Professional sports have returned to action in Taiwan.
The Chinese Professional Baseball League, which consists of five teams in Taiwan, became the first baseball league in the world to play ball on Sunday.
Taiwan has been one of the most successful countries in combatting the pandemic, which has allowed normal life to resume, at least to some degree.
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Games are being played without fans in the stands, but that hasn’t stopped teams from trying to create a little bit of atmosphere. The Rakuten Monkeys have placed a collection of mannequins, cardboard cutouts, and noise-making robots at their home ballpark in Taoyuan City.
The results are impressive:
Nothing can stop Taiwanese cheering up for #BASEBALL#StayHome and watch #CPBL #OpeningDay #CTBros#RakutenMonkeys pic.twitter.com/yRbSXdeRvT
— CPBL 中華職棒 (@CPBL) April 11, 2020
This in not the ‘future’ we want….
Fake fans cardboard cutouts & mannequins placed in empty stadium as #Taiwan baseball season launches amid #CoronaVirus pandemic!
Will the players be motivated to perform in front of such a dubious ‘crowd’?? pic.twitter.com/Onq3Vesn8T
— hum_bolega (@hum_bolega) April 13, 2020
いつの日かコロナウイルスが終息し、Rakuten Monkeysファンの皆様が戻ってくる日まで、4月11日からの開幕から、ロボット応援団が無観客でプレイする選手の応援を支えます。#台湾 にも、#日本 にも、いつもの球場の賑わいに戻ることを願っております。#加油 #コロナに負けない pic.twitter.com/6ETHCzFAXC
— RakutenTodayJP (@RakutenTodayJP) April 9, 2020
Don’t cry. Sun will rise and we will try again.
Stay tuned tomorrow, there will be 2 games in Taoyuan and Taichung. Let’s GO #CPBL#OpeningDay #CTBros#Unilions#FubonGuardians#RakutenMonkeys pic.twitter.com/bP04adHkAZ— CPBL 中華職棒 (@CPBL) April 11, 2020
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While the Monkeys’ first game on Saturday was postponed due to rain, the Chinatrust Brothers Baseball Club was able to host the Uni Lions on Sunday. There didn’t appear to be any real or imagined fans in the stands, though multiple mascots and the “Passion Sisters” cheerleaders provided on-field atmosphere.
#StayHome and cheer for our beloved #Baseball.#PassionSisters with pregame performance!#ステイホーム をされている日本の野球ファンの皆さん
へ、中信兄弟のチアから元気をおすそわけ!To get an account and watch #TAIWAN baseball on #CPBLTV https://t.co/kUcyc6BvBJ#CTBros#Unilions pic.twitter.com/6PEbOFTSMe
— CPBL 中華職棒 (@CPBL) April 12, 2020
And then of course there were the games. Pitching, batting, fielding… live sports! Remember that?
Hasta la vista, baby!
Kao, Kuo-Hui shows how muscular he is 💪Get an account and watch #TAIWAN baseball on #CPBLTV ⚾️https://t.co/kUcyc6BvBJ⚾️#StayHome and watch #CPBL#CTBros#FubonGuardians pic.twitter.com/EF1nndnNZp
— CPBL 中華職棒 (@CPBL) April 14, 2020
Looks like Wang, Zheng-Tang has predicted the future!
Get an account and watch #TAIWAN baseball on #CPBLTV ⚾️https://t.co/MhisEW20dK⚾️#StayHome and watch #CPBL#CTBros#FubonGuardians pic.twitter.com/B8OAlUK9Ja
— CPBL 中華職棒 (@CPBL) April 14, 2020