The Ambitious Beggar for Baseball

MR. KCH attending Taiwan PE Council (Photo by Wang Ron Chi)

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　　After the Second World War ended in 1945, baseball has become the most popular sport in Taiwan at that time. However, it was not regarded as an important sport until 1949, when the president of Taiwan Cooperative Bank council, Hsieh Dong-Ming, formed the committee of baseball in Taiwan province.
　　The popularity of playing baseball was moved toward the south part of Taiwan because of the Kuomintang government’s settlement in Taiwan. “South baseball, North basketball” was a trend at that time. During this period of time, the baseball realm only got little support from the government.

Hosting Asia Cup

Mr. Hong Tai Shan of third Asia Cup (Phto by Mr. Hsieh Shih Yuan)

　　Because Mr. Hsieh was an alumnus of the Waseda University, he invited the universeity baseball team to Taiwan and played several games with Taiwan teams. On the one hand, Mr. Hsieh raised money by selling tickets; on the other hand, he could elevate and fasten the speed of the baseball development.
　　In 1954, Mr. Hsieh was invited by Philippine, Japan, and South Korea to hold a joint meeting in Manila, and decided to build up a baseball alliance in Asia. They decided to hold the first contest in Manila, and asked Mr. Hsieh to hold the next game. Although it was very exciting to baseball world of Taiwan at that time, he did not make it because of the budget shortage.Owing to make his dream come true, Mr. Hsieh searched for sponsors everywhere and finally held the fourth and the eighth Asia Cup.

International Games in Taipei Baseball Field

The Taipei Baseball Field (Phto by Wang Ron Chi)

　　Mr. Hsieh was very much interested in holding the International game, but Taiwan did not have a proper baseball field at that time. Finally, under Mr. Hsieh Kuo-Cherng’s efforts, the Taipei Municipal Baseball Field’s prototype was finished in 1959 after 10 years of construction. In 1961, it was constructed as a baseball field with international level. Mr. Hsieh’s wisdom laid the foundations of Taiwan baseball.