Korea Baseball 'Super' Sergeant → Lee Jong-beom and Lee Jung-hoo created a case of claiming the 'world's first and only' rich man in the 20-year history of WBC!

*This content was translated by AI.

Korean baseball's "Family of Winds" has built an unprecedented golden tower in world baseball history. Ryu Ji-hyun (55), who took the helm of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team, selected Lee Jung-hoo (28, San Francisco Giants) as the team's new leader, creating the first "父 captain" in the 20-year history of the tournament. Lee Jong-beom (56) was also the first captain of the Korean national team at WBC.

Coach Ryu Ji-hyun said at a press conference on the final entry of the 2026 WBC at the press center in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on the 6th, "I'm going to give Lee Jung-hoo the position of captain of the national team. For that reason, several Korean players and overseas players in the Major League were included. It is also because Lee Jung-hoo is thought to be the most front among the players representing Korea. Since September last year, he has communicated his thoughts on the captaincy with the player. The player also expressed his willingness to take over as captain," he said.

WBC is a baseball tournament that was launched in 2006. Since its launch, it has produced numerous star players and baseball families for 20 years. Lee Jong-beom, who participated in the 2006 competition, and Lee Jung-hoo, who participated in the 2023 competition, made a record of being rich for the first time. The record for the only father-son competition is expected to be broken at the 2026 tournament. Fernando Tatis (51), who hit two grand home runs in an inning against Park Chan-ho (53), entered the 2009 tournament, and Fernando Tatis Jr. (28, San Diego Padres) is set to make his first appearance in 2026 tournament.

However, the 'rich claim' was still the first with Lee Jung-hoo's appointment as captain. The captain is also a position that must have symbolism and leadership that unites the entire team beyond just outstanding skills. At the 2006 WBC inaugural competition, Lee Jong-beom made it to the semi-finals. Lee Jong-beom was also selected as one of the top nine contestants along with Lee Seung-yeop (50) at the 2006 event. Lee Jong-beom played in seven games in the 2006 tournament and posted a batting average of 0.400 (10 hits in 25 at-bats) and a three-run OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.104. In the top of the eighth inning with one out and runners on second and third in the second round against Japan in March 2006, the timely double to left-center against Fujikawa Kuji (46, current Hanshin Tigers coach) still remains in the people's memory.

If his father led the team 20 years ago as a seasoned 36-year-old veteran, his son Lee Jung-hoo took over the captain's heavy duty at the age of 28, bearing the status of a major leaguer. Along the path of victory laid by his father, the world's baseball community is paying attention to whether Ryu Ji-hyun-ho, led by "captain Lee Jung-hoo," will once again announce the revival of Korean baseball at Tokyo Dome.

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*This content was translated by AI.