Asia-Pacific News

Taiwan vows to revive baseball after loss at World Baseball classic

Mar 9, 2009, 14:28 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan on Monday vowed to revive baseball following humiliating defeats by South Korea and China in the first round of the second World Baseball Classic. Premier Liu Chao-shiuan has called for a report from Sports Minister Tai Hsiang-ling on Taiwan's 9-0 defeat to South Korea Friday and the 4-1 loss to China Saturday. As a result of the defeats Taiwan failed to advance to the second round of the 16-nation tournament. 'Premier Liu summoned Tai to make a report to him about Taiwan's loss to China at the World Classic Monday noon, and ordered her to take steps to rebuilt Taiwan's baseball within the shortest time,' government spokesman Su Jun-pin said. The steps may including launching a secondary professional league, and encouraging local governments, enterprise and the military to set up amateur baseball teams. 'Premier Liu said that he could not accept that Taiwan lost to China,' Su said. The defeat was doubly humiliating for Taiwan because it was the second time Taiwan has been defeated by China since the August 2008, when China beat Taiwan 8-7 at the Beijing Olympics. In parliament on Monday, several lawmakers blasted the sports ministry for Taiwan's defeats and urged the ministry to set up a task force and to hire foreign coaches to revive baseball, Taiwan's national sport.

Asia-Pacific News

Taiwan vows to revive baseball after loss at World Baseball classic

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