US Major League Baseball legends Jason Giambi and Ivan Rodgriuez were the special invited guests for the ceremonial first pitch at yesterday’s opening of Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) All-Star Weekend festivities at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium.
The two retired superstars and former teammates of Taiwanese pitcher Wang Chien-ming in the US were greeted with applause and enthusiastic cheering from the more than 12,000 spectators in the ballpark.
Giambi and Rodriguez, who is also known as “I-Rod” or “Pudge,” were joined at the ceremony by Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung, CPBL commissioner John Wu, World Baseball and Softball Confederation president Riccardo Fraccari and Johnson Fitness chairman Lo Kun-chuan.
Photo: CNA
Befitting his reputation as a power hitter, Giambi was the batter at the plate for the ceremonial first pitch, while, in another setup, Rodriguez replayed his familiar role as a star catcher to receive the pitch tossed by Lin.
Giambi and Rodriguez were all smiles in front of the near-capacity crowd, saying afterward that they were moved by the fantastic atmosphere generated by Taiwanese baseball fans at the event.
The two former American League MVP’s and MLB All-Star players are lending their luster to Taiwan’s own version of the “Midsummer Classic,” as the MLB All-Star Game is also known, and both are to participate in this weekend’s main event — the Home Run Derby, which is to take place today from 5pm at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium.
In the warm-up event yesterday afternoon, Team Speed defeated Team Power in the base-running competition.
In the CPBL All-Star Game, Chinatrust Brother pitchers Cheng Kai-wen and Chen Hung-wen started on the mound for Team Speed and Team Power respectively.
Lamigo Monkeys slugger Lin Chih-sheng blasted a solo home run in the second inning to equalize the game at 1-all, before Team Power scored again in the seventh to take a 2-1 victory.
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