Pool icon Django Bustamante relishes Reyes Cup hosting, tributes for legend ‘kumpare’ Efren
MANILA, Philippines – The inaugural Reyes Cup held from October 15 to 19 was more than just any other 9-ball pool tournament.
Featuring the world’s best cue artists, the four-night showcase was also a celebration in many ways — a coming-out party for elite Team Asia, a long-awaited pool renaissance for the Philippines, and most importantly, a regal tribute for the tourney’s titular figure, the greatest of all time, Efren “Bata” Reyes.
As the likes of Aloysius Yapp, Carlo Biado, and Ko Pin Yi go all out against powerhouses from loaded Team Europe like Jayson Shaw, David Alcaide, and Eklent Kaci, another pool icon quietly observed from the sidelines, enjoying the action as history unfolded: Francisco “Django” Bustamante.
Another all-time pillar of pool, not just in the Philippines but the world as a whole, the 60-year-old legend was — save perhaps Reyes himself — just about the happiest man in the room as a thousand or so fans packed the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on a nightly basis to witness the historic tournament.
“This has been a longtime plan of our boss, Mr. Putch Puyat, but he just waited for the right opportunity to host, and when it appeared, he took it,” Bustamante said in Filipino.
“I’m happy because our countrymen have been asking for a long time why there are no tournaments here.”
Puyat, long known as the “Godfather of Philippine Billiards,” struck gold at the perfect time with the help of organizer Matchroom, as he and Team Asia recruited the sport’s absolute cream of the crop to arrest the dominant run of Team Europe, which fielded a top 15 roster and three of the world’s top five.
“When Filipinos are winning, the popularity of billiards will rise again here in the Philippines, especially since they’re winning multiple championships like Rubilen Amit, Bubwit [Johann Chua], and Carlo,” Bustamante continued.
“Pool is getting back [in popularity], like the old times when me and pareng Efren were winning, the sport really experienced a boom here in the country. This today feels like those times.”
So dominant was Team Asia in its surprising rout of Team Europe that Bustamante himself got a spot on the Day 3 schedule, as he faced and beat fellow pool icon Jeremy Jones in a surprise race-to-four exhibition, 4-2, due to the postponement of two matches just so there will be enough left for Day 4.
While Chua, the top-ranked Filipino player in the world today at No. 10, quickly shot down the idea that there would be another pool star who could reach the level of mythical greats like Bustamante and Reyes, Bustamante himself was adamant that the search is far from over.
“A lot! There are a lot of young ones out there who are great, although they are just not yet exposed,” he said. “I even have a student, just 13 years old, but already excellent. Watch out, there will be more world champions soon.”
“Efren and I are glad that there are many others trying to follow in our footsteps. I hope they just continue to put in the work and keep winning.”
But perhaps Chua is right and Bustamante is just being modest. There will likely never be another Filipino who can reach the heights the Reyes-Bustamante duo have reached, both individually and as a pair, but that is by no means a bad thing nor a jab at the current pool generation.
If a handful of players can one day even reach half of what these legends have done for the game, then the future of Philippine billiards will remain in safe, steady hands, ready for another golden break. – Rappler.com