Rafe Bartholomew

Basketball invented in 1891 by James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts. It arrives in the Philippine public education curriculum in 1912. Filipinos wound up learning how to play basketball sort of before the rest of the world, other than the United States, maybe Canada.

There was this early culture and real skill and ability in the sport that didn't exist in countries that have since risen and because of greater height, greater wealth, kind of... left over the Philippines in terms of international basketball status.

There was this early culture and real skill and ability in the sport that didn't exist in countries that have since risen and because of greater height, greater wealth, kind of... left over the Philippines in terms of international basketball status.

There was this early culture and real skill and ability in the sport that didn't exist in countries that have since risen and because of greater height, greater wealth, kind of... left over the Philippines in terms of international basketball status.

I agree, unfortunately. But unsurprisingly. So the first Olympics to feature basketball as an event in 1936, the Philippines only lost one game in that to the United States. And due to the weird way they structured the tournament at that time, they lost right before the medal round. But they'd beaten Mexico, which won the bronze. There's always this sense that, man, we could have had a bronze.

I agree, unfortunately. But unsurprisingly. So the first Olympics to feature basketball as an event in 1936, the Philippines only lost one game in that to the United States. And due to the weird way they structured the tournament at that time, they lost right before the medal round. But they'd beaten Mexico, which won the bronze. There's always this sense that, man, we could have had a bronze.

I agree, unfortunately. But unsurprisingly. So the first Olympics to feature basketball as an event in 1936, the Philippines only lost one game in that to the United States. And due to the weird way they structured the tournament at that time, they lost right before the medal round. But they'd beaten Mexico, which won the bronze. There's always this sense that, man, we could have had a bronze.

And then later on in 1954, the Philippines actually did go on to win a bronze at the World Championships in Brazil. They're still the only East Asian country to medal at that level in international competition in basketball. And it all builds this real pride and history in the Philippines. People grow up and are raised with this knowledge that basketball is your sport.

And then later on in 1954, the Philippines actually did go on to win a bronze at the World Championships in Brazil. They're still the only East Asian country to medal at that level in international competition in basketball. And it all builds this real pride and history in the Philippines. People grow up and are raised with this knowledge that basketball is your sport.

And then later on in 1954, the Philippines actually did go on to win a bronze at the World Championships in Brazil. They're still the only East Asian country to medal at that level in international competition in basketball. And it all builds this real pride and history in the Philippines. People grow up and are raised with this knowledge that basketball is your sport.

Even in the 70s, Filipino fans are aware of the NBA, but they consume it through magazines. They hear of it secondhand. Maybe a game will make it onto TV on tape delay a week after it was played. And that's part of the reason that the Philippines decided, the founders of the PBA got together and said, let's make the leap and play.

Even in the 70s, Filipino fans are aware of the NBA, but they consume it through magazines. They hear of it secondhand. Maybe a game will make it onto TV on tape delay a week after it was played. And that's part of the reason that the Philippines decided, the founders of the PBA got together and said, let's make the leap and play.

Even in the 70s, Filipino fans are aware of the NBA, but they consume it through magazines. They hear of it secondhand. Maybe a game will make it onto TV on tape delay a week after it was played. And that's part of the reason that the Philippines decided, the founders of the PBA got together and said, let's make the leap and play.

create the first all-professional league after the NBA, so we have our own. And the PBA was that, a way to plant the Philippines flag in the sport and say, we are a great basketball nation too.

create the first all-professional league after the NBA, so we have our own. And the PBA was that, a way to plant the Philippines flag in the sport and say, we are a great basketball nation too.

create the first all-professional league after the NBA, so we have our own. And the PBA was that, a way to plant the Philippines flag in the sport and say, we are a great basketball nation too.

San Miguel Beermen, one of the legacy teams that is still around from that era and plays today. A name like the Beermen tips off the way that the PBA was organized as a business, which is a marketing vehicle for many of the biggest companies in the country. They, instead of having teams based in different parts of the country, it was a way also to save a little bit of money on travel.

San Miguel Beermen, one of the legacy teams that is still around from that era and plays today. A name like the Beermen tips off the way that the PBA was organized as a business, which is a marketing vehicle for many of the biggest companies in the country. They, instead of having teams based in different parts of the country, it was a way also to save a little bit of money on travel.

San Miguel Beermen, one of the legacy teams that is still around from that era and plays today. A name like the Beermen tips off the way that the PBA was organized as a business, which is a marketing vehicle for many of the biggest companies in the country. They, instead of having teams based in different parts of the country, it was a way also to save a little bit of money on travel.

The entire league is based in Manila in the capital. and the teams are owned by the owners of San Miguel Beer, or we're looking at the Crispa Redmanizers. Crispa was a t-shirt company, a textile company, and Redmanizing was this word they had come up with for basically making non-shrink t-shirts. So we're the CRISPA non-shrink t-shirt champions. I mean, and so many names like this.