-----Original Message----- From: h hong [mailto:howardjhong@…] Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 12:23 AM To: TsuAnn Kuo; Frank Shen; Jemeng So; Pacific Times; Julie Wong; Tom Wu; Melody Lin; Simon Lin; Rob Liu; Rick Hsu; Yi-Miao Huang; Jen Kuo; Peter Chang; Simon Cheng; Ted Cheng; Jackie Chiang Subject: TsuAnn quoted on AP WIRE :)

in case some of u didn't see it, TsuAnn (who has
tirelessly helped mobilize the Taiwan community to get
them out for Dodger games) was quoted in a wire story:

<http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news/ap/20020916/ap-dodgers-chen.html>

(note: at the end of the story, it says we were gonna
paint our bodies, in the end, we came with spray
painted T-shirts and Elbert & Rob Liu snuck two signs
that hanged it for about 5 minutes...one that read
"Free Taiwan", another read "Chen"...good job guys!!!)

Dodgers introduce major leagues' first Taiwan-born
player 
By SANDRA MARQUEZ
Associated Press Writer 
September 16, 2002 


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Dodgers introduced major
league baseball's first Taiwan-born player to fans
Monday, two days after Chin-Feng Chen made his debut
in a Los Angeles uniform. 

Chen, who walked as a pinch-hitter and scored a run
Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, dismissed the
sensitive question of whether he considers himself
Taiwanese or Chinese. 

``I don't think this is for me to answer,'' he said
through a translator. ``I don't really care. Baseball
is a great sport no matter where you come from, no
matter where you are, so why not have fun?'' 

Chen's parents, a representative of Taiwan's
government and team executives were at Dodger Stadium.
Congratulatory letters from Taiwan's president and
vice president were read. 

Dodgers general manager Dan Evans said the
significance of Chen's accomplishment was apparent as
soon as he got into the game against the Rockies. 

``What we are celebrating is something that occurs
once in a lifetime. At Coors Field, when I saw No. 52
come up, I realized we were not only making baseball
history, we were making international history,'' Evans
said. 

Chen's achievement has provided Taiwan-born fans
something to cheer about in an era in which the
country struggles for international recognition.
Beijing insists that the self-ruled, democratic island
is part of China. 

Chen signed with the Dodgers in 1999, becoming the
first Taiwan-born player to sign a contract with a big
league team. 

His debut is the latest in a series of international
firsts for the Dodgers, who signed major league
baseball's first Australian player, Craig Shipley, and
the first Korean-born player, Chan Ho Park. 

Chen is still adjusting to life in the United States. 

``The language -- but I am starting to learn English a
little bit -- and an adjustment to American food, but
it is coming along fine,'' he said. 

The 24-year-old first baseman-outfielder was a member
of the 1990 Taiwan team that won the Little League
World Series. He was promoted last week from Triple-A
Las Vegas, where he batted .284 this season and led
the team with 26 homers and 84 RBIs. 

``I'm very happy and honored to be standing here,''
Chen said. ``The first time I was here was as a little
kid playing in the World Series in Williamsport (Pa.).
I never thought about being in the major leagues. I
will do the best I can to help the team win.'' 

In a show of support for Chen, community leaders
pledged to have at least 100 Taiwanese-Americans
attend Monday night's game against the San Francisco
Giants -- and every other home game until the end of
the season. 

``It's sort of like a tribute to him,'' said Tsuann
Kuo, president of the Taiwanese United Fund, which
raises money for cultural exchange programs. 

She said excitement first swelled among the U.S.
born-children of Taiwanese immigrants -- and soon
spread to their parents who recognize baseball has
become a popular sport back in their homeland. 

``Our second generation are just crazy about this.
They are the ones e-mailing everyone and making
signs,'' Kuo said. ``But the Dodgers don't allow
signs, so they are doing it the American way, painting
their bodies.'' 



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* Li chu-chheh e e-mail khau-cho si: "Simon Cheng" .
* Beh kia phoe ho' tak-ke tioh iong chit-e khau-cho chiah kia-e-kau.
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