Taiwan’s CPBL Foreign Fans Speak – Pt 4.

Guardians' players celebrate

Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final part of a series of interviews today. Each has focused on a different team in this season’s CPBL (professional baseball) league here in Taiwan.

Currently the only professional baseball league underway anywhere in the world, it is getting huge attention from fans and casual observers alike.

In the past few weeks four new English language fan groups – one supporting each of the teams in the league – have popped up on Twitter.

So close……eyes left.

This is their story:

How did you first hear of the CPBL?

A few years back via Twitter, and I started watching about three years ago. Games are played at a great time on weekends for UK fans and have a different vibe to MLB games.

What did you make of the first game last Sunday?

It was a fun game.

It was a shame it was held over from Saturday, but it was great to finally see some baseball after all the waiting.

Miranda looks rusty, but I think Feierabend will be a great pick up for the Lions.

What made you choose the Guardians?

Best uniforms in baseball.

Guardians as one

What do you know about them?

A fair bit.

I follow the ABL and a few of the players they got from the Brothers including Chen Hung-Wen and Chiang Chih-Shen played out there a couple of years ago.

I know it’s loaded money wise and unquestionably has the best one-two in the CPBL in (Henry) Sosa and (Mike) Loree – the Smoltz and Maddux of the league.

What message would you send to the teams or the CPBL if you could?

Thanks to you and to your country for taking the right steps to address the virus and giving baseball mad fans on the other side of the world our glorious sport back.

Follow the Fubon Guardians’ English language fan account on Twitter here.

Ed’s note: And as a special treat – the Guardians 2020 song – We Believe

Mark Buckton

Mark is a journalism vet of 20 years with most of those years spent in Tokyo, Japan, as a columnist for The Japan Times and numerous other publications. His work has appeared on CNN, in the BBC, NPR, and in several dozen other media forms and publications across five continents.