Taiwanese fighter jets yesterday welcomed home a flight carrying the national baseball team after their historic victory in Japan at the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12.
Taiwan’s 4-0 win over defending champions Japan in the prestigious Premier12 final at the Tokyo Dome on Sunday night sparked celebrations across Taiwan, with President William Lai (賴清德) lauding the team’s achievement.
“Thank you for bringing glory to the country and Taiwan to the world stage,” Lai told team members by mobile phone in a video posted on his Instagram.
Photo: CNA
“This also lets the international community know that Taiwan does not only have semiconductors — we have baseball, too,” he added.
To celebrate, Lai said he is to meet the team at the Presidential Office and host a victory parade for them.
The parade is to begin at 3:20pm today in Taipei from the intersection between Ketagalan Boulevard and Gongyuan Road, proceed to Xiangyang Road and turn right on to Guanqian Road, before moving onto Zhongxiao W Road and Chongqing S Road and arriving in front of the Presidential Office Building, parade organizer the General Assembly of Chinese Culture said in a statement.
Photo: Screen grab from a video released by the Presidential Office
Confetti would be released when the team travel on Guanqian Road, it said.
Parade attendees can pick up national flags and a “Team Taiwan” flag at one of eight tents along the parade route, it added.
During the parade, the team would also be greeted with a traditional war drum performance by Lei Sheng Art Group (雷昇傳藝團) and cheerleaders from the six teams of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), it said.
Photo: CNA
Cheerleaders would lead people in singing Brave Taiwan (台灣尚勇), which went viral online after baseball fans sang it to cheer on the national team during the Premier12, it said.
When entering the Presidential Office Building, the team would walk through an arc of sabers formed by the military’s Honor Guard, the organizer said.
The parade would be livestreamed on the YouTube channels of the Presidential Office, the Sports Administration, the CPBL, SET News (三立新聞台) and FTV News (民視新聞台), it said.
Photo courtesy of the General Assembly of Chinese Culture
Aside from receiving the top prize of US$1.5 million from the WBSC, the national team is to receive the Sports Administration’s Guo Guang Athletic Medals and Scholarships (國光體育獎章及獎助學金).
As Premier 12 is a Grade 1 international sports event, each player would receive NT$7 million (US$215,484) for winning a gold medal.
Chinese Taipei Baseball Association chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒) had pledged to provide NT$70 million if the team wins the championship.
China Airlines Ltd (中華航空), which brought the national team home last night, said that the 38 players and coaches would each receive a gold membership card as a gift.
To celebrate Taiwan’s Premier12 victory, travelers would be eligible for a 16 percent discount when booking economy-class tickets from today to Thursday for flights departing between Feb. 1 and Oct. 25 next year, while those booking business-class tickets would be eligible for a 12 percent discount, the airline said.
Starlux Airlines Co (星宇航空) said that players and coaches on the national team would each receive one round-trip business-class ticket, which applies to all flight services it offers without restriction.
EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) is offering a 12 percent discount from yesterday to tomorrow on all items on its online shopping site.
It would also host a drawing to give away six baseballs signed by national team players and round-trip economy-class tickets to all destinations in Asia, it said.
Taiwan Railway Corp (臺鐵) is offering “buy one and get one free” deals on some items on its online store, such as steel lunchboxes with “I Love Taiwan” embossed on the cover.
Riders can buy two one-day passes to the Taoyuan International Airport MRT line for the price of one, operator the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (臺北大眾捷運) said, adding that those who buy more than NT$500 of items at its store on Shopee.com would receive a small toy car as a gift.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said that national team coaches and players can use the MRT for free for two years.
The Taipei City-run Y17 Flywheel World is offering a 50 percent discount until Tuesday next week, while those using the rock-climbing facility at the gym would receive a rebate of NT$100 on weekdays and weekends.
Starbucks, 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK Mart outlets, as well as local restaurant chains and other shops, are offering discounts in celebration of the Premier12 victory.
Leofoo Village Theme Park (六福村) also joined the celebrations, offering visitors with the same name as a member of the national baseball team free entry until Jan. 1.
Several businesses in Taiwan, including Trend Micro Inc (趨勢科技), also gave their employees the day off yesterday to celebrate the national team’s victory.
Additional reporting by Reuters and CNA
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