Time really flies, we are at the end of 2016. And here are my baseball moments in this year.
10. Hsinchuang Baseball with Ryan and Goldie
I remembered April 9th was the home opener weekend for the Chinatrust Brothers in this CPBL season and of course due to the limited capacity, the tickets were all sold out in tiny Hsinchuang Baseball Stadium.
Luckily we have Goldie and her friends to secure tickets for us. And it was a good game, Lamigo Monkeys triumphed in the end. Awesome to beat the Brothers at their own turf, given the fact that the Monkeys sucked big time this season.
9. Winter League Championship with Yigit
This match on December 18th was a total disappointment.
Team Taiwan was disqualified in previous night so the matchup was NPB East vs. NPB West and people know that I couldn’t care less about Japanese yaku. But, I had the hope to meet with Martin Muzik, the Czech baseball player on Team Europe in this year’s Winter League. I knew Martin during the U18 Team Czech back in 2013.
So, I really hoped to meet up with him in Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium as well as meeting Kevin Weijgertse, with whom I got to know during last year’s Winter League Championship.
Eventually none of them showed up because they both were under the weather.
So, there I sat, watching a freaking boring ballgame with Yigit. This was Yigit’s first baseball game and I hoped he didn’t feel too bored after watching this game.
8.Czech in Taoyuan Baseball
Another Czech friend came into town during May. So, I encouraged Jan to come watch a baseball game in Taoyuan as usual. He jumped on board right away since he seemed very flexible regarding his travel plan.
I did not recall the result of the game but it was a retro theme day for the home team, Lamigo Monkeys and the sunset at the ballpark was the most astonishing I’ve ever seen.
7. USA Baseball vs. CT U23
This USA Baseball vs. CT U23 ballgame should have been once of the most anticipated matchup for me and my American buddy Ryan, but it was not as exciting as we had thought.
First, during weekday it was already tough enough to get to Hsingchuang from Taipei City. And by the time we got there, we found out the game was slow-paced. We decided to get some burgers to dine. While we were at the burger place, we continued to watch the game.
And I think Team Taiwan won because of some controversial call or misplay or something like that. It was a game that none of us felt happy about the outcome.
6. Taoyaun Baseball with Cuban Japanese
Buntei and Itomi were the biggest surprise during our trip in Cuba. They showed us the salsa world of Cuba. As a payback to their generosity, we decided to take them to a baseball game in Taoyuan when we learned that they were coming to Taiwan for the first time.
We basically showed them the best restaurants in Taipei, they brought us in an awesome salsa performance in Taipei. And baseball in Taoyuan seemed very intriguing for Buntei as he is such a diehard Chunichi Dragons fan.
What was more memorable than seeing yourself in the Jumbotron during the inning change? A night to remember, indeed.
5. CT OB vs. Yomiuri Giants OB with Turks
Originally, I did not want to go to Taichung for this match on November 20th. However, Ismail was leaving Taiwan within a week and this was the only ballgame left for him to attend. So, Ismail, Samet and I went to Taichung on a one day tour.
Life took me by surprise when I learned that Ryo the Japanese friend also came to watch this game on a one day tour from Japan to Taichung. Suddenly, I didn’t think I was the crazy baseball fan at all.
The game itself only had one shinning moment when Oh san took the bat to hit against our legendary Kaku san in an historic at-bat in the top of seventh inning.
Mr. Oh swung fully and then tumbled onto the ground, scaring the shit out of us. Luckily he did not injure himself. Ryo later gave me a Samurai Japan cheering towel. What a nice friend to have.
4. Opening Day to watch #52 hit it out of the Park
March 19th, the beginning of the last season for the national hero #52 Chen Chin Feng. During the decade, he had fulfilled all of our hopes when he stepped into the box.
This time, he did not let us wait too long. He hit his first homer of the season when he had his first at bat.
However, the game was very long and we saw tons of misplays that costed the Monkeys their home opener victory, a bad omen for their disastrous season.
3. Taiwan Series ＃4 with Bhoomek
October 25th, long after the Lamigo Monkeys failed to make it to playoff. I returned to Taoyuan Baseball Stadium to watch Taiwan Series Game 4 with a first timer Indian friend, Bhoomek. The first time to watch a ballgame without the home team Lamigo Monkeys seemed a bit strange but yeah we were psyched to support the Eda Rhinos, they deserved a championship before they got sold to Fubon Guardians at the end of 2016. However, the Eda Rhinos were down 0-3 in a very deep shithole in this best of 7 series.
Because somewhat Bhoomek brought some beginner’s luck to the “home team”, the Rhinos won big time in this game and later on to win 4 straight and clinched their first and last championship in CPBL history. All hail to Dr. Bhoomek.
2. In Search of “El Beisbol de Cuba”
Last November, I made up my mind to visit Cuba in Chinese New Year so that I could visit some of the Cuban baseball players with whom I got to know during the Premier 12 tournament.
Eventually, I made it.
7 stadiums in 20 days. Of course it was not a perfect tour, I did try my best not to have any regret. I’ve visited the biggest baseball stadium in Latin America and talked with the legendary Mr. Victor Mesa and President of Cuban Baseball Federation, Mr. Ignacio.
How many people could have the experience that I went through? I guess I was cubabulous.
1. Farewell to #52 Cheng Chin Feng
My childhood hero hang up his cleets after several disappointing seasons with the Monkeys. However, the team found him lucrative so that they threw him a farewell party. Of course the fans fought hard to get the tickets.
Luckily I fought 3 tickets so that me and my brother could say goodbye to the legend one last time although he did not perform well in this game due to physical condition.
He had given us all he’s got during the past 10 years plus. He didn’t owe us anymore.
Thank you #52, we would always remember all those precious homeruns and the overjoy that you had given us.
El móvil 