Taiwanese-American outfielder Stuart Fairchild, whose powerhouse performance at this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) helped propel the national team to key victories, has revealed that he has indigenous roots.
The 29-year-old Seattle-born hitter, affectionately nicknamed “Fei-zai” (費仔) by local fans, emerged as a national hero at the Tokyo Dome after hitting two home runs to help secure wins for Taiwan at the WBC.
While Fairchild’s heritage was previously described as being half-Taiwanese through his mother, who immigrated from Taichung to the US at age 12, a deeper family history recently came to light.
Photo: AFP
During a celebratory dinner hosted by his agency, his mother shared that his maternal grandmother is a Pangcah (Amis) woman from Hualien County.
Fairchild said the overwhelming support from Taiwanese crowds — characterized by choreographed chants and rhythmic drumming — offered a sense of belonging he had not anticipated.
The Cleveland Guardians outfielder, who has returned to the US to prepare for the upcoming MLB season, said through his agency that the experience was an “unforgettable journey.”
He expressed a profound emotional bond with the nation and said he would be “extremely interested and absolutely willing” to represent the national team again in the future.
Beyond his professional commitments, Fairchild said he is already planning a return trip to Taiwan during the off-season for a homecoming journey.
The visit would allow him to explore his grandmother’s ancestral lands and better understand his Amis heritage, he said.
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