Starting today, professional baseball teams can fill stadium seating at 25 percent of capacity, although concession stands are to remain closed to enforce a ban on cooking and food handling at ballparks.
CPBL commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) announced the good news for baseball fans yesterday, with stadiums this evening in Taoyuan and Tainan to be the first to follow the new measures, before further revisions might be made following the weekend.
“Fans in Taiwan have expressed the wish to attend baseball games in person. It requires the CPBL and all five ball clubs to closely collaborate with local and central government officials to establish the necessary prevention measures at ballparks,” Tsai said in a statement.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
League officials called for most tickets to be purchased online in advance, with only limited ticket sales at parks on game day.
Fans must scan a QR code with a mobile phone for real-name registration at the gates, then league staff take their temperatures and disinfect their hands with an alcohol spray, according to the guidelines announced yesterday.
The fans’ designated seats are staggered to comply with social distancing, CPBL head media liaison Tai Si-sung (戴嗣松) said.
“Concession stands will be closed to comply with bans on cooking and handling food, but fans can bring snacks and drinks from outside, although they must wear a mask throughout the game, except for eating and drinking,” he added.
Having fans and cheerleaders is certain to provide a more lively atmosphere during the games, but traditional baseball rallying with trumpets, drums, whistles and musical instruments is still banned.
This week’s games only offer infield seating.
Today’s game hosted by the CTBC Brothers at Taichung is to allow up to 2,400 fans, while the game hosted by the Uni-President Lions in Tainan, which is a smaller stadium, is to allow up to 1,250 spectators, team officials said.
In Sunday’s contest, Wei Chuan Dragons rookie pitcher Hsu Jo-hsi (徐若熙) set a new CPBL record by striking out eight straight batters to start the game, and picked up his first win with 5-1 victory over Fubon Guardians at New Taipei’s Sinjhuang Stadium.
Hsu tossed five scoreless innings, finishing with 12 strikeouts, while yielding two hits and two walks in a gem, and with Japanese closer Junichi Tazawa came in the ninth inning to shut the door against the anemic-hitting Guardians.
CTBC Brothers are in first place in league standing prior to Monday’s contest, 2.5 games ahead of the Lions, and 4.5 games ahead of Rakuten Monkeys in third, with Fubon Guardians and Wei Chuan Dragons in fourth and fifth places respectively.
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had
RSS