2025新北富邦國際城市棒球邀請賽】棒球無國界：維多利亞隊首度訪台參賽，攜手深化技術與文化交流 Team Victoria’s First Tournament in Taiwan, Bridging Excellence and Culture 【

【創新聞 記者郭晉嘉/新莊報導】12月中的台灣，恰巧陽光，新北市新莊棒球場上汗水與笑聲交織。第八屆「新北富邦國際城市棒球邀請賽」正如火如荼展開，而今年最令人矚目的亮點，莫過於來自澳洲維多利亞州的代表隊，首度踏上台灣土地的「維多利亞隊」。這支由南半球熱情與堅毅淬鍊而成的球隊，不僅是賽事歷年來首支來自澳洲維多利亞州的參賽隊伍，更以純粹的熱愛與真誠，為這場跨越赤道的棒球對話，寫下溫暖序章。

【Kevin Kuo, PRONEWS | New Taipei City】 In mid-December, Taiwan is bathed in gentle sunshine. At New Taipei City’s Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium, sweat and laughter intertwine on the field. The 8th New Taipei Fubon International Cities U18 Baseball Invitational Tournament is in full swing, and this year’s most eye-catching highlight is undoubtedly the Victoria Team from Australia, making its first-ever appearance in Taiwan. Forged by the passion and resilience of the Southern Hemisphere, the Victoria Team is not only the first representative side from the Australian state of Victoria to participate in the tournament but also a team that brings pure love for the game and heartfelt sincerity.

Team Photo at XinZhuang Baseball Stadium

維多利亞隊並非校區聯隊，而是由墨爾本及周邊地區十餘個社區棒球社團共同推舉、歷經六週密集篩選與合訓，從逾五十位熱血球員中精選出的十七人代表團。他們均是高中學生，熱愛棒球的他們共享同一顆為棒球跳動的心。對他們多數人而言，這趟旅程是人生首次出國；對整支隊伍而言，這不僅是比賽，更是一場文化啟程。

Unlike Taiwan and other strong baseball nations in Asia. The Baseball Victoria Team is not a school-based composite squad. Instead, it was formed through nominations from more than a dozen community baseball clubs across Melbourne and its surrounding regions. Following 6 weeks of intensive trials and combined training, 17 players were selected from a pool of over 50 passionate athletes. All team members are high school students, united by a shared love for baseball and a single heart that beats for the game. For most of them, this journey marks their first time traveling abroad. For the team as a whole, it is more than a competition—it is the beginning of a cultural voyage.

Program of the 2025 New Taipei Fubon International U18 Baseball Invitational Tournament

總教練David Hargreaves站在新莊棒球場的藍天下，語氣沉穩而溫暖：「我們不是帶著『贏』的壓力來，而是帶著『學習』與『分享』的誠意來。」他指著球員們胸前繡著的維多利亞州旗與台灣小熊玩偶聯名徽章笑道：「這些徽章，是出發前孩子們一起設計的。並說著不是誰屬於哪一方，而是『我們正在同一片陽光下揮棒』。」

Head Coach David Hargreaves spoke with calm warmth: “We didn’t come here carrying the pressure to WIN. We came with a genuine desire to LEARN and to SHARE.” Pointing to the badges embroidered on the players’ chests—featuring the Victorian state flag alongside a Taiwanese bear mascot—he smiled and added, “The players designed these together before we departed. They’re not about who belongs to which side, but about swinging the bat together under the same sunlight.

Head Coach David Hargreaves spoke with calm warmth: “We didn’t come here carrying the pressure to WIN. We came with a genuine desire to LEARN and to SHARE.”

主辦單位精心規劃一系列文化參訪行程，豐富來訪選手的在臺體驗。來自澳洲的維多利亞隊球員參與了傳統糕點 DIY 體驗活動，親手製作綠豆糕與大福，並走訪古色古香的林家花園，感受歷史人文之美。行程亦安排觀賞中正紀念堂莊嚴肅穆的衛兵交接儀式，隨後參訪臺北 101 及現代化的臺北大巨蛋。透過此一行程，選手們得以沉浸體驗北臺灣所展現的傳統與現代交織、充滿活力的新舊融合風貌。

The organizers curated a cultural excursion to enrich the visiting athletes’ experience. Victorian players from Australia participated in a DIY traditional pastry workshop (mung bean cakes and daifuku) and explored the classical Lin Family Mansion and Garden. Their journey continued with the stately changing of the guard at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, followed by visits to the iconic Taipei 101 and the state-of-the-art Taipei Dome. This itinerary allowed the players to immerse themselves in the vibrant fusion of old and new that defines Northern Taiwan.

棒球無國界，不在於球速多快、全壘打多遠，而在於投手與捕手間一個信任的暗號，跨語種的擊掌，是賽後彼此交換球衣時，袖口手寫的姓名與家鄉郵遞區號。維多利亞隊或許不會帶走冠軍獎盃，但他們帶走了台灣孩子畫在紀念球上的彩虹與加油語；台灣球員也從他們身上，看見另一種對運動的虔誠，不為職業，不為名利，只為每顆球飛出時，那瞬間的自由與共感，當微微的風吹過新莊球場，這些小選手更明白：所謂國際賽，不只是競技的舞台，更是國際城市間的交流，他們將寫下的、最輕盈也最堅實國際友誼。

Baseball knows borderless sport. It is not defined by how fast a pitch is thrown or how far a home run travels, but by a silent sign of trust between pitcher and catcher; by a high-five that body language.The Victoria team may not return home with the championship trophy, but they carry with them rainbows and words of encouragement drawn by Taiwanese children on commemorative baseballs. Taiwanese players, in turn, see in them another kind of devotion to sport—one not driven by professionalism, fame, or profit, but by the fleeting freedom and shared emotion felt each time the ball leaves the hand.As a gentle breeze passes through Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium, these young players come to understand more clearly that an international tournament is not merely a stage for competition, but a bridge between cities across borders—upon which they write the lightest, yet strongest, form of international friendship.