Publication:

台灣花式撞球史

從1990年起，台灣花式撞球選手在國際重大賽事屢傳捷報，撞球不僅成為了台灣球迷共同分享、傳遞、建立的集體記憶，更在世界舞台上打響台灣的名號。台灣的花式撞球運動，也因此影響到世界各地的撞球運動，而這些影響遠比我們原先所想像地來的更深且更廣。

本論文力圖成為台灣花式撞球史最完整的研究，以撞球運動的歷史為起點，徹底地對台灣花式撞球運動的發展進行探討。為了瞭解台灣花式撞球發展與轉變的來龍去脈，本論文將針對台灣撞球的重大事件進行詳盡的分析與描述，劃分如下：

1.自從日本於1895年統治台灣以來，撞球就相當普遍，直到二次大戰後，撞球仍然十分流行。然而，由於政府對撞球加以嚴格地限制，並對其污名化，從此撞球運動開始走下坡，地位日益低落。

2.1978年，藤間一男將花式撞球引進台灣，花式撞球逐漸變成主流的撞球運動，而「花式撞球」也成為撞球的同義詞。

3.1990年，涂永輝成立撞球運動協會，發起去除撞球污名的運動。此外，協會也推展各項工作以塑造一個健全的撞球運動環境，包括制定各種規章、培訓選手、建立職業與業餘選手制度，並針對不同時期、性別與年齡層的需求，辦理各項賽事，提供了選手一個磨練、切磋的機會。很快地，台灣成為世界花式撞球高手的養成所，世界性比賽冠亞軍屢次由我國選手輪流或重複包辦。

4.1997年，緯來體育台開始與協會合作，舉辦並轉播職業撞球。1998年，緯來開始轉播安麗盃，為台灣女子撞球選手與觀眾開啟了一個嶄新的領域，也使花式撞球更加地普及。此後，數家體育台注意到撞球迷的大量成長，紛紛爭奪撞球賽事的轉播權。在電視運動體系下，撞球更為大眾所熟知，也更為普及。由於我國撞球選手於1998年在曼谷亞運穿金戴銀，在加上趙豐邦於千禧年第二次拿下世界冠軍，國內撞球運動再起風潮，達到最高峰。同時，體委會也將撞球視為一種運動，如同籃球或桌球一般。到了2006年，超過20所學校有撞球校隊，並利用課堂時間及學校資源，透過教練制度及定期比賽來培育新一代的撞球選手。

最後，本論文提出一些值得深思的問題及可以努力的願景，希望台灣的撞球運動可以趨於美好。

Taiwanese Pool players have been building a tradition of excellence in international competitions since 1990, which not only has become the collective memory shared, passed on and constructed by the fans, but has trumpeted the name of Taiwan on the world stage. Pool in Taiwan, therefore, has effects on the cue sports all over the world, which are much deeper and wider than originally imagined.

This paper, intended to be a comprehensive study of Taiwanese Pool History, begins with an illustrated history of the cue sport and gives a thorough discussion of the development of pool in Taiwan. To know what’s what about the Taiwanese pool evolution, an attempt has been made to center on an exhaustive analysis and description of every important event in Taiwanese billiards, divided into the following:

1.The game had gained amazingly in popularity since Japan began to rule Taiwan in 1895, and the popularity continued after the World War. Before long, however, the game was going downhill because it was strictly prohibited and stigmatized by the Chinese Nationalist Party.

2.In 1978, pool was introduced into Taiwan by Kazuo Fujima, and pool was gradually taking over as the most widely played cue games; the term "pool" consequently became synonymous with Taiwanese billiards.

3.In 1990, Yung-Hui Tu founded the Billiards Association, launching a anti-stigma campaign against the government’s discriminatory policy on the sport. In addition, the association created a supporting infrastructure for all elements of the sport — setting rules, promoting training, organizing pro and amateur ranks, and staging hundreds of tournaments for all levels of play, which provided golden opportunities for a great number of promising Taiwanese players to practice their craft. Very soon, Taiwan became a pool hotspot and many Taiwanese players excelled in international tournaments, far too numerous to mention.

4.In 1997, the Videoland Sports Channel began to work in close cooperation with the Billiards Association, holding professional pool contests and starting to broadcast the contests. In 1998, Videoland Sports Channel began to present the Amway Cup Women's Professional Pool Tournament, opening up a whole new area for women athletes and for viewers in Taiwan, positively influencing the popularity of pool. Since then, several sports channels had noted the growing number of fans and had started to fight for the broadcasting rights. Under the TV sports system, pool had become better known among the general public and its popularity had increased over the years. The game’s popularity skyrocketed with subsequent medal wins in the Asian Games, and again in 2000 when Chao won his second world title. Additionally, the National Sports National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports accorded billiards the same status as high-school sports like basketball or pingpong. As of late 2006, over 20 high schools fielded billiard teams, using school time and resources to develop young talents through professional coaching and regular competition.

Finally, some insights into the problems of this sport are provided and a vision of what is to be done is offered in the hope that billiards will be beautiful in Taiwan