Taiwanese Little League players experiencing American culture
Dec 11, 2016, 3:48 PM | Updated: 6:05 pm
CHANDLER — Baseball is considered America’s national pastime and yet the sport that is uniquely American is bridging two cultures.
As reported by the East Valley Tribune, a group of 24 little leaguers ranging in the ages of 10 and 11 have been spending some time with their Chandler National Little League counterparts as part of an exchange program.
The little leaguers from Taiwan are staying with families from the Chandler Little League and are expected to take trips to the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and Sedona. In addition to the road trips, the players are expected to take a tour of Chase Field and Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where the Arizona State University baseball team plays its home games.
The tour of Chase Field is especially special for the Taiwanese players as it’s been home to many players from Taiwan who have played Major League Baseball.
“They wanted to go to the Chase Field because there are quite a few famous Taiwanese baseball players,” Michelle Chang, the organizer and broker/owner of DA FA Realty and Investments LLC in Tempe told the East Valley Tribune.
Chandler vice Mayor Jack Seller said efforts are being made to have American children return to Taiwan as part of a Little League exchange program that will allow for future student exchanges and culture programs. However, in order to do this, funds will need to be raised and the sister cities partnership is currently seeking sponsorship opportunities.
“We’re contacting companies primarily here in Chandler,” Sellers told the East Valley Tribune. “What we’ve done is, for certain level of contribution, Chandler National Little League will hang the company’s banner on the fence during the regular season.”
