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Baseball fans relish Olympic win

Chiang Chin-hsien of Taiwan, right, yesterday throws the ball to first base after tagging out a Dutch player who attempted to slide into second base during the Olympic baseball opener in Beijing. Taiwan beat the Netherlands 5-0. PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

Taiwan opened its Olympic baseball campaign with a 5-0 win against the Netherlands at the Wukesong Baseball Field in Beijing yesterday — but a Taiwanese player tested positive for a banned substance.

Chang Tai-shan (張泰山), one of the team’s best hitters, was banned from playing the first game. Chang’s urine A sample, collected on July 27, was reported to be positive on Tuesday, one day before Taiwan started the tournament.

The team will appeal Chang’s test result, Taiwanese Olympic delegation leader Tsai Szu-chueh (蔡賜爵) said in Beijing yesterday.

Chang, who had expressed dismayed at the test result, had denied taking banned substances, Tsai said, adding that he had followed medical advice.

Chang had been taking male fertility pills, but stopped using the medication before attending the Games, Tsai said.

If Chang’s B sample fails to pass a test in Japan on Friday, Chang will be banned from international competition for two years, Tsai said.

In Taiwan, meanwhile, excited baseball fans lined up outside a fast food restaurant near National Taiwan University yesterday before it opened at 8am.

They were hoping to be one of 100 customers to be treated to fried chicken burgers and nuggets, but were even more eager to watch the team score their first victory.

To accommodate so many fans, the restaurant set up three large screens so that fans sitting at different corners of the room could watch the game.

Lee Yi-Hsien (李奕賢), a college student, wore a bright-red T-shirt with the national emblem and “Taiwan, Home of Baseball” printed on the front. While speaking to the Taipei Times, Lee could not contain his excitement.

“I’m just thrilledl,” he said.

Lin Ying-fu (林盈甫), a math senior, carried a national flag and a paper fan with the words jingzhong baoguo (精忠報國 “Serve Your Country with Loyalty”) and came with three other friends. Normally a late riser at 1pm, this time he got out of bed at 8am to cheer for the team.

After the game started, fans fixed their eyes on the projection screen while chowing down on burgers and nuggets.

The crowd was elated to see Taiwan end the top of the first with the first double play of the game. Applause rose again at the bottom of the first inning when Lin Chi-sheng (林智勝) scored the first run.

Fans were also invigorated by starter Chen Wei-yin’s (陳偉殷) performance, who delivered a total of seven strikes throughout the seven innings that he pitched. At times they shouted “strike him down” in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) when Chen threw a strike.

The crowd was ecstatic when the team scored three points and put the game beyond the Dutch.

“There is only one word to describe how I feel: happy,” said Liu Chin-ro (劉沁柔), a recent college graduate.

Additional reporting by CNA

Also See: Taiwan begins campaign with win
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