Mario Morales
Encyclopedia
Mario Morales aka "Quijote" Morales, for his ability to conquer both scoring and team championships in the Puerto Rican
BSN league, is one of Puerto Rico's most famous basketball players.
's national basketball team. Morales didn't go to the Montreal Olympics
because, as a minor in 1976, he still couldn't join the national team, the 1980 Olympics
in Moscow
, because Puerto Rico
's Olympic committee decided to join the United States
in the boycott, and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games
because the national team didn't qualify for those. However, when he did get to go to the Olympics, for the Seoul
games in 1988 and the Barcelona
games in 1992, he impressed international audiences with his skills and savvy.
In between Olympics and Olympics, he became a dangerous shooter from the 3-point area in the BSN. In 1976, the Cangrejeros became the Mets de Guaynabo, and Morales, aided with the help of his brother in law the half Puerto Rican-half Mexican
Federico Fico Lopez
, took the Mets to a total of 8 BSN finals, winning 3 championships along the way. The 1989 finals where they won it in 7 games beating the Leones de Ponce, featured a classic game 7, where they had to go into overtime before edging out an 89-84 decision.
Morales had his eyes set on the NBA
, but after attending college in the United States, the lack of understanding of English
became too difficult for him to overcome, and he decided to return to Puerto Rico.
Like other highly educated Puerto Rican athletes, such as the case of internationally renowned Juan "Pachin" Vicens, Mario "Quijote" Morales holds a CPA
(Certified Public Accountant) license.
. There is a large painting of him in a Guaynabo Mets uniform just to the entrance of the coliseum. Pfizer
made Morales a spokesperson for Viagra in 2004.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
BSN league, is one of Puerto Rico's most famous basketball players.
Professional career
Morales became a member of the BSN's Cangrejeros De Santurce in 1974, when he was only 14 while still playing high school basketball at the Colegio De La Salle in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Four years later he became a member of Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
's national basketball team. Morales didn't go to the Montreal Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
because, as a minor in 1976, he still couldn't join the national team, the 1980 Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, because Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
's Olympic committee decided to join the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the boycott, and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
because the national team didn't qualify for those. However, when he did get to go to the Olympics, for the Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
games in 1988 and the Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
games in 1992, he impressed international audiences with his skills and savvy.
In between Olympics and Olympics, he became a dangerous shooter from the 3-point area in the BSN. In 1976, the Cangrejeros became the Mets de Guaynabo, and Morales, aided with the help of his brother in law the half Puerto Rican-half Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Federico Fico Lopez
Federico Lopez
Federico López Camacho was a Puerto Rican basketball player. He was a member of the Guaynabo Mets....
, took the Mets to a total of 8 BSN finals, winning 3 championships along the way. The 1989 finals where they won it in 7 games beating the Leones de Ponce, featured a classic game 7, where they had to go into overtime before edging out an 89-84 decision.
Morales had his eyes set on the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, but after attending college in the United States, the lack of understanding of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
became too difficult for him to overcome, and he decided to return to Puerto Rico.
Like other highly educated Puerto Rican athletes, such as the case of internationally renowned Juan "Pachin" Vicens, Mario "Quijote" Morales holds a CPA
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
(Certified Public Accountant) license.
Retirement
After he retired, the coliseum where he played for most of his career, Guaynabo's Mets Pavilion, was renamed the Mario Quijote Morales ColiseumMario Morales Coliseum
Mario Morales Coliseum is an indoor sporting arena located in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The coliseum opened in 1983 and is named after renowned basketball player Mario Morales....
. There is a large painting of him in a Guaynabo Mets uniform just to the entrance of the coliseum. Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
made Morales a spokesperson for Viagra in 2004.