Pro Baseball Wraps Up Season
The eventful season is about to end, isnt it?
That is what Kim Si-jin, pitching coach of Hyundai, mumbled on October 5, looking out at an empty stadium. As he said that, professional baseball was shaken like a boat in a storm in 2004. Let us revisit the season month by month.
Oh, Lotte!-
Lotte began to attempt to shake its image as last-place finisher by recruiting Chung Soo-geun and Lee Sang-mok from the hot stove league. It posted one win and one loss with Samsung during the first two games. It defeated Doosan in three consecutive games on its home turf of Busan, rising to the top. Lotte fans became excited. The press reported en masse that Lotte had changed. Although the franchise came in eighth with eight wins, 15 losses and one tie in April, its performances were well received by its fans. The teams average ticket sales during April were 8,408. Spring had come in Busan.
Wild Horse-
Lee Sang-hoon of SK declared that he would retire, citing his lack of contributions to the team. With a 600 million won-a-year salary, he was number two in the salary rankings. It was a pleasant surprise that he decided to leave the league to keep his self-respect.
Bring them on-
Early in the season, Kim Dong-joo of Doosan said, I began to have an unyielding morale when players of other teams we beat in games said they lost to a team that is too bad to be a baseball team. After Shim Jae-hak and Chung Soo-geun left the franchise, Doosan has become the candidate for last place. However, director Kim Kyung-moons large-scale baseball strategy worked well. In June, Doosan came in first with 40 wins, 31 losses and one tie.
Drinking and Violence-
Chung Soo-geun, the all-star MVP, drove his car under influence and hit people with a baseball bat. He lied to cover up the incident, helping to further hurt the popularity of pro baseball.
Dugout Raided-
In an SK versus Samsung game, after a bean ball by Hodges of Samsung, Brito of SK dashed into the dugout of Samsung, swinging his bat. Cabrela of SK headlocked manager Kim Eung-ryong of Samsung who attempted to stop the scuffle.
Draft Dodging-
Twenty-three players were jailed, 25 charged and three have yet to be arrested. A total of 51 players turned out to have dodged the military draft. This is about 11 percent of the leagues 465 players. They all were suspended from games. Following the scandal, people had feelings of emptiness. Those who are not jailed now have to serve in the military. The repercussions will continue over the next two years.
Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com
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