Samson will never forget Munich

Marte Samson, who was on the Ateneo senior men’s basketball team that captured the 1969 NCAA championship, recently said of all his unforgettable memories in his athletic career, the standout was representing the country at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Of course, wearing the Blue Eagles jersey opened big doors for Samson in pursuing a basketball career. He teamed with the likes of fellow Caloocan recruit Joy Cleofas, Shakey’s V-League co-founder and LVPI secretary-general Ricky Palou, Las Vegas resident Bobby Rius whose father Arturo or Luli coached the Philippine team at the 1960 Rome Olympics, former Board of Investments chairman and Ateneo Sports Hall of Famer Tito Panlilio, sugar broker and former pro Baby Boy Morales, businessman MaiMai Fernandez and recent Manila visitor Francis Arnaiz on that Ateneo squad whose manager was Greggy Araneta.

Standing only about 6-2, Samson used his wide body to carve out space at the low block and liked to operate at the post. It wasn’t easy to read where Samson would attack because he was shifty and he had a fadeway, turnaround jumper that was an option to his jumphook. In 1971, he was on the Philippine team that finished second to Japan at the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championships in Tokyo. The Philippines lost to Japan, 93-69, and settled for runner-up honors. Both Japan and the Philippines, by virtue of their 1-2 finish, were awarded tickets to represent Asia at the 1972 Olympics.

Samson, now 67, said Robert Jaworski and Big Boy Reynoso were supposed to be on the Philippine team bound for Munich but they were suspended by the BAP for assaulting referees Eriberto Cruz and Jose Obias during a Meralco-Crispa game in 1971. Their spots were taken over by veterans Ciso Bernardo and Ed Ocampo. It was a milestone for Ocampo who appeared in his fourth Olympics. The coach of the team was Ning Ramos.

“My roommate in Munich was Jimmy Mariano,” recalled Samson. “It was scary when the Palestinian terrorists attacked the Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village. The building where we stayed was close to where the attack happened. But we were safe. Security surrounded the buildings and we weren’t allowed to go out. Our last game was against Japan and we won. In the Asian Championships the year before, we lost to Japan so it was revenge for us.”

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The Philippine team in Munich was composed of Samson, Ocampo, Bernardo, Mariano, Cleofas, Manny Paner, Jun Papa, Danny Florencio, Adornado, Yoyong Martirez, Tembong Melencio and Freddie Webb. The Philippines finished 13th of 16 with wins over Senegal, 72-68, Egypt by default and Japan, 80-73. The losses were inflicted by Poland, 90-75, Puerto Rico, 92-72, Germany, 93-74, Yugoslavia, 117-76, Italy, 101-81 and USSR, 111-80. Samson said he was in the stadium when the USSR beat the US, 51-50, for the gold medal in a controversial ending where the last three seconds were replayed thrice until Aleksander Belov scored the winning basket for the Soviets.

“I thought the US would win but the Russians played well,” said Samson. “There was some commotion after the game because the US protested the three replays. I didn’t think the US could lose because their lineup had so many stars who later became NBA players.”

The US team was made up of Doug Collins, Mike Bantom, Bobby Jones, Dwight Jones, Jim Brewer, Tom Burleson, Tom McMillen, Kevin Joyce, Jim Forbes, Ed Ratleff, Tom Henderson and Kenny Davis. The coach was Hank Iba whose assistants were Don Haskins and John Bach. In the title contest, not a single American scored in double figures while Sergei Belov hit 20 for the USSR. 

“The entire experience taught me a couple of important things,” said Forbes. “Sports is often not fair. Life as we know it, is not fair. We look at the terrorist act that took place and took the lives of those individuals who were competing just like we were and it taught me to be humble. Be humble, be happy with what you do have and don’t worry about what you don’t have.”

For the injustice done to the US team, the Americans declined to receive their silver medals which are still stored for safe keeping in a vault at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. “You could make your argument for sportsmanship and that you are supposed to accept the outcome and congratulate the other guy,” said Bantom who once visited Manila with the Walt Frazier tour group in 1975. “Hey, I would be the first guy to congratulate them. I’d be proud of winning the silver medal if I won the silver medal. But we won a gold medal. We beat the Russians. I’m mad that we didn’t beat them for 40 minutes and six extra seconds.”

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The Russian who scored the winning basket, Aleskander Belov, died from a rare heart tumor in 1978 at the age of 26. The man who inbounded the ball from the far endline to find Belov under the basket was Ivan Edeshko who thinks the Americans are sore losers. Samson was a witness to this basketball tragedy.

Samson played five seasons in the PBA until 1979. When Paner left San Miguel Beer for Great Taste, Samson was brought in from Tanduay to fill the slot. It was a timely move for Samson as he got to play on the Royal Tru-Orange team that won the 1979 Open title with imports Larry Pounds and Otto Moore under coach Ocampo.   

Samson operates his own trucking business in Baguio where he now lives with his wife. He has four children and six grandchildren. His eldest daughter is a practicing doctor while his youngest daughter is a teacher at Ateneo. A grandson is a Grade 1 student at Ateneo. When in Manila, Samson stays at the SM Blue Residences Condo near the Ateneo campus.   

 Samson said he hasn’t been in touch with his long-time buddy Cleofas since he relocated to Sacramento. “Joy’s brother Benjie is still in Caloocan and works with the health department,” he said. “From what I know, Joy lives in Sacramento and works in a hotel and a parking lot.” Samson said his favorite PBA team is San Miguel Beer, first to reach the Philippine Cup finals this season. “I’m no longer involved in basketball,” he said. ”But occasionally, I go to the gym and work out. The players of today are much stronger and more skilled than we were when we played. Take JuneMar Fajardo. It’s rare that a big man like JuneMar can do so many things with the ball and be so skilled.”