臺灣文學虛擬博物館

Contributors to Baseball in Taiwan

The years between 1945 and 1960 are the golden days of baseball in Taiwan. “Watch a baseball game when stomach is full” was a part of people’s daily lives. A substantial number of baseball teams, such as Team Carbon, Team TaiPower, and Team TBC, were all established during this time. Team TBC was established in 1948 by the bank’s president Hsieh Tung-min at the time and a group of TBC baseball fans.

Lung Ying-tsung during this period often watched baseball games at the New Park near the TBC headquarter. Renowned literary writer Chang Wo-chun also loved baseball. Other than playing baseball and watching baseball games, Chang composed lyrics for Team TBC’s theme song. He even followed the team to join baseball games. In his later years, Chang organized Team Laoye just for fun. Once, Lung Ying-tsung bumped into vice president of TBC Hsieh Kuo-cheng, who was an important figure in promoting baseball in Taiwan at the time. Hsieh accepted the baseball missions from Su Chia-ho of Hua Nan Bank. Upon learning that Lung was a renowned literary figure, he invited Lung to take charge of the general and accounting affairs of the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association, in addition to hosting Baseball Community, a magazine. During Hsieh’s term, baseball in Taiwan turned from softball to hardball, and games expanded from regional to national, and therefore, he is regarded as the “Father of Taiwanese Baseball.”

⚈ Picture of Hsieh Kuo-cheng playing baseball. (Provided by Hsieh Kuo-cheng Baseball Culture and Education Foundation)

Lung Ying-tsung wrote “Contributors to Baseball in Taiwan” in 1987. The article speaks of the friendship between the writer and Chang Wo-chun and Hsih Kuo-cheng, based on baseball, and explains how Hsieh was influential to baseball developments in Taiwan. It also hails Taiwan’s baseball community for its strong abilities. The article shows Lung Ying-tsung’s passion for baseball.

“On that day, I bumped into Mr. Hsieh Kuo-cheng who happened to be in the New Park. He asked, “Liu, are you also a baseball fan?” I said, “Yes, Mr. assistant VP. I like watching baseball games, too.” My words might have changed my fate. Hsieh was actually the vice general manager of Taiwan Cooperative Bank. And I had been a small clerk of the bank for so many years!” – Lung Ying-tsung, “Contributors to Baseball in Taiwan,” Complete Works of Lung Ying-tsung, Vol. 7, Notes on Life (2), p.156.
 

⚈ Photo of Hsieh Kuo-cheng. Hsieh Kuo-cheng was the vice president of Taiwan Cooperative Bank and a crucial figure in promoting baseball in Taiwan. He agreed to take over related affairs from Su Chia-ho who worked in Hua Nan Bank. Learning that Lung Ying-tsung was a renowned literary figure, Hsieh recommended that the writer took charge of Chinese Taipei Baseball Association’s general and accounting affairs, as well as the publishing of The Baseball Community, a magazine. (Provided by Hsieh Kuo-cheng Baseball Culture and Education Foundation)