The success story of the year in Philippine sports was that one about how they tried to hold an advance funeral for the first World Ten Ball pool championship in Manila—and failed.

Yes, the remarkable series that was beamed to the world from the Philippine International Convention Center is a resounding triumph for Pinoy integrity—or what little is left of it.

So, how can one failure be a success story?

This may sound corny, even absurd, but there was practically no hope for the championship series ever getting off the floor following the boycott of Filipino world pool celebrities led by the legendary Efren “Bata” Reyes.

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True, the inaugural World Ten Ball championship did lure the biggest names in international pool.

But the coup staged by a rival group of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) had nearly succeeded based on the initial cold reception and the poor turnout, results of manipulated publicity.

Well, call it People Power in reverse but, in the end, the tournament sprang back and scored a resounding triumph, the first of its kind in world pool.

“We will not disappoint you,” said Yen Makabenta, BSCP chair and head of Raya Sports, which mounted a classy coverage of the inaugural event.

* * *

Makabenta, who had to weather the stormy boycott and the demeaning accusations, announced that the next World Ten Ball championship will be held in the Philippines on Oct. 4 to 11, 2009, either in Cebu or Manila.

World Pool and Billiard Association president Ian Anderson, who presented the medals, also awarded the franchise for the next eight WTBC stagings to the Philippines.

“This is the far-reaching significance of our program for our people and our country,” Makabenta said.

* * *

The defeat of the plotters did not come quick and easy.

The inaugural tournament itself had to gasp and claw hard in trying to stay afloat, so to say.

For starters, the flamboyant Jeffrey De Luna, stunning in his frizzy-dyed hairdo, typified the struggle with a back-from-the grave win over Serbian Santor Tot, easily the finest defensive pool star in the world today.

Meanwhile, there were at least three other Filipinos quietly advancing into the Last 32.

This intrepid gang was composed of veteran internationalist Marlon Manalo, together with two virtual unknowns, Demosthenes Pulpul of Cagayan de Oro and Jericho Bañares of Antipolo.

* * *

For his part, Bañares first stopped former world champion Thorsten Hohmann before clipping the ambitious Alwi of Indonesia.

However, Bañares and Manalo failed in their bids in the Final 16, thereby leaving Pulpul as the last Pinoy standing.

How Pulpul, a certified giant killer, shone brilliantly to beat a rated Taiwanese and make it to the semifinals was a huge part of the success story.

What made it truly significant for the Philippines was the manner Pulpul had held his own against the world’s best—2005 World Pool Championship winner Wu Chia-ching in the semifinals, and European champion Neils Feijen of the Netherlands in the fight for third place.

* * *

There’s cold-blooded irony here but maybe we should also thank the coup plotters, which included the great Bata Reyes, who left ample room for new Pinoy pool stars, products of a competent grassroots program, to shine.

Not to be overlooked, of course, was the brilliant broadcasting stint of internationalist Bob Guerrero and the great floor announcing of Ted Lerner, an accomplished writer, that brought the pool success story of the year to the world.

Take a bow, gentlemen.

You’ve told them the honest story of Pinoy integrity.