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Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium To Be Demolished

Posted August. 10, 2007 05:46,   

한국어

At the Korea baseball pro league’s opening game between MBC (currently LG) and Samsung, held at the Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium on March 27, 1982, Lee Jong-do (MBC) was in the batter’s box with all the bases loaded after two outs in the tenth inning. After leaving two balls, Lee hit a game-winning grand slam from Samsung’s ace left-handed pitcher Lee Seon-hui.

In the sixth game of the Korean Series playoff between OB (currently Doosan) and Samsung, held at the same stadium in October 12, 1982, the same pitcher allowed another grand slam to Kim Yu-dong after two outs in the ninth inning. OB won the playoff, 4-1-1.

The first year of the Korea Baseball League, 1982, began and ended with a grand slam at the Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium. However, pro league games have since been held at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium, except for in 1985, when OB used it as its home park after moving from Daejeon to Seoul.

Pro baseball games will be held at the stadium this September for the first time in 22 years, to commemorate the “Mecca of 82 year old Korean baseball,” which is to be demolished in November.

LG and Doosan, two Seoul teams which played in the opening and closing games of the first year, are preparing “Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium events.”

On August 9, Doosan manager, Kim Seung-yeong, said, “We made an internal decision to play games at the stadium in September.” LG manager Kim Yeon-joong also said, “We are seriously considering it.”

This year’s pennant race ends on September 2, but 44 games have been cancelled due to heavy rain as of August 8.

The Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium is open to the possibility with no other games scheduled after the college baseball fall league from August 30 to September 20.

Korea Baseball Organization (KBO)’s deputy secretary general, Lee Sang-il, said, “Doosan and LG can hold their games at the stadium if they choose to.”

The first-year opening game star, Lee Jong-do, currently a KBS commentator, said, “I’m glad to see pro baseball games return to Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium, where Korea baseball was born and my name was known to fans.”



beetlez@donga.com