Philippine Patriots clinic features Billy Ray Bates

Why young kids from ages 9 to 12 should still go gaga over somebody like Billy Ray Bates, who played in the PBA long before they were even conceived is beyond me.
But that’s exactly how the young ones reacted when the Black Superman made an appearance at the basketball court of the Martinez Hospital in Caloocan City.
The Martinez Gym was the venue of the Philippine Patriots basketball clinic, presented by Air Asia of the Asean Basketball League.
Bradford Martinez, whose family owns the hospital and whose passion for basketball matches the lofty standard set by volunteer clinic director Jack Ruby, could not hide his excitement.
He said he had gone around the three barangays surrounding their hospital to gather children who were interested in learning the fundamentals of the game.
“The Patriots will teach the fundamentals of basketball: Dribbling, shooting, passing, etc.,” Bradford said.
I was at the Martinez gym yesterday morning and personally witnessed a hundred boys and girls, all dressed in bright red uniforms, participate in the clinic. A second batch of 100 kids were scheduled for the afternoon session.
Jack said this was the second leg of the Patriots clinics. The first one was held at Clark Air Base, luring close to 200 kids. There are two more clinics scheduled in different sites until December.
Yesterday’s event was personally conducted by the Patriots led by team manager Erick Arejola, assistant coaches Johnedel Cardel and Billy, and cagers Eddie Laure, Al Vergara and Rob Wainwright.
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“I can’t believe Billy is even more popular than our young, active players,” said Jack Ruby. “He still holds the same strange mystique as he did when he was still playing for Crispa in the early 80s.”
The import adored by the basketball-loving Filipinos during his heyday had lost most of his muscles and his weight and he now walks slowly with a limp. But the kids flocked around him as if he could still fly.
Billy said he is now 55 and bears several scars of battle, among them injured pelvic bones. He said his doctor has ordered a hip replacement, but since he cannot afford the cost of the operation, he will have to live with the hobble.
“I guess I can still avoid the replacement until I’m 65,” he said.
Billy was earning a little more than $300 a week from a blue collar job when he got this all-expense paid invitation to come to Manila where he was being installed in the PBA Hall-of-Fame. He was then based in New Jersey.
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It was a wonder that my name rang a bell when I was reintroduced to Billy after almost three decades.
He said it was my name he remembers, understandably so because the face and the figure had changed significantly since the early 80s.
“I plan to be around for a couple of years,” he said. “I’ve changed , I’m not the wild, carefree Billy that you know,” said the Crispa sensation who has been transformed into a very devout Christian.
While in the Philippines, Jack said Billy got word that his daughter was found to be suffering from breast cancer.
“The malignancy is in the second stage. She has undergone a radical mastectomy and will need to undergo chemotheraphy. She won’t be able to pay her medical bills that’s why I need to work here in the Philippines so I can help her.”