LONGTIME national coach Nestor Ilagan, widely considered as the father of Philippine dragon boat racing, died early yesterday morning, a day after falling off a dockside while overseeing the training of PH paddlers.
EFREN B. Cadayona, father of Pilipino Star Ngayon sportswriter Russel Cadayona, died Friday due to a lingering illness. He was 67.
“NAGSOSONA si kalawit (Death stalks),” the straight-talking Zip Roxas texted back when informed that Leo Saddul Reyes has died. Reyes was no stranger to Roxas, who as a tough news desk chief at the Philippines News Agency in the mid-1970’s helped turn Leo from a green campus editor to a sports writer of the first water.
He beat Muhammad Ali in the Fight of the Century, battled him nearly to the death in the Thrilla in Manila. Then Joe Frazier spent the rest of his life trying to fight his way out of Ali’s shadow.
