Lauro "The Fox" Mumar , was a Filipinobasketball player and later served as the national team head coach of India and the Philippines. He was one of the greatest Filipino players of his time, playing alongside compatriot legend Carlos Loyzaga. He is the father of Lawrence "Larry" Mumar who was also a basketball player.
Mumar was banned for life to play for the national team by the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation when he failed to join the rest of the 1954 FIBA World Championship national squad that left Manila for the United States where the team is set to play tune up games. This led to a national controversy where his ban was discussed in the House of Representatives and it was found out that he was in Bohol waiting for pocket money from his parents, which never arrived to be able to go to the capital. President Ramon Magsaysay talked with PAAF officials to overturn the ban and was successful. Mumar was then able to join the rest of the team in Florida. The national squad flew to Cuba participated in the scrimmage against that country's national team. They won 49-45 over Cuba which was regarded by an upset by the home team. Cuba decided not to participate in the world tournament after the loss. The Philippine finished third and captured the bronze medal, the best finish ever by the country in the World Championships losing only to the United States and Brazil.
Coaching career
When he retired from playing basketball he went on to coaching. He has called the shots in collegiate basketball with FEATI, UST and Trinity College. In the commercial leagues, he was the head coach of Mariwasa, MERALCO, U/Tex, Seven-Up, Filmanbank and Winston. Under his helm, MERALCO won the 1971 Manila Industrial Commercial Athletic Association title winning over Crispa in the final. Mumar coached the Philippine national team to a third-place finish in the 1969 Asian Basketball Confederation Championship in Bangkok. After his sole stint with the national team he went to India to teach basketball in the state of Karnataka along with American coaches. He was later named head coach of the Indian national team.
Later years and legacy
In 1981, Mumar worked as a panel analyst with Dick Ildefonso for the PBA games on MBS-4. He was also a radio TV commentator with Joe Cantada covering NCAA contest in the past. In 1999, he was inducted into the Philippine National Basketball Hall of Fame alongside his great teammate Carlos Loyzaga.
