PBA Honors Pioneering Team Owner John Gokongwei, Jr. With a Moment of Silence

John Gokongwei, Jr. helped pioneer the concept of a pro team as a strategic marketing tool

The PBA honored one of its pioneer team owners, John L Gokongwei Jr., with a moment of silence before the Governors Cup game between NLEX and Magnolia on Sunday, November 10.

Gokongwei was among the pro league's founding fathers with his dominant Great Taste team in the late 1970s. The founder and chairman emeritus of the JG Summit Holdings conglomerate passed away on the evening of November 9, at the age of 93.

An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Gokongwei fielded a team during the PBA's maiden season in 1975 through CFC Corporation, which later merged with the industrialist's Universal Robina Corp.

Great Taste, managed by Gokongwei's dear friend and longtime business partner Ignacio Gotao, had a good run in the pro league's early years and was among the first to break the stranglehold of powerhouses Crispa and Toyota.


The Great Taste Coffee Makers celebrating one of their six PBA championships.

The Coffee Makers went on to win six league championships with a team that included future greats like Ricardo Brown, Bogs Adornado, Norman Black, Arnie Tuadles, Abe King, Joel Banal, Atoy Co, Manny Victorino, and Philip Cezar.

The team, which at one time was coached by the legendary Baby Dalupan, also launched the careers of future MVPs Allan Caidic and Vergel Meneses.


The team was once coached by the legendary Baby Dalupan, and had star players such as future basketball coach Norman Black, Philip Cezar, Bogs Adornado, Arnie Tuadles, and Ricky Brown.

Black said he dealt mostly with Gotao during his stint with Great Taste but remembered seeing "Big John" in the company offices during rare visits.


The late John Gokongwei, Jr. lifting the championship trophy in this old newspaper clipping.

The Gokongwei-owned PBA franchise also carried the colors of Presto and Tivoli until 1993 when the franchise was sold lock, stock and barrel to Sta. Lucia Realty.

This article originally appeared in www.spin.ph.