Tai-Chuan Chiang

Tai-Chuan Chiang (江泰權)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 179 lb.

• School Fu Jen Catholic University
• High School Yeang-Der Senior High School

• Born October 26, 1960 in Chiayi County Taiwan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Tai-Chuan Chiang played in the Olympics three times and spent over a decade with the Taiwan national team. He had a short professional career that was derailed by scandal, then became a coach in China.

Chiang played for Taiwan in the 1982 Amateur World Series and 1984 Olympics. In the 1984 Amateur World Series, he batted .304/.306/.522 as a LF-DH. Taiwan won a Silver Medal, its first Medal ever in an Amateur World Series. Chiang was in the 1985 Asian Championship (tied for second), 1985 Intercontinental Cup, 1986 Amateur World Series (Taiwan won a Bronze that year) and 1987 Asian Championship (Gold).

In the 1987 Intercontinental Cup, the 26-year-old was named an All-Star outfielder alongside Chu-Ming Lee and Luis Casanova. In the 1988 Baseball World Cup, Tai-Chuan batted .304/.381/.429 with 7 doubles and 16 runs in 13 games to help his team win a Bronze. In the 2-0 win over Japan in the Bronze Medal game, he was 1 for 4 from the leadoff spot and was caught stealing. He remained with Taiwan for the 1988 Olympics, 1989 Intercontinental Cup, 1989 Asian Championship and 1990 Goodwill Games.

Chiang batted .450/.542/.550 as Taiwan's left fielder in the 1990 Baseball World Cup. He also played in the 1990 Asian Games and 1991 Asian Championship. In the 1992 Olympics, he capped his long amateur career by batting .310/.474/.448 with 8 walks and 11 runs in 9 games; he had two game-winning RBI. In the Gold Medal game loss to Cuba, he was 0 for 4 from the #3 slot and ground into a double play; he also made an error in left in a rocky outing.

The Chiayi native turned pro in 1993 with the Uni-President Lions, hitting .313/.373/.389 with 20 steals. He also attended the 1993 CPBL All-Star Game, and he was 1-for-3 with a RBI. In the 1993 Taiwan Series, he was 3-for-15 and the Lions were beaten by the Brother Elephants in 6 games. Chiang faded quickly, batting .24/.310/.284 in 1994, .259/.327/.306 in 1995 and .285/.338/.372 in 1996. He was 1-for-2 in the 1996 Taiwan Series, and he won his first Taiwan Series title as thw Lions beat the Wei Chuan Dragons in 6 games. Chiang then was suspended from CPBL play due to his involvement in a large gambling scandal, one of several to rock the league in its first two decades.

His career in Taiwan ruined, Chiang went (as did some other scandal-ridden Taiwanese players) to China. He became a coach with the Tianjin Lions when the China Baseball League was formed and maintained that role until 2021. He managed China in the 2002 Intercontinental Cup and coached for China in the 2009 Asian Championship.

Overall, Chiang hit .278/.340/.343 with 304 hits and 5 homers in 4 seasons in the CPBL.

Sources

• Chinese Wiki Baseball
• CPBL.com Bio
• Defunct IBAF site