Shih Chih-wei (
The contest between the top rookies in Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (Team Read) and the best amateurs currently playing in the minor-league system (Team White) was won by Team Red in a 12-7 final.
Shih's perfect 4-for-4 night made him the runaway MVP winner. The Bears' first-round draft choice is enjoying a fine rookie season with a team-high .283 batting average and 30 RBI.
His 71 hits so far place him third in the league, behind Brother Elephants' hitting machines Peng "Chia Chia" Cheng-ming (
"I'm grateful to the veteran hitters on the team for showing me a lot of their techniques," Shih said in the post-game interview. "I wouldn't have improved as much and as quickly if it weren't for them."
He took home a crystal trophy on top of a check for NT$100,000.
Lin missed hitting for the cycle by a home run, as the first-year shortstop belted a single, a double, and a rare triple off three different Team White pitchers that had fans chanting "Lin Chih-sheng, home run!" during his entire final at-bat.
"I guess I was trying too hard in the fourth-and-final at-bat to get the cycle," Lin said after the game. "It was, nonetheless, a great experience."
Team Red jumped to a 8-0 lead after two frames against starter Cheng Jia-ming (
Red relievers Wu Sih-yo (
Budding Bear talent Tsai Jien-wei (
"With this kind of talent waiting to explode, this team [the Bears] could be very dangerous as soon as next season," baseball commentator Tseng Wen-cheng (
Heavy thunderstorms earlier in the afternoon caused the home-run contest to be cancelled.
DOUBLE: Harry Kane has now netted 12 goals in six games, scoring his second hat-trick this season after Bayern’s opening Bundesliga match against Leipzig last month That man again. Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season on Saturday to steer Bayern Munich to a 4-1 win at Hoffenheim for the best Bundesliga start any team has made after four rounds. The England captain scored before the break and converted two penalties after it to take his club tally to 12 goals in six games across all competitions — 13 goals in seven games including the German Supercup. Kane’s other hat-trick was in the Bundesliga-opening 6-0 rout of Leipzig. Bayern’s record of 12 points with a goal difference of 15-plus is the best after four rounds of the Bundesliga
San Francisco Giants pitcher Teng Kai-wei impressed against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday despite an 8-1 loss in the opener of the team’s nine-game road trip. Teng, the only Taiwanese pitcher active in MLB, struck out five while allowing two hits and one walk over four innings at Chase Field to finish with a no decision, as the teams were tied 1-1 when he finished his outing. He surrendered the lone run of his outing in the bottom of the first, which began with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and two strikeouts. Diamondbacks leadoff hitter Geraldo Perdomo advanced to third on
Rwanda is to take center stage from today as the first African country to host the cycling world championships, in its latest use of sports to improve the country’s reputation. As it prepares for 5,000 cyclists and 20,000 spectators, Rwanda has spruced up its roads, created a network of cycle lanes and run multiple police drills. A poor, landlocked country in east Africa still widely associated with a horrific genocide in 1994, Rwanda has used various sports to revamp its image, attract tourists and impress investors with its organizational efficiency. It has spent lavishly on soccer sponsorship deals with clubs
New Zealand yesterday basked in “amazing” athletics glory after winning two gold medals in as many days at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Geordie Beamish on Monday claimed New Zealand’s first track gold in history with a shock victory in the 3,000m steeplechase, while high jumper Hamish Kerr followed with gold on Tuesday to make it an unprecedented double success for a country much better known for rugby than its prowess in track and field. Before this week, the country had won only six golds in total at the championships. Yesterday morning New Zealand were in the giddy position of fourth on