Sablan, Chong, 2 others inducted to HOF

Baseball’s Greg C. Camacho and manager Dr. Manny Sablan, veteran runner Tony Ichiou, and volleyball’s Bertha Chong-Tudela were enshrined to the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame last night joining an illustrious list of the Commonwealth’s sports heroes.

From left, Hall of Fame inductees Bertha Chong-Tudela and Manny Sablan, CNMI Hall of Fame selection chair Kurt Barnes, Chris Camacho, representing Greg Camacho, and Tony Ichiou, pose for a photo after the awards ceremony of the NMSA Annual Sports Banquet last night at the Seaside Hall of Kanoa Resort.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The four were enshrined last night in a well-attended induction and sports ceremony co-organized by the Northern Marianas Sports Association and the Tan Siu Lin Foundation.

Camacho has been one of the best hitters that the CNMI baseball’s program has produced. He holds five Mobil Games records that included most hits (38), doubles (11), triples (4), home runs (4), and RBIs (75).

His more than 20 years playing at the then Saipan Major League earned him overall records in slugging (ninth, .51), runs (eighth, 185), hits (sixth, 226), triples (fourth, 19), home runs (second, 10), and RBIs (sixth, 145).

Camacho, who started his baseball career as a shortstop, is a three-time Francisco M. Palacios Golden Glove awardee in 1995 and back-to-back from 1998 and 1999. He is also the 1991 SML most valuable player

His brother Cris Camacho received the award on his behalf as the former is now based in Oregon for more than 10 years now.

Sablan is one of the CNMI’s multi-awarded coach and manager, a baseball career that spanned for more than four decades.

“It is an honor to be inducted to the Hall of Fame. To be recognized by the people for my achievements and my contributions is really heartwarming. I’m glad that the people appreciate what we did. Especially on what I achieved in baseball in the 1960s,” said Sablan, who won seven Manager of the Year awards including five straight with the Sablan Termites from 1989 to 1993.

He was also the Manager of the Year in 1968 with Giants and the last in 2001 with UMDA.

Sablan, as a manager, has led his team to numerous pennant titles and playoff championships.

His most memorable moment in baseball was in the 1967 Peace Corp All-Star/Saipan All-Star friendly baseball match where he hit a home run that landed where the CNMI Election Commission Office is today. Home plate was at the Joeten Kiyu Public Library.

Ichiou is considered to be the CNMI’s ironman as he has competed in six straight Micronesian Games from 1994 in Guam to 2014 in Pohnpei.

He previously held the CNMI national record in the 400 meter run of 53 seconds before his now student Beouch Ngirchongor broke it in last year’s Micro Games by clocking 52.80.

“I was surprised and speechless. I have mixed emotions right now. I will still do this until my legs can. Now I’m trying to coach the younger generation to pass on all the skills that I’ve learned,” said Ichiou.

Chong-Tudela, the lone female inductee this year, both excelled in volleyball and basketball where she was selected as the CNMI’s first Female Athlete of the Year. She has dominated volleyball and basketball in the Saipan Interscholastic Athletics Leagues from 1975 to 1977.

As an outside hitter, Chong-Tudela led Mt. Carmel School to three straight girls’ volleyball and basketball crowns.

“It took this long but I’m happy for this recognition. This achievement is the result of years of hard work. And I’m very proud of it,” said Chong.