THE 31st Anniversary Games of the time-tested Ballpals will take center stage every Saturday afternoon at the Pelaez Sports Center of Cagayan de Oro.
The city’s most popular ball club had just celebrated its anniversary party at a state-of-the-art venue owned by club member Jojo Mahistrado somewhere in Barangay Carmen.
“The pandemic won’t stop us (from) remembering momentous events like this. As we age, we can always look back that we gain so many friends in the City of Gold through the Ballpals club. And Pelaez Sports Center will always be our homecourts rain or shine,” the now Japan-based businessman Ven Camon Shimomae told Gold Star Daily.
Shimomae, who is also past president of the three-decade-old club, said Ballpals is already an institution that plays a special role in the city’s mainstream sports.
“Samtang buhi pa ang mga karaan nga miyembro anaa gihapon nagpaluyo sa mga kalihokan sa club. Kay matod pa ni coach Menes (Anciado), importante nga dula gyod ta samtang makadagan pa enjoy pataas kana sa kinabuhi,” added Shimomae.
Concurrent club president Wengmark Mercado had also facilitated support for the Palaro Center workers that now operate with a skeleton staff.
“At least, tabang namo sa ila naka-assist ang grupo sa bugas ug uban pang panginahanglanon,” Mercado said.
The club’s only grand slam winner Team Orange Warriors will don this time around the green jersey.
They won over Team Yellow, 79-62 in the 2022 Anniversary Cup Inter-Color basketball tournament opener last weekend.
Other past presidents such as Danilo Guevara, Bado Legaspi, Marlon Castro, Allan Enteria, Chico Maravilla, and Stev Panaz have supported the event as well as reliable mainstays Jerry Tamayo, Gerry Suyao, Jojo Mahistrado, Bobby Diaz, Janjan Hengania, and Charome Marte, among others.
