The “Taiwan Friends Baseball Day,” jointly organized by the New York Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, the New Jersey Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, and the New York Taiwanese Junior Chamber, kicked off with great enthusiasm at Citi Field on the 17th. Renowned artificial intelligence expert Dr. Lin Qingyong was invited as the guest of honor for the ceremonial first pitch, caught by President Lin Qingfu of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce. Over 1000 Taiwanese scholars and professionals in New York attended the event, and four Chinese-American individuals making contributions to the community were recognized: Ares Huang, Community Liaison Officer of the 109th Precinct of the New York Police Department; Betty Lin, former President of the New York Taiwan Association; Yeou-Cheng Ma, Executive Director of the New York Youth Symphony; and Chin Chih Yang, a Taiwanese artist.
Taiwanese people have a great passion for baseball, and Taiwanese Americans often come together through this sport. In the land of fairness and freedom, the United States, baseball serves as a means to showcase the love for both Taiwan and America. This year, Taiwanese Americans have been shining in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), so the theme of this gathering was set as “AI TAIWAN” (pronounced similarly to “Love Taiwan”).
President Lin Qingfu of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce explained that the event focused on honoring the outstanding achievements of Taiwanese Americans in the field of AI and highlighting the current trends. Dr. Lin Qingyong, the Chief Scientist of IBM and a prominent figure in AI research, was the guest of honor for the ceremonial first pitch. President Lin expressed gratitude for the Taiwanese community’s love for baseball, with over 1000 tickets sold out rapidly for this year’s event. Additionally, the event featured collaborations with four food vendors providing bento boxes, bread, and jerky, which received wide acclaim. President Lin is confident in the future success of the event and encourages more businesses to participate, looking forward to an even grander event next year.
The game on the 17th at Citi Field saw the New York Mets facing off against the Miami Marlins. However, the match was interrupted in the 2nd inning by a sudden downpour, yet this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the nearly ten thousand fans present. It also highlighted the support of Taiwanese compatriots for this event, with the New York Mets ultimately winning the game 4-0.
During an interview with New Tang Dynasty Television, AI expert Dr. Lin Qingyong expressed the extraordinary significance for him as a Taiwanese who has loved baseball since childhood to throw the first pitch wearing a glove he has used for 20 years. He considered it a special moment, providing affirmation for both himself and his team.
The event also honored Chinese-American individuals who have made contributions in various fields in the New York community. They are Ares Huang, Community Liaison Officer of the 109th Precinct of the NYPD; Betty Lin, former President of the New York Taiwan Association; Yeou-Cheng Ma, Executive Director of the New York Youth Symphony; and Chin Chih Yang, a Taiwanese artist.
During an interview with New Tang Dynasty Television, Ares Huang, the Community Liaison Officer of the 109th Precinct, shared his excitement at being recognized in front of a large audience at a major league ballpark. His years of service to the community were acknowledged through this special recognition.
The “Taiwan Friends Baseball Day” event this year not only attracted numerous Taiwanese baseball fans from the Greater New York area but also had Director Lee Chih-chiang of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York attend the game, highlighting the Taiwanese people’s passion for baseball.