The league’s first-ever Rookie of the Year-Most Valuable Player Benjie Paras leads a decorated cast of players, coaches and media personalities that have been nominated for enshrinement into the 2013 PBA Hall of Fame class.
Paras is joined by Shell teammate Ronnie Magsanoc, Arnie Tuadles, coach Ed Ocampo, Lim Eng Beng, former Alaska import Sean Chambers, former league official Elmer Yanga, referee Igmidio Cahanding and media man Fred Luarca on the distinguished list.
The fifth PBA Hall of Fame ceremony will be held during the opening of the 2013-14 PBA season or in a separate event prior to the opening.
PBA officials Rickie Santos and Willie Marcial, sports columnists Joaquin Henson and Dennis Principe, PBA Press Corps president Musong Castillo, TV5’s Magsanoc and Paras, representing the players’ group, composed the selection/nomination committee, whose choices are to go through screening by the Honors Committee.
Thirty-six individuals have been previously inducted into the Hall of Fame, led by initial honorees Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Atoy Co, Philip Cezar, Bogs Adornado, Francis Arnaiz, Baby Dalupan, Leo Prieto, Emerson Coseteng, Rudy Salud, Danny Floro, and Joe Cantada.
Two years after the 2005 launch, Abet Guidaben, Manny Paner, Danny Florencio, Norman Black, Ron Jacobs, Domingo Itchon, Danding Cojuangco, Dante Silverio, Tony Siddayao, and Pinggoy Pengson made the next batch inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The next batch was composed of Bobby Parks, Allan Caidic, Samboy Lim, Hector Calma, Ricky Brown, Honeyboy Palanca, and Jun Bernardino in 2009, and was followed by the batch of Alvin Patrimonio, Billy Ray Bates, Freddie Hubalde, Tommy Manotoc, Tito Eduque, Mariano Yenko, and Bobong Velez in 2011.