At the 35th CAAMFest in San Francisco, the life documentary of Taiwanese pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, Late Life: The Chien-ming Wang Story was screened for the first time ever, along with many other films. This documentary focuses on Wang’s life after he suffered from some major injuries in the 2008 season, which threatened the existence of his career altogether.
In the years prior to the accident, Chien-Ming Wang was one of the best baseball players in the world. He had won 19 games in back to back seasons for his team, the New York Yankees. However, as the ace of the team, during a Yankees-Astros match in 2008, while running the bases, Wang suffered a serious injury in his right foot, causing him to take a break from the baseball life. Following the accident, Chien-Ming became a free agent, and played for many teams like the Blue Jays, Reds, and White Sox. His last major league had been in 2016 with Kansas City.
During his documentary screening, many baseball fans wore the former New York Yankees pitcher’s jerseys to support him.
In a statement, Wang explained that he hoped his documentary would encourage the young people to stick to their dreams and never lose sight of them or give up, despite any setbacks. The director of the documentary, Frank W. Chen, and Masashi Niwano, the director of the film festival itself, praised Chien-Ming for coming up with this documentary and showcasing his relentless passion towards baseball as well as his inner strength through all his challenges. The premiere of the film was attended by Wang’s wife, Wu Chia-ling, and his two kids.