The Little League World Series player who was clocked at 82 MPH has a wild training regimen and backstory that helps explain his absurd velocity.
Lin Chin-Tse, a 12-year-old for the victorious Taiwanese team at the Little League World Series, hit 82 MPH on the radar gun during the recent tournament. As it turns out, Lin is the son of Lin Shih-Hua, the coach of Taiwan’s national boxing team. Lin’s father has him on a training regimen that is more akin to a boxer’s, and involves building up a lot of leg strength.
“He doesn’t like boxing,” Lin Shih-Hua said through an interpreter, via Stephen Borelli of USA Today. “He likes team sports, so baseball has a lot of teammates. And when it’s boxing, he feels by himself. He wants to be a part of a team.”
Lin’s father said the pitcher’s training involves “a lot of running” and “a lot of cardio.” It has resulted in a 12-year-old with remarkably strong legs that allow him to blow the ball past his opponents. Lin also mixes in a slow curveball that baffles hitters who are trying to gear up for the fastball.
Taiwan beat a team from Las Vegas, Nev. 7-0 on Sunday to win the LLWS. Lin pitched five innings while allowing just one hit and striking out four, and also delivered a bases-clearing triple in the fifth to break the game wide open.
