Ailing PBA great Lim Eng Beng needs help
I recently learned from my friend Tony Atayde, a.k.a. The Green Mind (for his affiliation with La Salle and not what you might be thinking), that La Salle basketball legend and PBA great Lim Eng Beng is ill. Initially, I heard it was cancer of the pancreas, but later found out, again from Tony, that the diagnosis is cirrhosis of the liver, despite the fact that Lim, who once played in the PBA for San Miguel Beer, was never a drinker.
When those who saw him at his basketball prime mention him, especially those who saw him dominate with La Salle, they speak of him with awe. He was a scorer, a distributor, a floor leader who brought basketball smarts every time he stepped on the hard court. He led his university to a championship, scored 55 points in one game, and averaged 32 points per game in one season back when there was still no three-point shot. For his brilliance, La Salle honored him by retiring his jersey number 14.
His success continued in the PBA, where he played for champion teams and earned mythical team selections. He was a vital part of that U-Tex Wranglers team that upset the Toyota Tamaraws in the best-of-five finals of the 1980 Open Conference. In the deciding Game 5, the Wranglers pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in PBA history, erasing a four-point deficit with 16 seconds left to force overtime and win it all, 99-98.
In 2000, the PBA’s silver anniversary, he was named among the twenty-five greatest players in league history, one of ten players on the list who did not win an MVP award, but whose impact was significant enough to merit recognition. He played in the toughest of times, and emerged victorious on more than one occasion.
Now, Lim is fighting a battle much harder than any basketball game he ever played in and has reached out, mainly to his fellow Lasallians, for financial help. Of course, contributions from any source will be most welcome. Considering the seriousness of his illness, time may not be on his side; thus, as Tony stated, ideas for fundraisers abound, but organizing and carrying them out might prove too lengthy.
As I pondered on the news about Lim, thoughts of other former PBA players who had health or physical problems entered my head. Botchok delos Santos, Teddy Alfarero, Rey Cuenco, Jack Tanuan, Gido Babilonia, Alfie Almario, Alex Clariño, and Ric-ric Marata, among others, all left us too soon. Some of them passed away practically penniless (or centavoless, if you prefer local currency). Some PBA careers ended prematurely due to injury, like in the case of another La Salle great, Mike Bilbao, who was severely injured in an auto accident in the late 1980s and could no longer play. But at least Bilbao is still around and, as many commented after seeing the wreckage, lucky to be alive.
While all the stories of those who passed away too young are tragic, the saddest ones, I feel, are of those who did not have a fighting chance at all after being afflicted with a sickness that could have been treated, or perhaps even been prevented, if the player concerned had money to pay for such treatment, or to live a better life that could have prevented the sickness altogether. The story repeats itself time and again: some success on the basketball court, a little time in the spotlight, a little glamour here and there, and then the PBA career ends and what happens after that?
I was told that nowadays, former PBA players show up at the venues asking for financial assistance from current players, team officials, or maybe even from the league itself since they have not been able to find decent jobs or a steady income. Some have been forced to work (very) low-income jobs to be able to sustain themselves. I spoke to one former player who has lost considerable weight since his playing days, and he is a debt collector for a certain company, and walks from place to place in the hope that somebody pays up. With his size though, he might be able to convince some debtors to cough up some cash.
The problem of what to do after success in sports is an issue that affects most of our athletes. We’ve heard and seen the stories on TV and radio about how miserable some of our most storied sportsmen have become. Former World Champ Boxers Luisito “Lindol” Espinosa and Rolando “The Bad Boy from Dadiangas” Navarrete come to mind. The government has to do something concrete to address this issue.
I understand that the PBA has taken steps to try and address the life-after-basketball scenario of its players. One of them is to set up a players’ fund to which contributions are regularly made, that is supposed to be a source of financial aid to those in need. I am not certain of how it really works, but, while small, it is a step in the right direction.
Lim Eng Beng is not destitute. He is not living in the slums somewhere, just waiting to die, like some of those mentioned above, and countless others. He was confined at the Makati Medical Center until he checked out recently. The reason he needs financial help is that doctors have recommended a liver transplant, one that has to be done as soon as possible. Expenses for this will amount to about P3,000,000.00. That’s a really big amount for most of us, including Lim.
To those that remember his contributions to the sport that we love, that watched him, and were enthralled by him, and even those who may have just heard of him before or just now, there is a chance to help him today. The plea came from Lim himself, and his friends and schoolmates have already begun to respond. They are calling on the rest of us who might want to follow suit and contribute a small amount. If not, I am sure Lim will appreciate your prayers as well.
(If you are interested to help Lim Eng Beng, you may do so by depositing into Metrobank and Trust Company Savings Account Number 0163016281108 under his name [Metrobank Plaza Gil Puyat Ave, Makati City Branch; Swift Code MBTCPHMM, Bank Tel. No. (632)8988000].)
You can follow Charlie on Twitter @Charlie C.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
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