A LEGENDARY figure in softball and baseball will be the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA).
Filomeno “Boy” Codiñera will be bestowed with the prestigious honor by the country’s sportswriting fraternity when it holds its Annual Awards Night, presented by Milo and San Miguel Corp., on February 13 at the One Esplanade in Pasay City.
A “can’t miss” individual owing to his towering presence and strong personality, Codiñera was a longtime member of the fabled Blu Boys whose exploits of hitting seven consecutive doubles in the 1968 World Championships in Oklahoma, USA, landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“It’s about time the great Boy Codiñera or ‘Mang Boy’ to us all, be accorded with an award that speaks volumes about his stature as a distinguished softball and baseball player who did us proud not only in Asia but around the world. The man truly deserves it,” PSA President Riera Mallari of the Manila Standard said.
Past recipients of the award bestowed by the country’s oldest media organization, which turns 67 this year, include icons such as champion coach Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan, boxing referee Carlos Padilla, former International Olympic Committee (representative to the country) Frank Elizalde, former International Basketball Federation Asia Secretary-General Mauricio “Moying” Martelino, and the late basketball great Carlos Loyzaga.
Codinera, who will celebrate his 77th birthday in March, is just one of a handful of awardees to be honored. World boxing champions Donnie Nietes and Nonito Donaire Jr. and rising golf star Miguel Tabuena will be presented with the Athletes of the Year trophies. The gala night, also presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Basketball Association, MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, Maynilad, Accel, GlobalPort, Rain or Shine, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Sen. Chiz Escudero and SM Holdings, will be hosted by Quinito Henson and Patricia Bermudez-Hizon.
Codinera was also a member of the Philippine team that won a bronze medal in the 1966 World Amateur Baseball Championship in Hawaii.
The father of basketball star Jerry and pros Harmon and Pat, Codinera also played for the Blu Boys that won the Asian Men’s Softball Championship in 1967, 1973 and 1977.
He also steered University of Santo Tomas to four baseball championships and six softball titles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
A retired member of the so-called Manila’s Finest, Codiñera was, likewise, a member of the celebrated Canlubang Sugar Barons who dominated the Manila Bay Baseball League and the local softball tournaments in the 1950s all the way to the 1970s.
Also to be handed out by the PSA are the President’s Award (Gilas Pilipinas), Ms. Volleyball (Alyssa Valdez) and Mr. Basketball (Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo).
There will also be an award for Executive of the Year, major awards in other sports, posthumous and citations, which include all gold medalists in last year’s Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.
Not to be missed out are the Tony Siddayao Awards for outstanding athletes ages 17 and below, and the Milo Outstanding Athletes for boys and girls.