美東台灣同鄉壘球賽-彭明敏杯

US East Coast Taiwanese Softball Tournament—The Peng Ming-Men Cup

大部份來美國的留學生，在台灣不一定都打過硬式棒球，能成為學校棒球校隊隊員的更少，但是打壘球則比較容易普遍。棒球是美國的National Sport，在同鄉會或同學會的野外聚餐，壘球也漸漸成為不可缺少的活動項目，大人小孩都會上場一試。從1970年代開始，一些同鄉會和同學會紛紛正式組隊，並相邀舉行友誼賽。

「東北區台灣同鄉壘球賽」創辦於 1972年，參加的球隊主要是來自紐約上州幾個的地區：奧本尼, 水牛城，綺色佳，京斯敦，羅徹斯特 , 雪城，和多倫多 (加拿大)。幾年後與「美東台灣同鄉壘球賽」合併, 加參比賽的地區擴大到波士頓，哈特福特 (康州)，紐約市，南北新澤西，和渥太華 (加拿大)。1982-1987年全勝時期，一共有十二隊報名參加。此項壘球賽最後一場比賽是1992年。

連續兩天的比賽，都是選擇七月的一個週末，地點由幾個不同地區的同鄉會輪流做東。1980年後，因為奧本尼地點適中，紐約州立大學校園又有足夠的球場，球賽大部分都由奧本尼同鄉會主辦接待，善盡地主之宜。奧本尼同鄉會元老陳仲欽，波士頓的黃賢理，羅徹斯特的許根旺，多倫多的辦接待。奧本尼同鄉會元老陳仲欽，波士頓的黃賢理，羅徹斯特的許根旺，多倫多的黃大屯等人都是美東壘球賽的熱心推手。遠道而來的多倫多同鄉會，由總領隊黃大屯每年率領老，中，青少三隊，開車八，九小時趕來參加比賽，精神可嘉。

比賽依報名隊數，抽籤分成三或四組，採用旋環雙淘汰賽，第一天中午起舉行初賽，隔日整天舉行複賽和決賽。為期兩天的比賽，在各自拉拉隊的嘶喊鼓舞下，各隊大展身手，拚輸贏。但首日比賽結束後，大家聚集一齊晚餐，舉行聯誼晚會，由各隊提供表演餘興節目，有唱有跳，大家輕鬆歡笑，會場充滿海外鄉親，新朋舊識相逢喜樂的氣氛。

1984年經領隊會議通過決議，將總冠軍杯定名為「彭明敏杯」，以表揚彭明敏博士對推動台灣民主獨立運動的貢獻，並取得彭先生的同意。翌年又加添「陳文成杯」，獎賞給青少年組的優勝隊。 1986年七月彭明敏博士由華府前來奧本尼看球賽，親自頒獎。

U.S. East Coast Taiwanese Softball Tournament—The Peng Ming-Men Cup

Baseball is America’s “National Sport”. Starting in the 1970s, softball game, which is much easier to play, become a popular recreational activity of summer outdoor parties of Taiwanese American communities and Taiwanese Student Associations

“The Northeast Region Taiwanese Softball Tournament” was formed in 1972. The participating communities included Albany, Bufferlo, Ithaca, Kinston, Rochester, Syracuse. and Toronto. A few years later, it was expanded to become the “East Coast Taiwanese Softball Tournament”. Participants added the teams from Boston, Hartford, New York City, North New Jersey, South New Jersey, and Ottawa. Toronto usually sent three teams. Up to 12 teams participated during the the 1980-1987 hey-day of the Tournament ended in 1991.

The two-day annual tournaments were played on the July weekends and hosted by different communities among the participants. Later, The TAA of New York Capital District was selected to host the tournament for many years because of it’s central location and availability of multiple softball fields in the Albany campus of the State University of New York. Several local Taiwanese community leaders, including Mr. Chungchin Chen (陳仲欽) of Albany, Mr. Henry Huang (黃賢理) of Boston, Dr. Kenneth Hsu (許根旺) of Rochester, and Mr. Ta-Tung Huang (黃大屯) of Toronto, and a few others were all contributors to the tournament success.

Competition was quite intense and fanned by each team’s cheerleaders on the field sides. But all would become friends during the after-game dinners. Entertainment at the evening parties was provided by each team.

In 1984, the tournament was named “The Peng Ming-Men Cup” to honor of Dr. Peng’s contributions to the Taiwan’s independent movement. A “Chen Wen-Chen Cup” was created the following year for the youth division winner of the tournament. Dr. Peng came to Albany in July 1986 to watch the games and personally presented the champion cup to the top winner.