But if we tried to do this in Taiwan, it would be a big problem. Chen believes nearly all of Taiwan's baseball players have associated with gangsters, and she agrees with pitcher Kuo Chien-cheng's estimate that more than half have thrown games for cash. The mob has also reportedly tried to influence basketball, Taiwan's other professional sport. But insiders say baseball is the bookies' game of choice, because there are so many different components to bet on. Wagers can be placed on specific plays, such as whether a certain batter will get a hit, or even to which side of the field the ball will fly.
Baseball players make easy targets for gambling syndicates.
For one thing, they are often in need of extra cash. Coming from relatively poor backgrounds, many stars have been unable to handle sudden fame and fortune. When they realize retirement is close, their wives suddenly tell them they don't have any money. This is a very special problem in Taiwan. If money is not enough to move a player, gangsters work on him through their personal relationships with his family or friends.