【Epoch Times July 11, 2026】The Taiwan Major League Baseball in North America (T League RGT) kicked off the “2026 Taiwan-America Baseball Festival” with a welcome banquet on July 2nd in Cupertino, welcoming the baseball team from Bei Shi Junior High School in Taichung City to the San Francisco Bay Area, marking the beginning of nearly two months of baseball exchanges between Taiwan and America.
The Taiwan-America Baseball Festival, which started in 2018, is experiencing its largest exchange scale this year. From July 2nd to August 28th, seven baseball teams from Taiwan will be visiting the United States to engage in off-site training, exchange games, cultural visits, and three “Taiwanese Heritage Day” events.
A breakthrough for this year’s Taiwan-America Baseball Festival is the extension of “Taiwanese Heritage Day” activities from Northern California to Southern California. The organizers mentioned that Taiwanese Heritage Day originally started with the Oakland Athletics team and has expanded to minor league ballparks in recent years, aiming to support Taiwanese players in the U.S. With the Athletics team moving to Sacramento, this year’s event will continue in Sacramento with a Taiwan Day and will also include a Taiwan Day event with the San Jose Giants. On September 6th, they will hold Taiwan Day for the first time in Southern California at the Ontario Tower Buzzers.
Co-founder of T League RGT, Chen Wenze, stated that this year’s schedule is more comprehensive than in previous years. In addition to baseball training and games, new elements such as English lessons, interaction with Bay Area students, school visits, and engagements with local organizations have been added.
Chen mentioned that in the past, when players came to the U.S., their activities mainly revolved around school visits and familiarizing themselves with the campus environment, with limited interaction with local students. However, this year, with the visit coinciding with the summer break, many high school and college students volunteered to provide English lessons, including conversational English sessions, to help Taiwanese players overcome language barriers and confidently engage with American students.
Bei Shi Junior High School is a team that has participated in the T League RGT Taiwan-America baseball exchange program for three consecutive years. Upon their arrival, the players have visited Stanford University’s baseball field to interact with local baseball coaches. They will also go hiking at Mission Peak to enjoy the Bay Area view and participate in the Independence Day parade in Fremont.
Principal Lin Hongtai of Bei Shi Junior High School mentioned in an interview that this is his second time leading a team to the U.S. He emphasized that this trip is not just about improving the students’ baseball skills but also aims to enhance their English language abilities. The team consists of 12 players, with 4 returning from last year’s exchange and 8 first-timers, along with two accompanying coaches.
Lin further expressed that the most significant meaning of baseball exchanges lies in planting a seed in the hearts of the children. Through international exchanges, students broaden their horizons and gain valuable insights into future directions, career paths, and global perspectives. He cited the example of a team captain who, after the first year’s trip to the U.S., gained clarity on his future aspirations and became more determined to learn languages to pursue his dreams.
Genevieve Leung, a Professor of Rhetoric and Linguistics at the University of San Francisco, shared her excitement about participating in the exchange, having previously been involved in teacher training programs in Taiwan. She emphasized that baseball and sports serve as a common language that connects communities. Taiwanese players, possessing baseball expertise, can share their experiences with the U.S. counterparts while also learning English, understanding different cultures, and fostering genuine two-way cultural exchanges.
Several Bay Area baseball coaches, including Ed Bowling, Bobby Kanno, and Sam Chong, expressed their support for the event. They mentioned that their participation is driven by their love for children, passion for baseball, and alignment with the long-standing commitment of the organizers to the children and the community. They hope that Taiwanese players will have a memorable experience during their stay in the U.S. and create lasting memories through baseball.
Coach Chen Yanrui expressed gratitude for the invitation from the T League RGT to bring the team for the exchange in the U.S. Having previously been to the U.S., he understands the benefits of international exchanges in broadening children’s perspectives and expanding their future paths. Over the past three years of exchanges, the children have not only learned languages but also started setting new goals for their lives and finding directions they want to pursue.
Chen Wenze mentioned that this year’s Taiwan Day is heading to Southern California for the first time and has received enthusiastic anticipation from the local Taiwanese community. As there are fewer significant Taiwan-themed events in the eastern part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, combined with the novelty of the ballpark, this minor league Taiwan Day has captured high attention from the Taiwanese expatriates.
In conclusion, the organizers emphasized that baseball is just a medium, and the essence lies in the exchanges. The genuine treasure lies in the friendships forged between Taiwanese and American players, families, schools, volunteers, and communities. Through coming together year after year in the summers, Taiwanese players get to step onto the world stage, introducing Taiwan to more American friends through the game of baseball. ◇