*This content was translated by AI.
"I sincerely thank you for the support you gave me both inside and outside the stadium."
Jack Cushing (30), a foreign pitcher for Hanwha Eagles who is soon leaving Korea, expressed heartfelt gratitude to fans who showered him with intense support during a short period.
In the match against Daejeon Suwon KT Wiz on the 15th, Cushing entered in the bottom of the 9th inning with Hanwha leading 5-2. Over one inning, he allowed three hits and one earned run without issuing a walk or a strikeout, securing the team's victory.
This was his final appearance in Korea. Cushing was signed as a foreign replacement for Owen White (27), who was injured in his opening appearance. He arrived in Korea early on April 5. He signed a six-week contract worth a total of $90,000 with Hanwha, and this day marked his final day.
Ahead of his final appearance, Cushing met with on-site reporters and shared his thoughts: "Honestly, I'm very disappointed. I knew a day like this would come eventually. Still, I am truly grateful for the time I spent here. It has been a really fun and enjoyable journey so far."
Contrary to public expectations that he would start as a pitcher, Cushing performed as an all-around pitcher from the moment he arrived, dealing with an unstable bullpen situation. As a result, Cushing's KBO statistics are somewhat mixed: 16 games, 1 win, 2 losses, 4 saves, 4.79 ERA, 20 2/3 innings, 6 walks, and 26 strikeouts. When asked about this, Cushing replied, "There were difficult times, but since I've worked in the bullpen for the past two years, I had a routine and felt no burden."
The manager also expressed gratitude for Cushing, who did not shy away from difficult tasks. Manager Kim Kyung-moon, who had expected Cushing to perform well with another team before the game, said after the match, "I want to tell Cushing that he worked hard until the last day and thank him."
Cushing smiled and said, "I am truly grateful to the Hanwha club that chose me. Joining this team was very meaningful to me. It was such a joyful and wonderful experience that I can hardly imagine a better scenario." He added, "The first moments are the most memorable. The first strikeout, the first start, the first save, the first win—every pitcher has such moments no matter which league they debut in, and I think I will remember those scenes for a long time."
He has also grown fond of the Korean KBO League and the Hanwha team. Cushing said, "Honestly, when I first came, I didn't know much about the KBO League. It was a learning process for me. The playing style was very different from the United States. In particular, I was impressed by how batters focused heavily on contact and persisted with foul balls."
He continued, "Another impressive thing was that teammates and Koreans are good people. I especially remember the Samsung game where I gave up a walk-off home run. Even then, the players cheered for me. The team atmosphere was very positive, and they were people I enjoyed being with."
The close relationship between the Hanwha team and Cushing was evident before and after the game. One day before the final match, Cushing received signatures from all team members on a T-shirt and shared a hug with them. Furthermore, after the match on the 15th, the Hanwha team presented Cushing with a nameplate made from the locker room name tag at Daejeon Stadium, symbolizing that they were a family and should never forget it.
Moon Hyun-bin, who also led the team to victory in the match on the 15th, Seon Su-dan-eul (CEO) and conveyed his feelings: "Personally, I am very happy that Cushing pitched a great save in his final game. He also handled multi-inning appearances and threw a lot for the team, and I thought he was great as a teammate. I feel very grateful to Cushing."
Cushing was removed from the first division ahead of the match on the 16th. After wrapping up his life in Daejeon, he plans to depart with his wife on the 20th. After the game, Cushing shared his final thoughts: "I am very happy that the team won. Honestly, I felt my control was good today, but the opposing batters hit well, so I was nervous. However, I am truly grateful because our defense helped us secure the victory."
Despite Cushing's not-so-outstanding performance, Hanwha fans gave him many cheers for his dedication during the six-week short-term job. Even though they could not communicate through language, that support reached Cushing. Recalling the touching moment, he said before the game, "Personally, I have never received such support. I felt that many fans cheered for me both inside and outside the stadium."
After the game, Cushing bowed his head once again and said, "Hanwha fans are truly the best. I want to say that I am very happy to have met the best teammates and the best fans since coming to Korea. This will remain an unforgettable memory. Thank you all."
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*This content was translated by AI.
