Meralco Reddy Kilowatts

The MERALCO Reddy Kilowatts were a basketball team of the MERALCO Athletic Club owned by the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) that played in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) from 1968 to 1972. Its moniker and mascot, Reddy Kilowatt, was a licensed branding character used by the company during that period. The company briefly joined the MICAA prior to World War II and was re-admitted in 1968.

The team consisted of players from the just-disbanded Ysmael Steel Admirals – namely, Alberto “Big Boy” Reynoso, Alfonso “Boy” Marquez, Jimmy Mariano and Orlando Bauzon. Other players included, Ramon Lucindo, Robert Jaworski, Fort Acuña, Francis Arnaiz, Bobby Salonga, Arthur Herrera, Larry Mumar and Jumbo Salvador. The team was originally coached by Valentin “Tito” Eduque. In 1970, Lauro Mumar took over the position of head coach.

Aftet the demise of the YCO-Ysmael Steel rivalry following the breakup of the Ysmael Steel Admirals in 1968, the Reddy Kilowatts and the Crispa-Floro Redmanizers began its own rivalry beginning in 1970. The rivalry came into full bloom during the 1971 MICAA All-Filipino championship, when Reynoso and Jaworski mauled referees Eriberto “Ting” Cruz and Jose “Joe” Obias in retaliation for what Reynoso and Jaworski perceived to be dubious calls against them. Reynoso and Jaworski were meted lifetime suspensions. The suspensions were lifted through the efforts of Presidential Assistant Guillermo “Gimo” de Vega in time for the 1973 FIBA Asia Championship.

The Reddy Kilowatts won one MICAA championship in the 1971 MICAA Open, where it defeated Crispa, 65-58, at the Araneta Coliseum. The Redmanizers of coach Baby Dalupan were led by Jun Papa, Danny Florencio, imports Tom Cowart and Paul Scranton, and rookie Bogs Adornado. This was MERALCO's only basketball title since rejoining the MICAA in 1968. ^[1] It also won two (2) National (BAP) titles - the 1969 National Seniors and the 1970 National Invitational.^[2]

The team disbanded by 1973 in the wake of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines, wherein the Marcos government seized the company from Eugenio López, Sr.

Reynoso, Jaworski, Bauzon, Acuña and Arnaiz went on to form the nucleus of the Komatsu Komets/Toyota Comets in 1973. The Comets carried on MERALCO’s rivalry with Crispa beginning in 1974, during the 1974 MICAA All-Filipino tournament.

Rosters

1971 Champion team

Meralco Reddy Kilowatts roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. 5.5 !F/C 4 PHI ! Reynoso, Alberto 7000187960000000000♠6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1.5 !G 5 PHI ! Salonga, Bobby 7000180340000000000♠5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 4.0 !F 6 PHI ! Mariano, Jimmy 7000193040000000000♠6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1.5 !G 7 PHI ! Jaworski, Robert 7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1.5 !G 8 PHI ! Arnaiz, Francis 7000180340000000000♠5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 1.5 !G 9 PHI ! Bauzon, Orlando 7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 10 PHI ! Arazas, Engracio 1.5 !G 11 PHI ! Marquez, Alfonso 7000182880000000000♠6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 4.0 !F 12 PHI ! Salvador, Jumbo 7000177800000000000♠5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 13 PHI ! Ross, Jun 1.5 !G 15 PHI ! Mumar, Lawrence 7000180340000000000♠5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 135 lb (61 kg) 4.0 !F 16 PHI ! Lucindo, Ramon 7000187960000000000♠6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 2.5 !G/F 18 PHI ! Acuña, Fort 7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 6.0 !C 20 USA ! Presley, Bob (I) 7000208279999999999♠6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 6.0 !C USA ! Greenfield, Carl (I) 7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)	Head coach Lauro Mumar Legend (C) Team captain Injured

Other notable players

• Jing Aldanese
• Chito Afable
• Ric Cabrera
• Arthur Herrera
• Rudy Hines
• Dave Regullano
• Joseph Wilson

Imports

• Don Griffin
• Tine Hardeman

Coaches

• Felicisimo Fajardo (1967)
• Valentin Eduque (1968-1970)
• Lauro Mumar (1970-1972)

Team manager

• Manuel M. López (Meralco vice-president and adviser of the Meralco Athletic Club).

See also

• Meralco Bolts
• Loyola Meralco Sparks F.C.
• Meralco Power Spikers

References