Since the second year of CPBL (Chinese Professional Baseball League), I was introduced to this amazing game by my uncle. At that time, he would bring me to the old, already torn-down, baseball stadium in Taipei as much as he could, watching with thousands of Brother Elephants’ fans. Actually, I was not a fan of Elephants in the beginning (I was Dragons’). But after his endlessly brain-washing efforts about how passionate the boss as well as those players conveyed, well they still do right now, and the coming of the first dynasty of the Brother Elephants, and overwhelmed by the cheering of the fans, regardless of how far Elephants fell behind, I was, inevitably, become a fan of Elephants, who would shout out loud with the audience, who would nearly throw things inside the diamond because of umpire’s lousy calls, who would boooo the other side, and who would be glued to the TV for every game. That is so fun, so interesting, so fasinating, so relieving, and most importantly, some kind of expression for the love of the game.

Baseball is everything here in Taiwan. Although, compared with other professional baseball leagues, there are still left quite a lot to be desired in every way, people here in Taiwan still stick to it. Also, despite the 16 years of nearly-nothing development as well as with the gambling affairs haunted, baseball’s still got its huge impact on people’s mind. Seeming oddly enough at first, which things can be understood when one gives it a thought. With baseball, we can let people around the world know that there is a tiny place, can’t be found on the map actually, called Taiwan, which generates hell a lot of solid baseball players. With baseball, we can hold our heads high, be proud of ourselves for a authentic history and so many achievements. With baseball, connections with other countries won’t be cut but linked strongly. With baseball, things will just be different, in the good way...that kind of different.

Furthermore, with the connections with other "well-developed" countries and the help of wide-spread interest, we can know more about baseball, especially for us outsiders, see the game from another different perspective, then maybe further take the development of baseball in Taiwan to aonther level. As far as I know, emphasis on statistics in all dimensions, compare & contract and questioning the so-called old baseball wisdom, fantasy game, information shared from the insiders, and the analysis from experienced commentators...etc. These are ways to let us outsiders get to know the game better, not restrained from the most skillful, most pinpoint-control needed, most complicated but the same time somehow simplest sport in the world.

But don’t worry. Even if one doesn’t want to know any detail about baseball, that’s fine. It is still possible for one to find that baseball is fun and enjoyable.