Can professional baseball in Taiwan rise again?

One was on top of the world, the other at the bottom of an abyss. Ecstatic New Yorkers chanted “go for 28” — referring to a 28th victory for the franchise next season. Taiwan's baseball fans had little to celebrate, but had plenty to mourn regarding the near-demise of their professional baseball, which is only 20 years old.

The Yankees are a landmark of New York, like the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty. The team has such legendary figures such as Babe Ruth and Yogi Berra of yesteryear, and A-Rod and Derek Jeter of today. Yes, don't forget “Godzilla” Hideki Matsui who set a World Series record of six RBIs in Wednesday's championship-winning game, vanquishing the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 and winning the coveted MVP award.

Taiwan's baseball, though much younger, also has something to boast about. In 1969, the Golden Dragons, a rag-tag group of school kids seemed to have come from nowhere to win the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., bringing home a baseball fever and craze that marked the dawning of Taiwan's baseball era. In the 70s and 80s, Taiwan's little leaguers had won so many championships in Williamsport that they were banned from taking part for many years. In the meantime, those kids had grown up to play in junior and big leagues. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Taiwan's baseball team won the silver medal, making Taiwan a baseball power in the world.

When baseball has become a national pastime, could the birth of professional baseball be far behind? In 1989, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) was born, and thrived. Many erstwhile little leaguers have either become coaches or gone overseas to play professional baseball in Japan or the United States. In the heyday of CPBL, the leagues had eight teams, including the famed Brother Elephants, now gasping for breath in its death throes.

The plight of the Elephants is the epitome of the island's baseball woes. Rumors about game fixing had been rife for quite a long time. Some insiders alleged that game throwing, or dajiaqiu (打假球) in Chinese, has existed “as long as the League itself.” The malaise eroded the integrity and health of Taiwan's major league, effectively decimating the league to only four teams now.

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