COLUMN 07 · BASEBALL AND LIFE · 2026.08.16
Not every play in life succeedsbut every step can be chosen again
Invited to Penghu Family Center’s 55th anniversary gathering, Hsu Feng-Pin used failure, fear, decision-making and teamwork on the baseball field to explore how we face choices in life.
On August 16, BRPA Chairman Hsu Feng-Pin crossed the sea to Penghu for the Family Center’s 55th anniversary gathering, “With You, Love Without End.” We thank Director Huang for making the invitation possible. A connection first formed in Tainan gave the Association a chance to bring lessons from baseball to more young people and those who support them.
The talk did not treat a professional career as the end of the story. Instead, it returned to the real moments of taking the field, breaking from a base and being tagged out. Through “Life Through Baseball and Baserunning,” Hsu translated failure, fear, choice and cooperation into a language everyone could understand.
Baseball never promises that every swing will succeed. It reminds us that there is always time to prepare for the next choice.— Hsu Feng-Pin, BRPA Chairman
01 / THE GAME OF FAILURE
A game built on failureteaches us how to stay in it
Baseball is honest about failure. A hitter who can sustain a .300 average is already highly valued, which means most plate appearances still do not become hits. A steal can be caught, a read can come one step late and even a familiar movement can break down under pressure.
Growth does not erase failure from the record. It means returning to the box or taking a lead with a better rhythm—reading the pitcher, checking the defense, understanding the situation and accepting responsibility for the next step. Life works the same way: missing one base does not mean the game is over.
02 / READING THE FIELD
Baserunning is more than speedit is judgment in a changing field
Once a runner leaves the base, they must read the ball, defensive positions, the throw, the distance and a coach’s signal at the same time. Speed matters, but speed without judgment can turn an opportunity into an out. Advancing, holding or returning are all responsible choices.
This is the ability BRPA works to give young players: not only remembering how to move, but understanding why. When children can read their environment, assess risk and make a decision, baserunning becomes more than technique. It becomes an education in thinking.
03 / HOME PLATE
Home plate is the beginningand the place every run hopes to reach
A baseball run begins at home plate, travels through first, second and third, and scores only by returning home. For BRPA, home plate carries a meaning close to family: it is not where we remain forever, but the place that lets us travel farther because we know we can return and begin again.
Penghu Family Center has supported children and families across the islands for 55 years. At the event, the organization reflected on more than 2,600 young people who have moved toward independence, while more than 500 children continue to receive support today. Behind those figures is a long relay among public agencies, community partners, schools, families and frontline workers.
Support does not prevent every out. It helps a child see the next base when they fall, feel afraid or lose direction. With that security, they gain the courage to leave where they are and enter the real game.
04 / FEAR AND TEAM
Fear is not a signal to leavea team gives the next step direction
Fear of striking out, being tagged or letting teammates down is familiar to many players. Courage is not the absence of fear. It is preparing, trusting the work and stepping onto the field when your turn arrives even while fear remains.
Baseball is never a solo run. A batter puts the ball in play, a base coach gives the sign and a teammate creates space with an advance. Every run is built on trust. Important choices in life work the same way: guidance, support and companionship can turn fear into a direction forward.
This journey across the sea was another way for BRPA to carry baserunning education beyond the field. We thank Penghu Family Center for the invitation and celebrate 55 years of care that continue to help young people find their own rhythm.
May every child begin from a place that holds them, understand their own rhythm and run bravely toward the next base.