Cebu scrabble community plans tribute for Abella

THE Cebu Scrabble Association Inc. (CSAI) and Cebu’s chess community is mourning the passing of Cebu’s “Father of Scrabble”, National Master (NM) Roger Abella last April 17 because of liver cancer.

NM Abella was 61.

Philippine team member for the World Youth Scrabble Championships (WYSC) and renowned word wizard Teodoro Martus Jr. and CSAI members are planning to pay tribute to Abella and CSAI co-founder Leo Fabular, who also passed away last year.

“We are planning to honor their contributions of the sport of scrabble here in Cebu by organizing a memorial tournament maybe this year,” said Martus Jr.

NM Abella was CSAI’s president since 1996, the same year the group was established in Cebu. He backed team Cebu during the inaugural National Scrabble Association Tournament in Manila the following year after CSAI was formed.

NM Abella and Fabular was also the pioneering tournament managers in the Milo Little Olympics and the Cebu City Olympics.

According to Martus, Abella’s governance of CSAI gave the sport of scrabble a huge exposure to the youth of Cebu.

Because of his contribution to the sport, Abella was included in the Cebu City Sports Hall of Fame last 1998.

NM Abella was also an active chess tournament organizer and arbiter.

A funeral service will be held for him at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Carmelite church in Mabolo before his remains will be laid to rest at the Cebu Queen City Memorial Park. /CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL