Rodolfo “Totoy” Tingzon earned his college degree as a baseball player, became a public school teacher on the way to being acknowledged as the father of youth baseball in the country and the whole of Asia.
Last Friday, Tingzon, affectionately called by many as “Totoy,” passed away in his sleep after spending half of his life propagating baseball, a job he and siblings inherited from their father Julio.
The elder Tingzon was a topnotch player himself during his competitive days before becoming coach and maestro when he retired.
Totoy, he confessed, might not have inherited his father’s playing abilities that earned for the latter a spot in the University of the Philippines- Manila baseball team as a young recruit from Tacloban City.
Don Julio emerged a star player of the time before he co-founded the legendary Canlubang Sugar Estate Sugar Barons. He also became a national team mentor and guided the PH team to countless international competitions, including the First Baseball Federation of Asian won by the Philippines in 1954 and the now-defunct Far Eastern Games from 1913 to 1934.
Totoy, who played for the National University Bulldogs in his college days, admitted his brother Julio “Baby” Jr. was a better player than he was, but accepted the old man’s leadership and managerial acumen must’ve rubbed on him later in his career.
After his graduation, Totoy took the responsibilities of coaching and managing the Canlubang team when his father passed away, guiding the Barons to seven straight Manila Bay Baseball League titles from 1965.
In 1966, he was entrusted the job of managing the PH team to the First World Amateur Baseball Championship held in Honolulu where the Filipinos brought home the bronze medal behind eventual winner the United States and runner up Japan.
Inspired by that podium finish and the potential of giving the country honors in international plays, Totoy went on to organize the Little League Baseball Association of the Philippines along with Manila Time columnist Ka Doroy Valencia and several businessmen-sportsmen, including then PR practitioner, Dr. Dante Ang Sr., now The Manila Time’s Chairman Emeritus aimed at providing grassroot program.
The move gave the opportunity to young boys from the provinces to compete in national and international competitions.
Disappointed by the Little International’s refusal to give the country the opportunity to field a team to the World Series – perhaps being a young organization then – Tingzon withdrew from the LLBI.
He then formed the Philippine Tot Baseball Association and applied for membership in the PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) movement of the U.S.A. to continue his family’s tradition in the development of baseball and softball.
In 1990, after finishing runner up in the Asia-Pacific Bronco (11-12 age bracket) from late 70s, the Philippines aptly Christened the “President’s Kids,” in honor of their No. 1 supporter, President Marcos, romped off with the Pony Baseball International World Series plum.
Tingzon’s son Rodolfo “Boy” Jr., is currently the Southeast Asian Regional head of the PONY movement. Totoy’s daughter, Liza, was, at one time, the Secretary General of Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines.
Totoy” entered politics and became Vice Governor of Laguna from 1980 to1986 and then Congressman of the 2nd District of the province from 1990 to 1993.
In 2020, when he was celebrating his 94th bi-day, he intimated to this to this writer his plan for a bigger celebration year after.
The plan didn’t materialize due to health reasons.
“Sayang, Pare, plano ko pa naman isang malaki na pagdiriwang ang b-day next year para magkita-kita tayo ng miyembro ng 365 Club (365 Club is an association of government officials, media men and businessmen-sportsmen founded by then Mayor Nemesio Yabut and Ka Doroy since Martial Law days),” said Tingzon. (Courtesy of EDDIE G. ALINEA)
