Little League Baseball Museum Introduction
Hongye Village, named for the vibrant red maple leaves during autumn, is a typical Bunun indigenous village that retains its simple and primitive charm. Historically, it was a small community primarily focused on corn cultivation. Hongye Elementary School is the birthplace of the renowned Hongye Little League team, which played a significant role in promoting baseball in Taiwan and gained international recognition. The principal, Lin Zhupeng, noticed poor student attendance and realized that the energetic indigenous children loved outdoor activities and hunting, and were enthusiastic about baseball. This led him to establish a formal baseball team, thus beginning the legendary story of Hongye’s Little League. The glorious achievements and memories from those times are preserved in the Hongye Little League Memorial Hall located on the campus of Hongye Elementary School, where items used by the team, the history of little league heroes, precious photographs, and artifacts are displayed, vividly bringing back the heroic figure and glorious times of baseball. This memorial hall is a must-visit for those seeking to understand the history of baseball development in Taiwan. On the second floor of the hall, there is a Bunun Cultural Museum and an audiovisual room that connects Bunun culture with the Hongye Little League, helping visitors gain a deeper understanding of the role and status of indigenous people in Taiwan’s development. Due to the presence of the Hongye Little League, baseball has become one of the most representative sports in Taitung, with local teams often seen playing friendly matches at roadside fields. Players trained in schools frequently represent the country in international competitions, and there are even professional baseball teams that use Taitung as a training location, ensuring that the spirit of baseball remains vibrant over time.
