PUREFOODS HONORS CODIÑERA, EVANGELISTA
After reverting to their old name this season, Purefoods decided to give another look back to its glorious past, retiring the jersey numbers of legends Jerry Codiñera and Rey Evangelista Sunday before the first Manila Clasico of the season.
The former cogs of Purefoods’ glorious past were presented with replicas of Codiñera’s no. 44 jersey, worn with the then-Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys, and Evangelista’s no. 7 jersey, which was seen under the name of Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs.
“It’s a very special day,” said Codiñera. “It’s a culmination of our career. As a Purefoods player, wala na akong mahihiling pa.”
The 6-foot-5 Codiñera was known for his defensive prowess in his 18 years as a pro, 11 of which played with the Purefoods franchise. He is also a nine-time member of the All-Defensive Team which earned him the moniker “The Defense Minister.”
Codiñera was one of five amateur players directly elevated by the Purefoods franchise in its first PBA season in 1988. There, he blossomed into one of the fiercest defenders in the league, which allowed him to snag the 1994 Defensive Player of the Year award and a spot in the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players.
After 11 seasons with the franchise, Codiñera’s stay in Purefoods was cut short after he was traded to then-Mobiline Phone Pals, ending his decade-long partnership with Alvin Patrimonio.
He still played for three good seasons with the Phone Pals before once again changing stripes, this time with Air21 in 2002 until his retirement in 2005.
Throughout that legendary PBA career, Codiñera said that what stood out the most for him is his first PBA game, his first taste of Manila Clasico against Ginebra and Robert Jaworski, and his first title – the 1990 Third Conference championship, where they won in his third year as a pro.
“Mahirap makalimutan yung mga yun,” he said, thanking all of the coaches who helped him get to this level.
Codiñera never imagined that he would get to this point where the franchise which he served for a long tome will retire a jersey in his honor.
“Very short lang naman ang expectations ko then, and it’s to always excel,” he said, recounting the lessons taught to him by his father, the legendary baseball player Boy Codiñera. “Ang sabi nga father ko, ‘Tandaan mo, masyadong malayo ang mga pinanggalingan ng mga tao para lang manaood ng laro, kaya play hard.’ Kaya yun, play hard lang palagi.”
After serving as an assistant in Air21 before and as the head coach of his alma mater UE, the 47-year-old Jerry now serves as the head coach of Arellano in the NCAA, where he led the Chiefs to their first Finals appearance this season in just his rookie year.
Evangelista, meanwhile, had modest expectations when he entered the PBA in 1994.
A 6-foot-4 swignman out of UST, he was selected as the second overall pick in the 1994 Rookie Draft, just behind Noli Locsin.
“Ang goal ko lang, makuha ako sa draft kasi maliit ako. Pero hindi ko talaga akalain na makukuha ako,” he said.
In contrast to Codiñera, Evangelista stayed with the Purefoods franchise until his retirement in 2009, ending a 15-year career which saw him become a three-time member of the All-Defensive Team from 2000 to 2002.
For Evangelista’s part, he cherishes his first PBA game the most, where he dropped 28 points against Shell Rimula-X in the 1994 All-Filipino Conference.
The 42-year-old Rey now runs a drug store in Ormoc City.
Codiñera and Evangelista’s jerseys were just the second and third numbers to be retired by the Purefoods franchise, roughly 10 years after the team retired the number 16 jersey of Alvin Patrimonio in 2004. (RL)
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