The new mark places Chang in the fifth place on the all-time RBI leader-board, behind Luo Ming-ching (
Chang made history by becoming the youngest member of the 500 club when he sent the pitch from Gida pitcher Lee Ming-chin (
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
The Bulls' run-producing machine reached the impressive milestone at the tender age of 27, outdoing the other members of the group by at least eight years; they were all 35 years of age or older when they registered their 500th RBI.
Chang has reached the mark in only his eighth season. If he maintains his current pace, Chang may break the all-time RBI mark before the end of the 2005 season.
"One can only dream of what is to come with Chang," Bulls catcher Yeh Jung-chang (
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
The Taitung native did't take too much time celebrating his 500th RBI because he was already thinking about reaching another milestone.
"I would like to get my first 20-20 before the end of the season" Chang told local Chinese-language media.
Chang wants to become the first local player to crank out 20 homers and steal 20 bases in the same season.
Chang was not alone in the record-breaking department on Wednesday, as fellow teammate and captain of the Bulls squad, Huang Chung-yi (黃忠義), made his 1,000th career game appearance, tying Lin Chung-chiou for the third spot on the all-time appearance list, behind Luo Ming-ching with 1,137 and Chen Cheng-shian with 1,128.
The 11-year veteran from Hualien County is slightly ahead of the pace set by Luo and Chen in becoming Taiwan's own Cal Ripken Jr. for most career game appearances. Both Luo and Chen joined the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 1990, three years before Huang. Assuming Luo and Chen will retire after this season, Huang would have approximately 140 games (less than two full seasons) to make up before he claims the lead over Luo.
Not completely satisfied with his millennium mark, Huang said after Wednesday night's game that he would like to turn in 500 RBIs before he really starts to celebrate. He currently has 459 RBIs and he may be able to reach 500 sometime next season.
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