A set of commemorative stamps was issued yesterday to celebrate the XXXIV Baseball World Cup in Taipei.
At a ceremony yesterday, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) gave his blessing for the success of the tournament.
"Among the countries that have hosted the tournament, we are the only one to have issued new coins and stamps with a baseball motif to celebrate the event," Chang said.
In his address held yesterday morning at the Postal Museum, Chang added that Taiwan holds the sport of baseball in high regard.
The Central Bank of China plans to issue a coin commemorating the tournament.
Chang also said the president had previously proclaimed that this would be Taiwan's "baseball year."
The premier said the Cabinet had taken steps to welcome the international game with the introduction of the stamps and coins, the establishment of international baseball fan clubs and the release of television commercials promoting the games.
From first light yesterday, baseball fans queued up at the museum to purchase the commemorative stamps. They ranged from youngsters to senior citizens but all were united in their fervent enthusiasm for the game.
The tournament's organizer, the National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, yesterday said that the government expects to generate revenues of NT$280 million from hosting the tournament, citing a report by an association of economists.
The tournament is also expected to create 805 jobs, according to the report.
But Richard Lin (
"Only half of the tickets available in advance for the home team's games have been sold and advance bookings for foreign teams' games have not been good," Lin said yesterday.
Lin is still optimistic, however, saying most spectators are not used to buying tickets in advance and that he expects to see more fans turn up at the games.
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