PHOTO ESSAY/All-time CPBL home run leader Ngayaw‧Ake' ends career with 305th homer
Taipei, Sept. 7 (CNA) Wei Chuan Dragons slugger Ngayaw‧Ake' (林智勝), the all-time home run leader in Taiwan's professional baseball, ended his 22-season career Sunday with his 305th homer.
The 43-year-old veteran connected in the bottom of the sixth inning at the Taipei Dome, belting his first and only home run of the season to give his team an 11-0 lead over the TSG Hawks. The Dragons went on to win 11-1 after the Hawks made its only run in the top of the eighth.
Ngayaw‧Ake' had held the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) record since his 290th home run in 2022, surpassing Chang Tai-shan (張泰山). Every homer since then extended both his own and the league's record.
Since debuting on June 3, 2004, Ngayaw‧Ake' has ranked among the CPBL's top five in numerous offensive categories, cementing his legacy as one of the league's greatest hitters.
To honor his retirement, the Dragons invited pop singer Jam Hsiao (蕭敬騰) to perform after Friday's game, Mandopop superstar A-Mei (張惠妹) at Saturday's and Taiwanese singer and actor Richie Jen (任賢齊) at Sunday's finale.
The team described the collaboration with A-Mei as not only a meeting of sports and entertainment but also a celebration of philanthropy between two Indigenous icons.
Ngayaw‧Ake' has long supported youth baseball in rural Indigenous communities through the Taiwan Indigenous Baseball Development Association (TIBDA).
A-Mei has also backed the cause, donating 1,000 gloves annually since 2020 for the TIBDA's Care Cup tournament.
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