The legendary rivalry between the Crispa Redmanizers and the Toyota Tamaraws had its fair share of fights during its heyday.
The PBA has seen many great rivalries come alive over the past decades. However, none could be bigger than Crispa Redmanizers and the Toyota Tamaraws.
From 1975 to 1983, the now-defunct teams dominated the league, winning 21 out of the 26 PBA titles in those seasons.
But aside from their classic matchups, the Crispa-Toyota rivalry also had its fair share of heated moments that many still remember.
But how did it all start? Look no further to Crispa legend Atoy Co, who admitted to likely being the cause of the whole rivalry.
“There's several times na siguro mga tatlong beses ‘yung nagkasuntukan. Pero ang isang hindi ko makalimutan parang ako ‘yung nag-umpisa,” said Co.
In a sitdown interview with news anchor Julius Babao on his Unplugged YouTube channel, Co--known as “The Fortune Cookie”--recalled one of the first fights that broke out between the two legendary teams, with him being the initiator.
“Nakita ko si Tirso Cruz III sa ilalim. Sabi ko ‘Pipo [Tirso] panoorin mo ako’. Pagtira nung foul shooter, siyempre you’re going for the rebound 'di ba, binira ko si [Oscar] Rocha, bang, nakita niya si [Rudy] Soriano, sinuntok na si Soriano, ayun rumble na,” Co recalled.
The fight happened back on May 10, 1975, when the Redmanizers eventually won the game, 139–133, in front of 11,000 fans watching at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
But just two years later, on April 17, 1977, to be exact, another incident occurred with much bigger repercussions.
“Another time, natatandaan ko ‘yung huling-huli is tapos na ang laro nanalo na kami, come-from-behind. Isa ako sa huling pumapasok ng dugout eh sa Araneta,” said Co.
“Eh si Soriano, si Rey Franco nandudun na sa loob saka nakasabay yata nila si Jaworski. Ang chismis eh nagkaroon ng kantsawan doon sa loob, ‘Oh akala niyo mananalo kayo noh.’ Hanggang nagkaroon ng away doon sa loob,” he added.
Reports indicated that players from both teams, including Co, were detained at Fort Bonifacio, the Philippine military headquarters in Makati City, following the rumble but were released the following morning.
“Kaya mula nun pag Crispa-Toyota ang laro makikita mo fully-packed ang Araneta [Coliseum],” said Co.
Until now the Crispa-Toyota rivalry will be considered the greatest rivalry the PBA has ever seen.