Taiwan Church News
3193 Edition
May6-12, 2013
Headline News

Reported by Fang Lan-ting

Written by Lydia Ma

A historic moment in Taiwanese professional baseball and Taiwanese church history occurred on May 3 at Tainan City Baseball Stadium. For the first time, a pastor wearing his pastoral uniform was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch while his parishioner and renowned baseball player was the catcher. The pastor was Kanxi Street Presbyterian Church’s Rev. Liu Po-chao and his parishioner was the Uni-Lions’ pitcher Luo Chin-lung. The Uni-Lions had invited Liu to that game to award a prestigious baseball plaque to Luo at the event.

In addition to these two PCT members, Hsinfeng Presbyterian Church’s pastor, Rev. Wang Tsan-sheng was also spotted at this game rooting for his parishioner from the opposite team – the Lamigo Monkeys’ Kuo Yen-wen. Some other Christian baseball stars at this playing at this game were Chen Ming-chieh from East Amis Presbytery, Mayaw Ciru, and newcomer Tang Chao-ting.

Baseball is the sport with the highest number of fans in Taiwan. In fact, before Taiwan’s economy took off in the 1970’s, many children and youths would practice baseball in the streets and small alleys of Taiwan. Young people would often play ball by seeking out wooden sticks, making their own baseball gloves with paper, and then picking out some fist-sized guavas as baseballs. They would also stay up late some nights with their parents to watch youth baseball championships on television. All of these things are part of a collective memory for a generation of Taiwanese because they all did these things while growing up.

In the 1990s, Taiwan finally secured a place for itself in the world of baseball as one of the few countries with its own professional baseball league. Such a feat was truly something to be proud of because a lot of time and training had gone into making it possible. Taiwanese were finally able to buy tickets, flock into baseball stadiums, and enjoy some good games where they could watch great baseball techniques and sportsmanship.

Unfortunately, the love of money soon became a root for all kinds of evil in baseball. Gambling and game-fixing became headline news a few years ago and later resulted in a few players being convicted and sentenced to prison. These recurring game-fixing controversies disappointed fans and cast doubts on the future of professional baseball. In response to unending news about game-fixing around 2008, many fans threw away their autographed baseballs even though these mementos had been precious and hard won. For the following few years, baseball stadiums became half empty and both players and fans were noticeably dispirited as the game of baseball entered a wintry season in Taiwan with little hope that spring would ever come.

Despite these circumstances, younger baseball players continued to be trained and nurtured and many of them began to shine and a few were acquired by Japanese and American baseball teams when these teams saw talent and potential in the players. The hard-work and good performances of these young baseball players abroad eventually reignited hope in the hearts of Taiwanese baseball fans. During the 2013 World Baseball Classic in March, Taiwanese baseball players at home and abroad performed very well and came in 8th, to the excitement and joy of baseball fans in Taiwan.

Touching testimonies abound in the lives of these Christian baseball players even as Taiwanese baseball entered its darkest season. For example, after some of these players were traded by minor league teams in the US, they were introduced to the Gospel through the testimony of Luo and they were later baptized. One Christian baseball player from La New Bears who was falsely accused of game-fixing was later exonerated in court. Another Christian player who currently works in Japan and whose wife is a PCT member donated NT$250,000 to the PCT to help support post-Morakot rebuilding efforts. All of these players lived out lives that honored God in their baseball careers and experienced God’s faithfulness in their brightest and darkest seasons of their careers.