22 MARCH 2026 L g,bg v Arcadia Little League’s All Stars Tour Taiwan Tony Kao, Jacob Silius, Liam Voris, Walker Freckmann, Cannon Olmsted, Will Clancey, Coach Dan Wachinski, Andrew Wachinski, Ben McLyn, Chase Amundson, Oakley Knutson, Cody Openden, Jack Brandt, Coach Danny Openden and Coach Ryan Clancey. By Michael P. Murphy • PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANNY OPENDEN I t started with a fan’s offer – one that turned into a trip of a lifetime for 11 Arcadia Little League players. Tony Kao serves as senior advisor/commissioner of the Overseas Community Affairs Council for the Republic of China (Taiwan). He’s also a huge fan of Little League baseball, particularly the Arcadia All Stars. After watching the 12U team win the State tournament last year, he approached Coach Danny Openden with an interesting offer. “I love this team,” Kao told Coach Openden. “A Taiwan team is coming to Phoenix, and we’d like to arrange a scrimmage with the All Stars. Then they should come to Taiwan in 2026, and we’ll set up games. If you can get your flights arranged, we will take care of everything else.” Kao was good on his word. He arranged an itinerary around baseball as part of a “goodwill trip” with a delegation representing the City of Phoenix, which included Mayor Kate Gallego. Taipei, Taiwan, is one of 11 Phoenix Sister Cities. The eight-day trip began on January 7 with a 14-hour flight to Taipei. The All Stars played their first game in Tainan, on the island’s southern end. A colorful opening ceremony featured drums, dragon costumes, and flags. Mayor Gallego threw the first pitch to Arcadia’s Cody Openden. They returned to Taipei to play two teams from the same school that produced last year’s Little League World Series champions. It was a glamorous affair, with paparazzi photographing the mayor, who attended the opening ceremony, and the All-Star teams. Photos later appeared in local media, giving the players a taste of celebrity. That night, the City of Taipei hosted the three teams for dinner. “The Taiwanese kids knew some English, but we had no idea how to speak Mandarin Chinese. Google Translate to the rescue,” Coach Openden laughed. “Modern Mayor of Taipei Chiang Wan-an, Cody Openden, and Mayor Kate Gallego at the opening ceremony.

23 MARCH 2026 technology enabled kids from halfway across the globe to communicate.” Some exchanged jerseys. The evening ended with all three teams standing on a small stage and joyously singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The next day, Kao arranged for the group to visit a baseball campus, including a tour of an impressive Little League Hall of Fame. A ball signed by the Arcadia coaches is now part of that display, with Coach Openden adding “ Arcadia Little League, Phoenix, Arizona, USA” to the ball. From there, they visited Taiwan’s presidential office building, where they were greeted by Vice President Hsiao Bi-Khim. Their visit concluded with an elevator ride to the top floor of Taipei 101, the second-tallest building in the world. After returning home, the All Stars reflected on how significant baseball is in bringing different cultures together and building lasting connections. “It was an incredible experience,” teammate Andrew Wachinski said. “It opened my eyes to new traditions and cultures.” “I loved the trip so much, I didn’t want to come home,” Ben McLyn said. “Meeting the Taiwanese players was my favorite part.” “I loved playing against the kids and hanging out with them after the games,” Liam Voris added. “I liked seeing what they do in their free time. It was baseball, of course.” Shortly after their return, Coach Openden and Cody appeared on Channel 7’s Morning Mix to discuss the trip. Tony declined but sent one message: “Tell them Taipei is a beautiful place to visit.” Danny did just that, sharing Arcadia Little League’s overseas adventures with viewers. “It was everything we hoped for – and probably ten times more,” he said. Arcadia Little League (middle) with the home teams from Taiwan, the Mayor of Taipei and Mayor Gallego. The Phoenix delegation, Tony and a couple others from Tony’s workplace joined in as spectators for the games! Tony Kao with Coach Danny Openden.