BENJIE Paras, whose Rookie of the Year-MVP feat in 1989 is the only one in the PBA, leads a lean, four-man group that will be inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame this year.
One of the best, if not the best, pure centers to ever play in the PBA, Paras was a no-brainer of a choice from among nine candidates nominated for league immortality.
Joining Paras into the hall was bosom buddy and longtime backcourt mate Ronnie Magsanoc—his teammate at San Beda High School, University of the Philippines in college and Philips Sardines in the amateur league and at Shell in the PBA.
Paras, who won a second MVP in 1999, and Magsanoc earned the nod from the honors committee. Also included were league pioneer Lim Eng Beng and the late Ed Ocampo, a four-time champion coach.
The fifth Hall of Fame induction will be held tentatively at the opening of the season-ending Governors’ Cup on Aug. 14.
Missing out this year were nominees Sean Chambers, Alaska’s former resident import who was with the Aces in their dynasty in the 1990s, former referee Igmidio Cahanding, journalist Fred Luarca, ex-Swift team manager Elmer Yanga and the late great Arnie Tuadles, the 1979 Rookie of the Year with Toyota.
PBA commissioner Chito Salud, league chair Robert Non, past and incoming chairs Mamerto Mondragon and Mon Segismundo and media men Bobby Barreiro, Joe Antonio, Jun Lomibao and Ding Marcelo were the members of the Honors Committee.
Those who made the Hall in this batch each received a minimum of five votes from the committee, which was given the list of candidates by a Selection Committee that convened three weeks ago.
There were 36 inductees before this batch, counting such luminaries as Robert Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez, founding commissioner Leo Prieto and ward Rodrigo Salud and Grand Slam coaches Baby Dalupan and Tommy Manotoc.