While most of the world was under lockdown in 2020, Taiwan managed to hold a baseball game with a packed house of about 6,000 fans. The July 4 “America Day” Game honoured two former USA major league pitchers from Taiwan, one of whom was Hong Chih Kuo. Kuo was a relief pitcher for the LA Dodgers, remembered for hitting a home run in a 2007 game with the New York Mets, becoming the first Taiwanese player to hit a home run in the MLB.

Throughout his career, Kuo has been plagued with elbow problems and had to undergo eight surgeries, five on his left elbow and three on his left shoulder. After the Dodgers, he signed with several teams before pitching his last with the Fubon Guardians, whom he played for from 2017 to 2018 before retiring.

Kuo also promoted a Chinese translation of The Mental ABCs of Pitching, a book written by the late Harvey Dorfman, a sports psychologist who helped Kuo overcome his anxiety issues.