Controversial Taiwanese pitcher dies suddenly in China at age 43

備受爭議的台灣投手在中國突然去世，享年 43 歲

Chang Chih-chia starred in Japan, played for national team in Olympics


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former baseball star Chang Chih-chia (張誌家) died suddenly at age 43 in China on Monday (Jan. 1).

Close friends became concerned when Chang, who had been playing softball in Shenzhen, China, could not be reached, reported TVBS. When his landlord checked on him, Chang was found dead on his apartment floor, with the cause of death listed as a heart attack by local media.

The pitcher played for the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball from 2002 to 2004 and the La New Bears in Taiwan from 2008 to 2009. He also pitched for Taiwan's national team in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.

With the Lions, Chang had a record of 26-19 with 352 strikeouts and a 3.81 earned run average (ERA). However, during his stint with the La New Bears, Chang was linked to a game-fixing scandal and was permanently banned from playing in Taiwan in 2009.

After leaving baseball, Chang worked as a teppanyaki chef, tried his hand at golf, and engaged in network marketing. He even allegedly served as a driver for a fraud group.

In 2017, it was reported that he was suspected of signing gambling contracts and owed about NT$1.6 million (US$51,000) in debts. Creditors came to his home to collect the debts, displayed banners, and even prompted concerns from Taichung's Qingshui District police.

After news broke about his gambling debts and divorce from his first wife, there were reports that Chang and his second wife, surnamed Chung (鍾), had established an investment company to raise funds, earning millions. According to a weekly magazine report, he utilized the network established with his second wife, whom he also claimed to have divorced, to attract investments for a company supposedly engaged in e-commerce in China and offered shares of N$360,000 each.

However, the company's operation was poorly managed, and just two months after its launch, there were accusations of fraud by investors. Shareholders also suspected that Chang had not divorced Chung, and the couple collaborated in a scheme to defraud investors.

They believed that the false divorce was a means to evade debts. At that time, Chang's father-in-law was very reserved in his comments, only stating, "I don't know."