In a FIBA Hall of Fame induction held in the Philippines, basketball immortality awaited 12 inductees this year as part of the Class of 2023.
The stories, the achievements, the speeches of each one, were enough to awe the entire room, which was filled with delegates for the FIBA Congress Manila 2023 and basketball personalities from the Philippines and abroad.
But for Filipinos in the room, for a country so enamored with the sport, none of the names resounded as much as “Carlos ‘Caloy’ Loyzaga”.
When called, his three children, Joaquin “Chito”, Ernesto “Joey”, and Carla “Bing” took the stage to receive the trophy on behalf of their late father. The applause was loud, to understate the matter.
Chito then went on to deliver a resounding speech, short but sweet. The ultimate message? The name on the back of the jersey matters little compared to the flag in the front of the jersey.
The legacy of Caloy Loyzaga, in Chito’s words, was that he played “for love of country, for the flag”. He gave it his all, showed sportsmanship and good character. That, perhaps, is what sets him apart from many.
“Imagine, that was not too long after the war. The struggles, the difficulties they had to go through to represent the country, to play for the flag. That was no joke,” said Chito.
The recognition for Loyzaga’s basketball exploits may perhaps seem belated, considering what he achieved and the time since he set his accomplishments. But the achievements of the man they called “The Big Difference” are timeless.
From his days at San Beda College, his international stints leading to since unmatched triumphs for the country, his time with the Yco dynasty, and even his post-playing days where he achieved some more as a coach, Caloy does not belong to one particular time frame. In Philippine basketball lore, his name should come up again and again, and again. His body of work should be the one that players who came in the years after his career should have aspired for, and current and future players should strive to reach.
He exuded not just skill, but class. He knew his responsibilities, his priorities in basketball, and, because he was the biggest man of his day, with the broadest of shoulders and a barrel chest, he knew he had to deliver. And deliver, he did. And that, is the big difference.
Congratulations, Caloy! You surely deserve the honor.