Taiwan’s baseball fans were treated to a thrilling week at the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Although a fairy-tale ending slipped through their fingers, they got to see a little bit of everything the game has to offer, from blowouts threatening to trigger the mercy rule, to nail-biting back-and-forths, and even an epic grand slam from Taiwan’s own Yu Chang (張育成).
The quadrennial tournament is back after six years thanks to a COVID-19 pandemic-induced hiatus, and once again features Taiwan as a host for group play following their respectable run in 2013. As with any time Taiwan participates in an international event, controversy churned before any players had a chance to take the field. The team had to compete under the ludicrous name “Chinese Taipei,” but that was nothing new. What was not expected was a graphic snub. Along with each team’s roster, the WBC released promotional images for each pool with action shots of stars from each participating team — except Taiwan. As the host country, Taiwan’s fans were rightfully upset. The organizers quickly replaced the poster, but the question of Taiwan’s omission lingers, begging a more satisfying answer than “inadvertent error.”
Then there was the perennial question of whether the Republic of China (ROC) flag could be displayed in the stadium. It was a topic of concern in the legislature the day before the opener, as ELTA TV said it was barred from distributing flyers inside the stadium, because they bore the flag and name “Taiwan.” It turned out that only materials relating to the event were subject to the rule, leaving fans free to let their flags fly. Still, few ROC flags were seen at the games, amid the sea of white “Chinese Taipei” gear.
Not that the fans needed a flag to be noticed. For all of the asinine attempts to diminish Taiwan’s name on the world stage, the past week of games have shown in the most literal way possible that Taiwan cannot be silenced.
Even in their lowest moments — even when their team faced a mercy ending at Panama’s hands or when Cuba crushed their dreams of making it to the quarter-finals leading the table — the stadium was electric. Fans stayed on their feet, following the cheerleaders in a special song and dance for each batter and chanting appreciation for their “Taiwan heroes.”
The atmosphere did not go unnoticed. People watching from home all over the world posted about the energy in the stadium, wondering how the cheerleaders could keep it going for nearly four hours straight. Major League Baseball even ran a feature about the “art of being a Chinese Taipei cheerleader,” saying about the relentless crowds: “There’s nothing like it in the world.” The wave of sound seemed to carry their team to victories against Italy and the Netherlands, and even the opposing teams’ dugouts could be seen nodding along to the infectious songs.
Of course, a long-time fan of Taiwanese baseball knows this is nothing unusual. While the decibel level might have been turned up to 11 for the WBC, every game in the Chinese Professional Baseball League is a mini version of the same party. Everyone knows the unique song and dance for each player, and newcomers can learn quickly by following along. Win or lose, everyone has a blast basking in the glow of unadulterated sporting cheer.
The WBC has allowed everyone to see a slice of that joy. Although the team will not be moving on to Tokyo, they have left an indelible impression on the world of how much fun baseball can be.
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