A tribute to Alfie

"What’s is all about, Alfie?" That line from Cilla Black’s 1966 hit tune (Cher also had a version) wasn’t about basketball. If it were, the song would’ve surely been about Alfred (Alfie) Almario, one of the nicest guys ever to play the game.

Alfie passed away last Oct. 3 at the age of 42. His loss was a total shock to relatives and friends. He never smoked. He watched what he ate. He had lots of exercise–he lifted weights, jogged, and submitted to regular medical checkups.

Early last Wednesday–at about 6 a.m. Alfie suffered a massive heart attack at his fishpond resthouse in Isabela. Since the house was in the middle of a lake, it took a few minutes to bring Alfie to shore and then to the town hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Alfie, a Cebuano, managed the fishpond in his mother-in-law’s home province. The business was so successful that he opened a second fishpond in Cavite, recently. Alfie commuted from Manila to Isabela–a long nine-hour drive–to check on the fishpond every so often. Sometimes, he brought along his wife Irene and their four children, AJ, 14, Peachina, 11, Montito, 7, and Isa, 3.

"He was so easygoing and always thoughtful," said Alfie’s aunt Sylvia Ibazeta, sister of his father Jose. "He was very close to his family and in-laws."

Throughout is basketball career, Alfie was well-liked. He was the consummate sportsman. He never grumbled, he never sulked, he never blew his top. He played the game seriously. His specialty was hitting the outside shot. Alfie earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike for his ability and attitude.

Alfie started playing basketball at 10. He played for the University of San Carlos junior basketball team in Cebu then suited up for La Salle Taft in the seniors division. His favorite players were Julius Erving and Bill Walton.

His oldest, AJ, a boy, isn’t much into basketball but his second child, Peachina, a girl, is. Alfie used to spend time teaching Peachina how to play, how to shoot. She was to be his basketball star.

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Alfie will always be remembered as the leading scorer of the Philippine team that captured the Asian Youth title here in 1982. He averaged 17.1 points and never scored less than double figures in 10 games during the tournament. His teammates included Hector Calma, Elmer Reyes, Jun Tan, Joseph Uichico, Luis Brill, Tonichi Yturri, Rey Cuenco, Richard Mendoza, Teddy Alfarero, Leo Austria, and Derick Pumaren. Coach was Ron Jacobs.

In the championship game, Alfie unloaded 20 points as the Philippines trounced China, 74-63, before over 20,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum on Oct. 17, 1982. He hit 8-of-19 from the field, shot 4-of-4 free throws, and grabbed three rebounds in 32 minutes. Only Calma logged more minutes, 36, as he compiled 11 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Among the Chinese stalwarts were Wang Libin, Wang Fei, Min Lu Lei, and Zhang Yongjun.

Alfie shot his tournament-high 25 points in the Philippines 120-56 lacing of Singapore. He knocked in 22 points twice – in a 91-74 win over Japan and in a 102-57 decision over Thailand.

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In 1985, Alfie was on the Philippine squad that won the Jones Cup in Taipei. His teammates were Allan Caidic, Samboy Lim, Reyes, Franz Pumaren, Yves Dignadice, Tan, Yturri, Chip Engelland, Dennis Still, and Jeff Moore. In the title game, the Philippines beat a star-studded US selection, coached by Purdue’s Gene Keady, in overtime. That same year, Alfie played on the Philippine team that won the country’s last Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) crown in Malaysia. His teammates were Reyes, Calma, Caidic, Lim, Dignadice, Yturri, Franz Pumaren, Pido Jarencio, Jerry Codiñera, Moore and Still.

Alfie played seven years in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). In the 1984 and 1985 seasons, he saw action for the Northern Cement guest amateur club, averaging 4.2 points in 61 games. Then, from 1986 to 1990, Alfie played for San Miguel Beer, averaging 4.6 points in 102 games. His single-game PBA high was 28 points. He shot a creditable 35.7 percent from the three-point range in five years as a pro.

After his retirement from active duty, Alfie had a brief stint coaching the Magnolia team in the amateur commercial leagues.

Alfie was everyone’s friend. We mourn his passing.

Postscript. The unsinkable and outspoken former Philippine Olympic Committee President Lt. Col. Julian Malonso will be the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Mandaluyong (Rotary International District 3800), 12 noon meeting on Friday, Oct. 12, at the EDSA Plaza Shangri-La Hotel. Malonso will speak on the importance of sports.