Mayor finds the spotlight a drag

Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was feeling decidedly uncomfortable when the lights went down at Tienmu Stadium.

For a full 10 minutes, the mayor -- who generally welcomes the spotlight -- was shown on TV fidgeting while the lights were repaired.

The incident happened during the fifth inning of last night's Cuba-US game and the scoreboard TV screen cameras immediately panned to Mayor Ma, who was sitting behind home plate.

His discomfort at the media spotlight on this occasion was obvious to all those watching in the ground.

Cuba courts locals

While many flag-waving Americans showed up at the game, Cuba had to rely on local fans for support.

One of them was Su Yuan-yu , who sported a cardboard Cuban flag behind the Cuban dugout.

Asked why he was supporting Cuba, he said. "Because the US defeated Taiwan. We want revenge."

The Cubans also did a bit of pre-game diplomacy before the game, throwing balls into the crowd behind their dugout.

Fan makes catches of the day

Lin Chien-chieh scrambled down from his bleacher seat to scoop up both of the home run balls hit by Chen Chin-feng that landed behind the left field wall.

Internet auctions of famous home run balls hit in Major League baseball can be lucrative.

"I will never sell them," said Lin, a student at National Taiwan University. "I will pass these down to my sons who will then pass them down to my grandsons."

Please hold, it's the president

Taiwan manager Lin Hua-wei interrupted his after-game press conference to answer his mobile phone.

He had an excuse. President Chen Shui-bian was on the line.

"The President said, `Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations. You played very well,'" said a beaming Lin.

Panama and Holland win playoffs

Panama edged out South Korea 3-2 to win fifth place in the Baseball World Cup which ended yesterday.

The Netherlands beat the Dominican Republic 7-3 to take seventh place at a game played at Shinchuan Stadium in Hsinchuang, Taipei County.

Tournament MVP was Luis Ulacia; and the All-Star team comprised: Jose Contrares, Jason Stanford, Ken Huckaby, Orestes Kindelan, Antonio Pacheco, Akihiro Higashide,Irokazu Ibata, Chen Ching-fong (陳金鋒),Mark Budzinski, Yoshinobu Takahasshi and Wang Chuan-chia (王傳家).