"CHO, who donated to minor players during COVID-19, should never be overlooked." U.S. reporter's famous exhibition, "Confession of a vote of confidence."

*This content was translated by AI.

Choo Shin-soo (43, current SSG Landers owner assistant and fostering general manager), who became the first Korean to be nominated for the Major League Hall of Fame, finally made it to the first vote. A U.S. reporter detailed why he voted for Choo Shin-soo. Above all, I appreciated the part where I donated to minor league players who were not paid due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19.

Jeff Wilson, a reporter in charge of the Texas Rangers for Dallas Sports, a local media outlet in the U.S., said on December 31, 2025 (Korea time), "Choo Shin-soo will not be able to enter the Hall of Fame, but the reason why he was nominated is obvious. Although he did not have a very brilliant record, Choo Shin-soo left an indelible mark in the baseball world. Above all, Choo Shin-soo, who came to the United States as an amateur player, donated $1,000 (about 1.45 million won) to Texas-affiliated minor league players when the league was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We should never overlook players who have made such an impact in the past," he wrote and released his ballot.

According to local reports, Choo delivered donations to 191 players under Texas at the time. It was a brilliant move for players in need who are not getting paid by the club. When calculated in total, it amounts to 191,000 dollars (about 280 million won).

Reporter Jeff Wilson also said Choo Shin-soo's performance was also observed. After noting that Choo Shin-soo's on-base plus slugging percentage in the Major League is 0.824, Choo Shin-soo said, "It is the player who boasted an excellent on-base percentage throughout his career. There are also several seasons in which 20 home runs and 20 steals have been achieved. One day, a Korean player will enter the Major League Hall of Fame, but someone will say that he paved the way for Choo Shin-soo. Choo Shin-soo's pioneering side deserves a check on the Hall of Fame ballot he submitted as a reporter."

Finally, reporter Wilson said, "To be honest, the drop in the level of players who have newly joined the candidate has also affected it. So I have a spare space on my ballot. It is also because Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025, he added.

From the 2005 season to the 2020 season, Choo Shin-soo accumulated a cumulative batting average of 0.275 (1,671 hits in 6,087 at-bats) and 218 homers and 782 RBIs in 16 seasons at four clubs, including the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians (current Guardians), Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers. Unfortunately, there was no major league championship ring, but he succeeded in winning Wire to Wire in the 2022 season. Choo Shin-soo, who finished his active career after the 2024 season, continues his front career with SSG Landers. The overall KBO league record was 0.26354 homers, 205 RBIs and an OPS of 0.812, in 439 games in four seasons.

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*This content was translated by AI.