Red Leaf Little League Memorial Museum Introduction
Hongye Village, named for its autumn maple leaves, is a typical Bunun tribe settlement that retains its simple and primitive appearance. In the past, it was a small community mainly focused on corn cultivation. Hongye Elementary School is the birthplace of the renowned Hongye Little League team, which has played a significant role in the development of baseball in Taiwan and has gained international recognition. The principal at that time, Lin Zhupeng, noticed that the energetic Indigenous children enjoyed outdoor activities and hunting but had low attendance rates. He discovered their passion for baseball and was inspired to form a formal baseball team, thus beginning the Little League legend of Hongye. The glorious achievements and memories of that time are preserved in the Hongye Little League Memorial Hall located on the campus of Hongye Elementary School, which displays equipment used by the team, a history of Little League heroes, rare photos, artifacts, and more, recreating the impressive figures and glorious times of the baseball heroes of the past, making it a must-visit site for those tracing the history of baseball development in Taiwan. The second floor of the hall features a Bunun Cultural Museum and an audiovisual room, linking Bunun culture with the Hongye Little League team, contributing to a deeper understanding of the role and status of Indigenous people in Taiwan's developmental process. Due to the Hongye Little League team, baseball is one of the most representative sports in Taitung, where local teams often hold friendly matches on roadside fields. Players nurtured by various schools frequently represent the country in international competitions, and even professional baseball teams use Taitung as a training base, ensuring that the enthusiasm for baseball continues to thrive.
