Fans of Wang Chien-ming (王建民) were ecstatic yesterday as the popular New York Yankees pitcher returned home for a holiday during Major League Baseball's off-season.
More than 200 fans and journalists waited outside Wang's home in Tainan yesterday morning. When a Ford Caravan entered the alley leading to Wang's home shortly after 11am, it was quickly surrounded by the crowd eager to catch a glimpse of their hero.
The zeal of the fans forced Wang's relatives to negotiate a deal with police to establish a cordon in front of the house so that Wang and his wife could safely step out of their vehicle and enter the building.
PHOTO: HUANG WEN-HUANG, TAIPEI TIMES
The couple finally made it through the front door after being stranded in the car by the press of the crowd for more than an hour.
Wang's homecoming was widely publicized in the Chinese-language dailies yesterday. A large crowd of equally excited fans were on hand at Kaohsiung International Airport to greet him upon his arrival there.
Airport police were deployed to maintain order as Wang came down the escalator to the terminal's lobby.
Wang smiled and waved at the crowd but did not talk to reporters. The fans did not seem to mind as most were busy taking photos of their idol with their digital cameras and mobile phones.
Wang is expected to stay in Taiwan for at least two months since he is not due to return to the US until January. His time will be divided between his family and making public appearances.
As the spokesperson of this year's Continental Baseball Cup in Taichung, Wang will throw out the first ball next Thursday when Taiwan plays Cuba. Wang has donated the NT$5,000 honorarium he received from the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association for the event to charity.
On Nov. 25 he will participate in a climbathon hosted by Shinkong Mitsukoshi Department Store. Participants in the climbathon will also be entered in a lottery with the chance to win a baseball personally signed by Wang.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
COVETED PRIZE: The US president would be a peace prize laureate should he persuade Xi Jinping to abandon military aggression against Taiwan, William Lai said US President Donald Trump should get the Nobel Peace Prize should he be able to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to abandon the use of force against Taiwan, President William Lai (賴清德) told a conservative US radio show and podcast in an interview. The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer, despite the absence of formal ties, but since Trump took office earlier this year he has not announced any new arms sales to the nation. Trump could meet Xi at the APEC summit in South Korea on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Lai, speaking on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
RSS