Coach Kim Gets Life Back After Classic

Korean national baseball team manager Kim In-shik (60, Hanwha) has returned to his usual, quiet existence.

After spending a night with his family at his home in Yongin after returning home from the World Baseball Classic (WBC) yesterday, Kim arrived at Daejeon Stadium in a car driven by Sohn Sang-dae, Hanwha’s batting coach, at around 1:40 p.m..

It has been two months since he left Hanwha for the national team’s WBC run on January 21. “I am not the star here; the players are. Please don’t follow me around. I have lots of things to take care of today,” said Kim as he was greeted by flashbulbs from photographers at the ballpark’s entrance.

Because Hanhwa’s exhibition match against LG had already started, Kim watched the game in the clubhouse instead of from the dugout. Kim also watched the WBC finals between Japan and Cuba on TV.

Sung-Kyu Kim kimsk@donga.com