PHILIPPINES: FATHER HOPES FOR REUNION WITH BASEBALL STAR SON

(16 Jun 1996) English/Nat As millions of basketball fans across the world stayed glued to their television sets watching the current N-B-A championships, one man in the Philippines is rooting for the Chicago Bulls for a special reason. Philander Rodman is the long-lost father of N-B-A `bad boy' Dennis Rodman, and is hoping for a reunion with his son when the season ends. Like many households in the Philippines, the television inside this home is glued to the live broadcast of the N-B-A championships. Filipinos love basketball, and the current championship series between the Chicago Bulls and the Seattle Supersonics has proved a ratings winner. But this man's interest in the series goes beyond a mere love of the game. Philander Rodman is full of fatherly pride because his son is one of the star players -- the Chicago Bulls' player number 91, Dennis Keith Rodman. Philander has not seen his son since 1970, when he went to Texas to divorce Dennis' mother -- but time and distance has not altered his parental feelings. SOUNDBITE: "I'm very proud of my son, very proud. SUPER CAPTION: Philander Rodman Jr. One corner of the Rodman home here in the Philippines is decorated with newspaper clippings and photographs of the N-B-A star. Dennis Rodman's tag as the `badboy' of the N-B-A has been earned through a combination of wild on-court behaviour as well as his habit of dying his hair. Off the court he has been romantically linked to rock star Madonna. Philander said he was surprised and proud when he learned, sometime in the 1980s, that his son was playing with the Detroit Pistons. He has lived in the Philippines since being discharged from the U-S Air Force in 1977 after 19 years of service in the Philippines. He is now married to a Filipino and has three children by her. Asked what he thought about his son being tagged as the `wildman' of the N-B-A, Philander answered the way any father would. SOUNDBITE: "I think he is playing the game that he wants to play and I agree with the things that he do because he is basically like me, the things he do. He doesn't take anything from anybody, he doesn't accept everything that people give him. He wants to be really left alone to do his job and he does his job very well. If he wants to color his hair green, or purple or whatever, I mean, I can't see anything wrong with it to me, if he wants to have tattoos, that's it , that's his own. I think a person should be able to do what they want to do as long as they don't hurt anybody else. I haven't seen him hurt anybody by what he does, so I'm all for Dennis. SUPER CAPTION: Philander Rodman, Jr. Philander admits that he never got to know his son but now hopes he will have the chance to see him soon so they can catch up on lost time. He is not sure what Dennis thinks of him, but is optimistic that he will soon have the chance to meet his long lost son. SOUNDBITE: "I have received an invitation to come to the States from his business manager Dwight Manly and I think it would be best for me to go there after the series, the basketball championships that way Dennis can keep his mind on what he's doing and play his best. I think if I were there now, he wouldn't...He'll be thinking maybe of other things and he couldn't be himself and play a full game of basketball. So I'll just wait until all this is over then I'll try to go see him. SUPER CAPTION: Philander Rodman, Jr. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...