlier.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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