A Huang Way From Home: Lewis Learns Utica
By: Gabriella Trevisani
If the Blue Sox had a team captain, it would be Lewis Huang. Chances are, you can’t walk through that dugout without hearing the nickname, “Sweet Lew” or maybe even catching him with a camera in hand, sneak-attacking his teammates to get content for his Instagram page (@cc__photography). A quiet charmer, Lewis is everything you could want in a leader, the mediator, the calm before the storm, and the glue that holds the dugout together.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to meet with Lewis for the very first time and I can say, wholeheartedly, that his teammates were not exaggerating. Taiwan born and bred, Lewis is competitive and determined to make a name for himself in baseball, currently applying to a Junior College program here in the states. We talk about learning English, culture shocks, and CJ’s future as a reality star? An underrated comedian, Lewis had me smiling the entire time.
With a heart of gold and a roster of teammates by his side, there’s no question that Lewis will achieve whatever he sets his mind to. Because it’s Lewis’ world– we’re just living in it…
———————————————————-
Gabriella: What’s up Blue Sox fans. Today we’re here with Lewis Huang. Lewis has traveled cross-country from Taiwan to be here with us this summer and we’re super lucky to have him in our clubhouse.
So I was planning to start off with your history, but after what you did with the bat on Monday, I’ve got to start there. You went 3 for 4 with three singles and an RBI. Could you just walk me through what was working for you at the plate?
Lewis: So for me, just another good day, with three good at-bats. And I’m thankful to Coach Doug for making some little adjustments to my batting stance– You have to wash it off. And tomorrow is another day. And, yeah, three base hits is good, but I still have some things to work on. Not perfect, never perfect. And same for the coaches and teammates who cheer me on.
Gabriella: Yeah, they were really hyping you up. And even though we didn’t get the walk-off, we were close. And you said you adjusted your batting stance? Was that Doug’s idea?
Lewis: Yeah, Coach Doug made some little adjustments to my batting stance and it really helped me a lot.
Gabriella: Of course. That’s awesome to hear. So we didn’t quite get the walk-off, unfortunately, but we were close, and you always have today (July 2), because you’re facing Amsterdam again.
Speaking of that, this team always finds a way to bounce back. You guys have had four walk offs so far. So what is it about playing at home so far, that fires you guys up?
Lewis: So, the atmosphere in the dugout is phenomenal. And the conversations with my teammates and the activities we’re doing in the clubhouse and the dugout, and coaches really cheer me up. It (the atmosphere) really helps us win games and bounce back. And the fans really help a lot too. We also make sure we have the teamwork to work and win the game.
Gabriella: Of course, and who would you say are like the biggest hype men in the dugout?
Lewis: That’s a good question. I’m probably going to have to say Walddy.
Gabriella: Ooh yes, I can definitely see that.
Okay, so now we’re going to dive into your history. So you’re from Ping Tung County in Taiwan. What was it like growing up there and what do you miss most when you’re away?
Lewis: So Ping Tung is a very hot area in Taiwan, and I really miss the food there–it’s really good. It’s also very cheap compared to the USA.
Gabriella: That’s good to know.
Lewis: And yeah, I live near a baseball stadium. So when I was young, my dad always took me there to watch baseball. That really planted the seed of baseball in my life. And Ping Tung is not a big city like the capital of Taiwan. People are so nice and the neighbors are awesome. Sometimes they bring food or groceries to your house and come say hi.
Gabriella: That’s so sweet. So are you going to college in your hometown, right now?
Lewis: I’m actually looking for a school here (America). Probably a community college.
Gabriella: So JUCO baseball? That’s a smart move.
Lewis: Well I didn’t really have a good start to my baseball journey because I didn’t play baseball until seventh grade.
Gabriella: Well look at you now. You should be very proud at how far you’ve come.
Lewis: Yeah.
Gabriella: So, now I wanna talk a little bit about your position. So have you always played second base?
Lewis: In high school, I played multiple positions. I played infield, sometimes catcher, sometimes pitcher. And sometimes when people were injured, I went to the outfield.
Gabriella: Wow, so you’ve played basically everything! But now you’re sticking to second– what do you like most about it?
Lewis: With second base you have to consider the conditions, like how you should stand to catch the ball. And you communicate with the defense too.
Gabriella: Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of communication involved and you’re very good at it, so that’s awesome.
So now I’m gonna talk about your teammate who also had a great night last night–Wen–who is also from Taiwan. What’s it like having someone on the team from your home country?
Lewis: “Wen” is also my roommate and the night that he came to our apartment, I opened the door and he said “Hi”. And that really surprised me ‘cause I haven’t spoken Chinese to a person in so long. It really made me so happy to have a teammate come from my hometown. He is really good and we talk about Taiwan all of the time.
Gabriella: Yeah, he’s pretty great and what a sweet story. Did you learn English in Taiwan?
Lewis: So basically, in Taiwan, the education system doesn’t care about the athletes education. So we have to work on ourself to, um, to work on like, like math, English, everything. We have to work on ourselves because school won’t care about you. They just care about your progress in tournaments. So basically, I taught myself (English).
Gabriella: That’s awesome, how did you teach yourself?
Lewis: So since I’m attending college here, I had to take a test in Taiwan which is called TOEFL. And I looked online, found an online teacher and my English improved. And thankfully I passed the test and I was able to attend school here.
Gabriella: Yeah, your English is great. You’ve definitely taught yourself very well.
Lewis: Thank you.
Gabriella: Now I’m gonna talk a little bit about like professional baseball. So I’m not sure if you watch the MLB– (I do.) There’s such incredible talent coming from Asia, like Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish and Yamamoto. They’re basically household names globally. So, as someone from Taiwan, how does it feel to see more players from Asia make it big on the world stage?
Lewis: Yeah, it’s a very good opportunity to let the world see. It’s not just the USA or Puerto Rico. Also, Asia is a very good place to produce good players in baseball, and that’s a really good opportunity to let the world see us.
Gabriella: Yeah. Do you have a favorite player?
Lewis: Honestly, my favorite player is Bobby Witt Jr. I think he’s on the Royals.
Gabriella: Oh yes, I know him. Awesome.
Alright, so you came to Utica this season, what brings you here, like what was the selling point?
Lewis: When I was a senior year in high school, I was scrolling my cell phone and suddenly I saw a program that sent players from Taiwan to attend a summer league. And, at that moment, I knew I was going there and was really excited. And, yeah, this is my biggest goal in my life to be here and continue my baseball career in the USA.
Gabriella: Yeah, so is this your first time in the United States?
Lewis: Yeah, it is.
Gabriella: So I was going to ask you what’s the biggest surprise or culture shock?
You talked to me about how it’s more expensive here, but what’s another big surprise about baseball, life or anything here in America?
Lewis: Oh, that’s a lot of things. So I would start on the baseball thing. So the most impressive thing is that the team atmosphere is really, really good. And you cannot see that in Taiwan. That atmosphere is one of the greatest things that I need to build my confidence. So that’s really helped me a lot.
And the other thing is the relationship between players and coaches. Here, every guy is friendly and the coaches and players are all together. But in Taiwan it’s like the coaches will get mad and, and sometimes we are afraid of our coaches and don’t have the chance to talk to them. That is a really big difference between Taiwan and here.
I have one more. So when you walk into a McDonald’s or like a convenience store in here. The clerk will say, “Hey, how’s your day?” “How are you doing?” And in Taiwan they don’t do that. That really impressed me.
Gabriella: That’s a really good thing. That’s good to hear. I mean, here in New York we actually get a bad reputation that people are rude. But here in Utica were nice ’cause it’s a really family- oriented place here in Utica. There’s a lot of stuff going on. Speaking of that, here in Utica, we love our food. We’re all about the food. So I have to ask you, what’s the best meal you’ve had here so far?
Lewis: I think it’s Five Guys.
Gabriella: Ooh, yes. Good choice. What did you get there? What was your order?
Lewis: Just a regular burger, but it’s really good.
Gabriella: Yeah. Who took you there?
Lewis: X (Xavier Smith).
Gabriella: Oh, he has good taste.
So, now, I actually have a fun fact about Lewis here, Blue Sox fans. Just yesterday, I learned that he has a photography account on Instagram where he posts daily photos, also some videos of his teammates on the Blue Sox. First of all, I’m really impressed. Our intern, Claire, has some competition (laughs). You’re amazing.
Lewis: Thank you.
Gabriella: Let me ask what kind of inspired you to start this? Like, have you done photography your whole life?
Lewis: So, my camera is like a 18th birthday gift from my dad. So since then, I started to photograph every weekend, every time that I’m free and I walk nearby our house and see what I can get. One time, after I finished my baseball career in my high school, I had a little free time so I grabbed my camera and ran into our old high school baseball field and I took some photos of my old teammates. And I really enjoyed that.
Gabriella: Yeah. So it’s like a hobby that turned into a passion. That’s awesome.
So what do you enjoy taking pictures of most? Do you like the dugout stuff? Do you like your video content?
Lewis: I like more in the dugout, like the players emotion or like emotional things like anger, happiness, something like that.
Gabriella: Yeah. You were really capturing their energy. It was really cool to scroll through. Is it okay if I plug the username, so I could get you more followers?
Lewis: No problem.
Gabriella: So it’s @cc__dailyphotography, if you don’t follow it, you’re missing out.
Alright, so as you’re looking ahead to the rest of the season, what’s one goal that you have either for yourself or for the team?
Lewis: I would say to never stop improving yourself and every day you have to give 110% of yourself and nothing is perfect. Baseball, and it is a high pressure game. Just don’t push yourself too hard and enjoy the game.
Gabriella: That’s a great goal to have, and I’m sure your teammates would agree.
All right, so now we’re going to do some rapid fire questions. But instead of going personal, I’m gonna turn it over to your teammates. So I’m gonna give you a scenario, a who’s most likely to, and you’re gonna tell me what guy fits the role best. So are you ready to play?
Lewis: Yes!
Gabriella: Number one, who’s most likely to make you laugh?
Lewis: Definitely Walddy (Rodriguez). (I knew that was coming). The way he talks is hilarious, man.
Gabriella: He’s a funny guy.
All right. Who’s most likely to forget something on a road trip?
Lewis: Probably me. I forgot my belt two times.
Gabriella: Oh no, you’re framing yourself. Okay. Who has the best pre-game outfit?
Lewis: Jojo (Joey Esposito).
Gabriella: Nice.
Who’s always late but never gets in trouble?
Lewis: Probably Kris because he has his own program to work on.
Gabriella: Okay, who treats practice like it’s the World Series or takes it way too seriously.
Lewis: Maybe me.
Gabriella: Oh my gosh, wow these are all fitting you. Well that’s good that you’re taking it seriously.
Who would you trust the most on aux, like who’s the best DJ?
Lewis: Definitely Mike (Zitola). Mike’s the best DJ in the world.
Gabriella: Who would survive the longest in a zombie apocalypse?
Lewis: Maybe Jordan (Ake).
Gabriella: Interesting. Okay. Who has the best chance to be on the next season of Love Island?
Lewis: Hmmm. CJ (Jones).
Gabriella: Yes, totally. The pitcher you’d least like to face in a live AB?
Lewis: Greg (Nascimento).
Gabriella: Yeah, he did good the other day. And who’s secretly training to be the next Blue Sox coach?
Lewis: Josh (Pagan) (laughs).
Gabriella: That’s such a good answer (laughs). Oh my gosh. Perfect. We’re going to include him with the players.
Okay so I have one last question. To wrap it up, I ask this question closing question of all our players. A lot of our viewers and fans are young players who dream of making it to the next level and pursuing baseball as a career.
So what is some advice you’d give to a younger player who maybe dreams of following in your footsteps and pursuing baseball long term?
Lewis: Like I said, I start late, but that cannot define what, what you will become. So work hard, dream big, and every day you have to get a hundred percent of yourself and don’t drop yourself and build confidence. Confidence is the most important thing in baseball and baseball is a high failure game, so don’t push yourself too hard, you know?
Gabriella: Of course. Yeah. That’s some great advice. All right. Yeah. Well, that’s actually all I have for you tonight, so thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me.
Lewis: Thank you!
Gabriella: Take care.