Tennis in my Steel Life

Tennis was and still is an important part of my steel life. And this holds true also to many of my former steel colleagues who also got hooked in this beautiful game.

Tennis was introduced to us at National Steel Corporation (Iligan City, Philippines) sometime in the early 1980's by the then newly appointed NSC President, Jose Ben R. Laraya, JBL to us. Many of us, men and ladies, instantly got hooked that the first tennis court built was just not enough to accommodate these budding and aspiring tennis players.

It's funny to recall that we would quarrel, argue, or what not on the time slot, pairings, etc. On Saturdays, some would camped out overnight just so they would have the first crack of slot the next day. Then, another court was added. Still it wasn't enough. By then, tournaments were held on different class levels. We were then in awe and got inspired by the first class players every time they played. Bettings, in kind or cash, was not unusual.

Everytime JBL would come to Iligan, tennis in the evenings was a required schedule. Meetings were adjourned at 6pm and would resume after he would finish playing. At first, he played against the other managers and executives. But as a serious competitor himself, he could not somehow get satisfaction from these officers with their limited skills to match his and his passion to a good, real tennis game. In due time, he chose the first-class players as his partners and opponents where he could really enjoy the game. That time, too, tennis, together with other sports, like NBA, would be our language, in and out of work.

On rainy days, JBL and us got disappointed. So he approved the construction of a roof where we could play anytime and uninterrupted, come rain or shine. We were proud to say then that our shell clay court was the best tennis court in Mindanao. Then a third court was added.

Around Iligan, tennis also flourished. Big games were held in Bacayo Courts in Rosario Heights, in Benitez courts in Palao, In mSU-IIT, in Sanitarium hospital, in Tubod, etc. Camoy Palahang, who later became a stand out in the Philippine team was just then a promising young boy. Many outstanding players were noticed. Surprisingly, they came from towns in Linamon, Tubod, Bacolod, Kapatagan, and even across Misamis Oriental.

It was the era of Borg and McEnroe, then Lendl and Wilander, Becker. Until Agassi and Sampras came. For women, there was Navratilova, Austin, Seles and my favorite, Steffi Graf. Now it's Federer, Nadal, Murray, and company. In the women's draw, the Williams sisters, Henin, Cljisters, Sharapova, Ivanovic, Safina, Dementieva and other Russian ladies.

Tennis is indeed royalty. I do not play it anymore, though I hope I could in the near future. There is a tennis court near our neighborhood and it's just a matter of going back to it. Meantime, I do not miss the games on TV especially the Grand slam events. I grew up with it as I grew up in my world of steel.