Robert Jaworski - Amateur Career

Amateur Career

Born to a Polish American father and a Ilocano mother in Baguio, Philippines, Jaworski grew up in the streets of Pandacan in Manila. Jaworski began to gain fame when he started playing basketball for the University of the East's Red Warriors. In 1966, Jaworski towed the Recto-based school to the UAAP championship in the 1966 and 1967 championships. Because of his outstanding accomplishment with UE, he was first labeled "Big Hands" by sportscaster Willie Hernandez describing the large palms he possessed and how easy it was for him to clutch the ball with a single hand.

In 1966, he was part of the national team that represented the country in the Asian Games held in Bangkok, Thailand. The year after, he was part of the champion ABC team that played in Seoul, South Korea, beating the host country led by shooting guard Shin Dong Pa. Jaworski and Edgardo Ocampo were responsible for stopping Shin in that finals game. Because of this victory, the Philippines earned the right to represent Asia in the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico. He was also part of the national team that won the 1973 staging of the ABC held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, thereby earning the right to play in the 1974 World Championships held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Pilo Pumaren recruited Jaworski who was about to enroll in FEU in 1963. Jaworski played for UE in 1964 and was the second highest scorer. He (with another UE star player, Nat Canson) played for Baby Dalupan's Crispa as guest player in the MICAA of 1966. Jaworski together with Narciso Bernardo were named as members of the 1967 Asian Basketball Confederation.

He then played for Elizalde-owned Yco Painters under Coach Caloy Loyzaga in 1967 national Seniors' Nat. Invitation (YCO regained the titles) and transferred to Meralco in 1968 but was not able to play in the MICAA due to lack of release papers.

His first MVP was during the Presidential CUP of 1970. He was mentioned in the Basketball History of the Philippines (by Boni Escoda) as the best Filipino player in the MICAA from 1971-74 by topping all the rest with an Player's All-around Value of 35.7.

He almost died in a critical fall off Yutivo's Casimiro Santos on January 6, 1971 (first Filipino MICAA).

He moved to play for the Meralco Reddywatts in 1970, a team considered as Crispa's arch rivals in the MICAA. However, in 1971 he and Big Boy Renoso were banned for life by the BAP for assaulting two basketball officials, Eriberto Cruz and Jose Obias, who were making a series of bad calls favoring the Crispa Floro team. Meralco team was behind 65-50 against the Redmanizers. Meralco disbanded the team in 1972. The two sure shoo-ins for the RP team to the 1972 Olympics missed the national team for the first time in their lives.

Owing to the immense talent that the two cagers possessed,they were reinstated in 1973 and played for Meralco only in an exhibition match versus the Japanese national team which they won.

They went back to Meralco and later on teamed up in the national team for the 1973 ABC. Jaworski was the lead guard of that team alongside Francis Arnaiz, Ramon "Tito" (later called "Mon") Fernandez, Reynoso and William "Bogs" Adornado. Other players in that team included Rogelio "Tembong" Melencio, David "Dave" Regullano, Rosalio "Yoyong" Martirez, Manuel "Manny" Paner, Alberto "Abet" Guidaben, Jaime "Jimmy" Mariano and Ricardo "Joy" Cleofas.

It was also around this time when the nickname "Big J" was given to him, resembling the "Big O" tag given to Oscar Robertson who Jaworski played like.

They, with other Meralco players, Tino Reynoso (died in 2008), Fort Acuña (who committed suicide in 1981), Francis Arnaiz and Orly Bauson were taken by the Silverio-owned company Komatsu Comets-(later became Toyota) and was responsible for giving a couple of championships in the MICAA. Jaworski became a court general and led the Toyota to the 1973 MICAA title. Reynoso, Jaworski and Armaiz made it to the 1973 and 1974 RP team that regained the ABC crown and went to the 1974 World Basketball.

When the PBA was formed in 1975, Jaworski was part of the original core of Toyota players who donned the Comets uniform at the inception of the league. Jaworski had for his original teammates names like Arnaiz, Reynoso, Fernandez, Reynoso's younger brother Cristino (Tino), Rodolfo "Ompong" Segura, Oscar Rocha, Joaquin "Jake" Rojas, and Orlando "Orly" Bauzon.