Cobras need old gear back
Confused Macoto Cobras players are scrambling to recover baseball clothing and equipment they had given to friends and family after learning that they will need it this season after all, the Chinese-language China Times reported yesterday.
In January Macoto Bank reached an agreement to sell the team to a firm called Chiuho International (九禾國際開發股份有限公司), but the CPBL has been holding up the deal because it says the company doesn't have the financial resources to support a baseball team.
After the team prematurely revealed its new name and logo in January, many players expected to be playing for the new "Chiuho Dragons" this year and gave away their old gear to friends as memorabilia. But just after the Lunar New Year holiday the league announced that because of the controversy over the sale, the team would remain the Macoto Cobras this year.
Team officials said they were investigating what equipment was missing and needed to be replaced.
Coffie's big helmet arrives
In more encouraging team news, Macoto third baseman Ivanon Coffie has been able to flex his muscles at the plate now that his new extra-large batting helmet has arrived. Coffie had been kept from batting because he couldn't find a helmet big enough to fit him.
During the fifth inning of the team's last scrimmage on Wednesday, Coffie belted his first home run since coming to Taiwan from the Netherlands this year, going 2 for 5 on the day.
Futsal qualifying starts
The preliminary qualifier for the Asia Futsal Cup indoor soccer tournament got underway at Sinjhuang Stadium in Taipei County last night.
Eight teams are competing for four spots to compete in the finals in Japan in May. Taiwan is grouped with Lebanon, the Maldives and the Philippines in Group A, while Iraq, South Korea, Indonesia and Guam are in Group B.
The probable contenders and losers of the tournament became apparent on the first day. Lebanon beat the Philippines 8-2, South Korea beat Indonesia 6-1 and Iraq obliterated Guam 19-0.
Taiwan was leading the Maldives 1-0 at press time last night, and will play the Philippines at 7pm tomorrow.
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