Taiwan-US astronaut throws 1st pitch

TIGHT TIES: Throwing the opening pitch for the Nats game is the latest in a series of efforts by the Taiwanese-American astronaut to celebrate Taiwan and the US

• Staff writer, with CNA, WASHINGTON

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Taiwan-born astronaut Kjell Lindgren threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals’ Taiwan Heritage Day at Nationals Park on Saturday before the game against the Miami Marlins.

Speaking before the Nationals’ second Taiwanese Heritage Day, Lindgren said throwing the first pitch was “right up there in terms of anxiety-provoking” with some of his past accomplishments, including two rocket launches, two atmospheric reentries and two spacewalks.

“But I’m really excited to be a part of this celebration of Taiwan heritage,” he said, adding that it was “an opportunity to really celebrate the relationship, the partnership, the history between the United States and Taiwan.”

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren and the Nats mascot take a photo at Nats park on Saturday as the Taiwanese-American threw out the first pitch.

Photo: CNA

Lindgren said he was “very excited” about future opportunities for Taiwan and the US to partner as they move forward with spacefaring efforts to explore the moon and beyond.

The astronaut was chosen for his accomplishments and his ties to the US and Taiwan through his multicultural heritage, organizer Millennial Global Youth (MGY) Foundation said earlier this month.

Lindgren, whose Chinese name is Lin Chi-erh (林琪兒), was born in Taipei to a Taiwanese mother and an American father stationed in Taipei with the US Air Force.

Representative to the US Alexander Yui, third left, and Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Hsu Chia-ching, fourth left, pose for a photograph holding the Republic of China flag at the Washington Nationals’ Taiwan Heritage Day at Nationals Park in Washington on Saturday.

Photo: CNA

Saturday’s event featured several booths around Nationals Park promoting Taiwanese culture, as well as a performance of the US national anthem by Taiwanese American singer-songwriter Vienna Teng (史逸欣) and a performance by Formosan Groove, a musical fusion project incorporating Taiwanese and American elements.

Participants could enter a raffle to win a round-trip flight between Washington and Taiwan from EVA Air, according to the MGY Foundation.

About 700 tickets were sold for the event, organizers said.

Saturday was the third time Lindgren has thrown a ceremonial first pitch at a Taiwan-related professional baseball event.

In April, he threw the first pitch at a game between the Rakuten Monkeys and Wei Chuan Dragons at Rakuten Taoyuan Baseball Stadium in Taiwan. Last month, he joined CPBL Commissioner Tsai Chi-chang to throw the first pitch at the New York Mets’ Taiwan Heritage Day.

The MGY Foundation is a group composed mainly of second-generation Taiwanese-Americans that promotes Taiwanese culture, multicultural diversity and community ties.