Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team pose for photos with the Philippine team after their game at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
by Xinhua writers Yan Jie, Liu Kai
MANILA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- In a baseball ground in Alabang, south of the Philippines' capital Manila, Shiyi Niubu and his teammates swung their baseball bats as they advanced to the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals on Friday.
Coming from southwest China's Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, the 11-year-old yearns to tough his difficult life situation out by playing baseball.
As a Liangshan Power Angel baseball team member, Shiyi Niubu embarked on baseball almost four years ago in Beijing with the help of a charity project which was founded in 2015.
"It is really fun to play baseball, and more importantly, it opens another door for my life, making me believe that everything is bound to get better," he said.
For Sun Lingfeng, former captain of the Chinese national baseball team and founder of the "Power Angel" project, baseball is a highly inclusive sports activity that attaches much importance to teamwork spirit. "Players in different positions can perform their duties respectively and enjoy themselves according to their physical and technical characteristics," he said.
In a sense, it is through playing baseball that more than 90 children in the baseball training base under the "Power Angel" project are empowered to find a "second home", both physically and spiritually, by running back to the home plate to score again and again, learning to be good men and finding back long-lost dignity, sense of security, love and happiness.
Ma Hu, a teenager from northwest China's Xihaigu, echoed Shiyi Niubu's statement. Almost six years into the sports activity in Beijing, Ma had a great passion for baseball. When the opportunity of leading Shiyi Niubu's team to compete abroad fell on him, he could not hold back his excitement.
"Since I'm now both a player and an assistant coach, I shoulder heavy responsibility. I really hope they advance to the final and even win the championship," said Ma.
Indeed, Ma changed a lot from six years ago, when he starred in the documentary "Tough Out," which tells a life-changing story about baseball.
"Baseball, my teammates, coaches, and teachers in the training base broadened my vision and changed my life," he said.
Ma is now an amateur actor attempting to explore the dimension of his young life. He believes he is also talented to be a professional actor based on his unparalleled enthusiasm and unique life experiences.
"As baseball game situation changes all the time on the ground, I hope my life will be full of possibilities too," he said. ■
Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team cheer before a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team competes during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team is seen before a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team is seen during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team cheer after winning a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team competes during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team competes during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team competes during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team line up to shake hands with their opponents after winning a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team shake hands with the Philippine team after their game at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team competes during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team cheer after winning a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Sun Lingfeng (1st R), former captain of the Chinese National Baseball Team and founder of the "Power Angel" project, gives instructions to members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team before a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
A member of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team competes during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team warm up before a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
Members of the Liangshan Power Angel baseball team are seen inside their dugout during a game against the Philippine team at the 2023 PONY Asia-Pacific Zone Bronco League Championships' U12 quarterfinals in Muntinlupa City, the Philippines, June 9, 2023. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)
