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Asia Pacific Modern
Colonial Project, National Game: A History of Baseball in Taiwan (Volume 6)
In this engrossing cultural history of baseball in Taiwan, Andrew D. Morris traces the game’s social, ethnic, political, and cultural significance since its introduction on the island more than one hundred years ago. Introduced by the Japanese colonial government at the turn of the century, baseball was expected to “civilize” and modernize Taiwan’s Han Chinese and Austronesian Aborigine populations. After World War II, the game was tolerated as a remnant of Japanese culture and then strategically employed by the ruling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Even as it was also enthroned by Taiwanese politicians, cultural producers, and citizens as their national game. In considering baseball’s cultural and historical implications, Morris deftly addresses a number of societal themes crucial to understanding modern Taiwan, the question of Chinese “reunification,” and East Asia as a whole.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 14, 2022
Look, an English-language history of baseball in Taiwan is pretty niche. So as a reader, you shouldn't be surprised that the text itself is niche. Some parts of this book will sail over the head of the general baseball fan because it's more concerned with applying theories of colonialism from the lens of the professional historical analyst than with who the best teams in Taiwan were in the 90's.
The book is often less about the "what" of baseball so much as the "why" of baseball. Why did this sport, of all sports, persist as the national game despite its origin as a game reluctantly made available to Taiwan by its colonial Japanese overlords? And why would this sport manifest so much of the ethnic disunity between the various groups that have called Taiwan home over the centuries?
If you're interested in investigating the big ideas of this topic from someone very concerned with ideas, you'll enjoy it. But you have to know what it is before you begin and read it for what it intends to be.
The book is often less about the "what" of baseball so much as the "why" of baseball. Why did this sport, of all sports, persist as the national game despite its origin as a game reluctantly made available to Taiwan by its colonial Japanese overlords? And why would this sport manifest so much of the ethnic disunity between the various groups that have called Taiwan home over the centuries?
If you're interested in investigating the big ideas of this topic from someone very concerned with ideas, you'll enjoy it. But you have to know what it is before you begin and read it for what it intends to be.
January 21, 2019
Not what I expected but very insightful and full of leads for further research. It was at times a bit too academic and a bit too political but as I read on I understood the logic of that. I live in Taiwan so I can confirm all the Chinese language and local reference is 100% correct.
March 2, 2019
Extremely well researched, the list of sources is massive. Lots of politics here, but that's a necessary component to any social history of modern Taiwan. Would love to read a post-script, nine years on (maybe he'll do one for the 10th year?).
August 9, 2020
I started this looking for an interesting overview of the history of baseball in Taiwan, but had to slog through a lot of bad prose, technical terminology, and over the top academic theorizing to get anything worthwhile.
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September 2, 2024Masterpiece. Properly contextualized and cased in theory, Morris weaves the history of Taiwan baseball into his central thesis of "glocalization" seamlessly. Each event has meaning. Contrast this with Malcolm Gladwell, who though a great writer, is rather contrived in bringing everything together.
There is virtually no description of baseball action, but the history is nonetheless engrossing and detailed. He's probably read more Chinese-language newspapers than my Dad, and that is what the latter does all day.
What is very pleasing is that Morris provides an extensive treatment of aboriginals and their contributions to Taiwanese baseball. According to what I hear from Taiwan, the event that ignited Taiwan's interest in baseball is when Maple Leaf elementary defeated the visiting Japanese team; Morris goes back further, to the Japanese/Han/Aboriginal tri-ethnic Kano team that were runners up in Japan's Koshien HS tournament, back when Taiwan was part of the Japanese empire.
Morris also filled in gaps in my baseball knowledge; for example, I didn't know that the Cincinnati Reds were chasing players in Taiwan since the early 80s.
What I wish for this book is for distinguishing the World Baseball Classic from other baseball tournaments (the WBC draws professionals from each club while the others are primarily amateurs). I also hope that he adds an updated version that covers the 2013 WBC, in which the game against Korea drew the most fans in Taiwan baseball history, and Manny Ramirez entry into the league.
There is virtually no description of baseball action, but the history is nonetheless engrossing and detailed. He's probably read more Chinese-language newspapers than my Dad, and that is what the latter does all day.
What is very pleasing is that Morris provides an extensive treatment of aboriginals and their contributions to Taiwanese baseball. According to what I hear from Taiwan, the event that ignited Taiwan's interest in baseball is when Maple Leaf elementary defeated the visiting Japanese team; Morris goes back further, to the Japanese/Han/Aboriginal tri-ethnic Kano team that were runners up in Japan's Koshien HS tournament, back when Taiwan was part of the Japanese empire.
Morris also filled in gaps in my baseball knowledge; for example, I didn't know that the Cincinnati Reds were chasing players in Taiwan since the early 80s.
What I wish for this book is for distinguishing the World Baseball Classic from other baseball tournaments (the WBC draws professionals from each club while the others are primarily amateurs). I also hope that he adds an updated version that covers the 2013 WBC, in which the game against Korea drew the most fans in Taiwan baseball history, and Manny Ramirez entry into the league.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews