Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) introduced members of the city’s new baseball team yesterday, shrugging off questions from reporters on the selection process.
The Taipei City Government formed its own baseball team last week as part of government efforts to revive the sport following the national team’s embarrassing defeat to China at the World Baseball Classic last month.
Hau yesterday presented the baseball team’s flag to head coach Kao Ying-chieh (高英傑), former coach of New York Yankees’ pitcher Wang Chien-ming (王建民), and joined the 21 players selected for practice at Tianmu Baseball Park.
PHOTO: CNA
The city government had planned to select 25 players for the team, but only recruited 21 players — retired professionals, college and high school players.
Former dmedia T-Rex player Hsu Chu-jien (許竹見), who failed to be selected by the committee, challenged the selection process on Monday, claiming Taipei City Government had included him on a “blacklist” based on rumors that he was involved in gambling and match-fixing.
The dmedia T-Rex team was disbanded after chairman Shih Jian-hsin (施建新) and some of the players were alleged to have been involved in gambling and match fixing.
PHOTO: CNA
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Chen Yu-mei (陳玉梅) also called on the city government to explain its selection process.
Hau yesterday dismissed the allegations about a blacklist and said the government simply required team players to display integrity, in addition to professional skills.
Hau said the city government would arrange for team members to serve as school coaches or contractors at municipal departments, so integrity and good behavior were important elements when selecting players.
The local governments in Taipei County, Taoyuan County and Taichung City have also formed their own municipal baseball teams as part of government efforts to nurture baseball talent.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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