Wu Chih-Hsiang shows his baseball spirit, throws first pitch at MLB Giants Taiwan Day
Wu Chih-Hsiang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, threw the first pitch at MLB Giants Taiwan Day, becoming the first Taiwanese diplomat to do so. A lifelong baseball fan, he joked about practicing in his dreams to ensure a perfect pitch.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 16:26
- 🔍 Collected: May 5, 2026 at 16:31 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 5, 2026 at 16:54 (22 min after Collected)
CENTRAL NEWS
(San Francisco, May 4, CNA Reporter Chang Hsin-Yu) The MLB Giants celebrated Taiwan Day today, with Wu Chih-Hsiang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, throwing the first pitch. He became the first Taiwanese diplomat to stand on the pitcher's mound at the Giants' home stadium. A former third baseman for his university team, he showcased his baseball spirit, jokingly saying he even practiced in his dreams. Today, a perfect pitch landed in the catcher's mitt, marking the start of the game.
Today, as the Giants hosted the Padres, Wu Chih-Hsiang appeared wearing a 'number 5' jersey, symbolizing his surname 'Wu.' Before the official first pitch, he and a Formosan black bear mascot were featured on the stadium's large screen, waving to the crowd, and their charming appearance earned a resounding applause.
The announcer formally introduced Wu Chih-Hsiang as the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, while also inviting everyone present to pay tribute to Taiwanese culture.
Before the game, Wu Chih-Hsiang warmed up and practiced pitching with Giants team staff, displaying a fluid pitching motion. In an interview, he spoke about his long-standing connection with baseball, stating that he has loved watching baseball since childhood, played baseball during his student days, and even joined the baseball team in the Department of Diplomacy at National Chengchi University. He is a seasoned baseball fan and expressed his great joy that today was the closest he had ever been to the Major Leagues, fulfilling his baseball dream.
Despite his baseball background, he joked, 'I even practice in my dreams.' He humorously added that the opportunity to throw the first pitch comes only once, and if he were to accidentally 'dig a hole' (throw a bad pitch), no diplomatic rhetoric could save the situation.
Wu Chih-Hsiang arrived in San Francisco last September and has been dedicated to connecting the Taiwanese-American community with the younger generation. Many Taiwanese community leaders and fans, young and old, were present at the stadium today, waving the Taiwanese flag and shouting 'Go Taiwan!' Wu Chih-Hsiang stated that in addition to close cooperation in technology between Taiwan and San Francisco/Silicon Valley, the two places also share a deeper connection through the sport of baseball.
Inside the stadium, the circular LED display flashed 'Welcome to Taiwan Day' at intervals. This event was jointly organized by the Tourism Administration, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, EVA Air, and the Giants baseball club, and featured a performance by the 'Third Prince' (San Tai Zi) drum troupe.
Outside the stadium, the Tourism Administration and EVA Air set up booths, attracting many foreign fans to learn about Taiwan. Li Si-Hsien, Director of the Tourism Administration's San Francisco Office, emphasized that Taiwan Day allows Taiwanese culture and tourism resources to be seen in the mainstream American market.
Regarding President Lai Ching-Te's recent visit to Eswatini, Wu Chih-Hsiang was interviewed outside the stadium and stated that although previous visits were not always smooth, President Lai used a creative approach to successfully visit an African diplomatic ally, demonstrating that 'we will definitely be able to go out and receive support from many good friends around the world.' (Editor: Chou Yung-Chieh) 1150505
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(San Francisco, May 4, CNA Reporter Chang Hsin-Yu) The MLB Giants celebrated Taiwan Day today, with Wu Chih-Hsiang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, throwing the first pitch. He became the first Taiwanese diplomat to stand on the pitcher's mound at the Giants' home stadium. A former third baseman for his university team, he showcased his baseball spirit, jokingly saying he even practiced in his dreams. Today, a perfect pitch landed in the catcher's mitt, marking the start of the game.
Today, as the Giants hosted the Padres, Wu Chih-Hsiang appeared wearing a 'number 5' jersey, symbolizing his surname 'Wu.' Before the official first pitch, he and a Formosan black bear mascot were featured on the stadium's large screen, waving to the crowd, and their charming appearance earned a resounding applause.
The announcer formally introduced Wu Chih-Hsiang as the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, while also inviting everyone present to pay tribute to Taiwanese culture.
Before the game, Wu Chih-Hsiang warmed up and practiced pitching with Giants team staff, displaying a fluid pitching motion. In an interview, he spoke about his long-standing connection with baseball, stating that he has loved watching baseball since childhood, played baseball during his student days, and even joined the baseball team in the Department of Diplomacy at National Chengchi University. He is a seasoned baseball fan and expressed his great joy that today was the closest he had ever been to the Major Leagues, fulfilling his baseball dream.
Despite his baseball background, he joked, 'I even practice in my dreams.' He humorously added that the opportunity to throw the first pitch comes only once, and if he were to accidentally 'dig a hole' (throw a bad pitch), no diplomatic rhetoric could save the situation.
Wu Chih-Hsiang arrived in San Francisco last September and has been dedicated to connecting the Taiwanese-American community with the younger generation. Many Taiwanese community leaders and fans, young and old, were present at the stadium today, waving the Taiwanese flag and shouting 'Go Taiwan!' Wu Chih-Hsiang stated that in addition to close cooperation in technology between Taiwan and San Francisco/Silicon Valley, the two places also share a deeper connection through the sport of baseball.
Inside the stadium, the circular LED display flashed 'Welcome to Taiwan Day' at intervals. This event was jointly organized by the Tourism Administration, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco, EVA Air, and the Giants baseball club, and featured a performance by the 'Third Prince' (San Tai Zi) drum troupe.
Outside the stadium, the Tourism Administration and EVA Air set up booths, attracting many foreign fans to learn about Taiwan. Li Si-Hsien, Director of the Tourism Administration's San Francisco Office, emphasized that Taiwan Day allows Taiwanese culture and tourism resources to be seen in the mainstream American market.
Regarding President Lai Ching-Te's recent visit to Eswatini, Wu Chih-Hsiang was interviewed outside the stadium and stated that although previous visits were not always smooth, President Lai used a creative approach to successfully visit an African diplomatic ally, demonstrating that 'we will definitely be able to go out and receive support from many good friends around the world.' (Editor: Chou Yung-Chieh) 1150505
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is the power to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's 'Firsthand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.