"Can we blame only the students?" The ugly face of "mockery cheering" bred by indifference to amateur baseball, sparked by controversy over Seoul Bae High School's regional disparagement

*This content was translated by AI.

"Can we blame only the students?"

These were the words of a high school coach regarding the recent controversy over Seoul Bae High School's baseball team mocking Gwangju Jeil High School (Gwangju Ilgo).

The Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA) imposed a six-month suspension from national tournament participation on Bae High School at its "11th Sports Korea Fair Trade Commission" meeting held on the 1st at Olympic Parktel in Seoul Songpa-gu. The suspension took effect starting with the second round of the 81st Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship and Weekend League King of Kings Tournament, which was scheduled for the 2nd; the match in question was ruled a forfeit loss for Bae High School. Disciplinary action against coaches and players will be deliberated at a later date.

The controversy erupted during the first round of the Cheongryonggi tournament on June 29 between Bae High School and Gwangju Jeil High School. During the latter half of the game, the Bae High School team repeatedly chanted slogans such as "Go ahead, go ahead, Starbucks, go ahead" toward Gwangju Jeil High School. At one point, a shout of "Tank Day" was also heard. The slogans "Starbucks, go ahead" and "Tank Day" are linked to the controversy surrounding Starbucks Korea's "Tank Day" marketing campaign held on the 18th, the anniversary of the the 18th Democratic Uprising.

On-site officials did not view this as mere jeering. Officials present, including KBO club scouts at the time, perceived it as clear regional disparagement and mockery. Gwangju Jeil High School immediately lodged a protest. While Bae High School promised an apology and prevention of recurrence after the game, the issue expanded beyond the baseball field to include the education sector, civil society, and the political sphere.

Amateur baseball has recently found itself at the center of social attention, albeit for negative reasons. Some are already worried that this incident will tarnish the image of amateur baseball, which had been gradually gaining interest thanks to the popularity of professional baseball. However, on the ground, voices of self-reflection are emerging, suggesting that indifference toward amateur baseball and the casual attitudes of adults—including coaches, parents, and association officials—were what fueled this situation.

This is not the first time that the overstepping "mockery" culture in amateur baseball has been criticized. This incident also gained wider attention because it occurred on a Monday when professional baseball was not being played, drawing many officials to Mokdong Baseball Field, which is relatively accessible.

Until now, expressions targeting opposing players' injury histories, the ages of redshirted players, specific regions, and even personal attacks were consumed under the guise of "cheering." Despite some raising concerns, on-site incidents often resulted only in warnings or cautions. As a result, expressions that clearly touch upon historical wounds were exposed outside the dugout, revealing an embarrassing face.

A KBO club scout, A, stated, "The mockery cheering from some teams recently has gone too far. It doesn't look good from a scout's perspective either. The sanctions are weak, and the coaches are disappointing."

It is reported that this is not the first time slogans mocking specific schools and regions have been used. According to officials, there were previous cases where regional high schools, including Gwangju Jeil High School, heard mocking chants from Seoul-based teams. A regional high school coach, B, said, "The mockery cheering from Seoul teams is indeed severe. It's even embarrassing to watch from the opposite side. You don't see this in regional weekend leagues. This was bound to happen eventually."

This also reveals why consistent attention must be paid to amateur baseball. While amateur baseball is called the birthplace and foundation of professional baseball, there has been a lack of sustained interest in actually observing the scene. This incident occurred because no one watched closely, treating it as a unique high school cheering culture and turning a blind eye. In the meantime, student-athletes failed to properly learn what constitutes cheering versus mockery, and where the line is drawn before hurting opponents and society.

This is why this incident cannot be concluded by blaming only some Bae High School student-athletes. On the ground, adults are seen as bearing significant responsibility. Another high school coach, C, emphasized, "This is an issue that coaches must address strongly. For children's culture to change, adults must step forward firmly. It is paramount for coaches and managers to teach well. If they explain clearly why such thoughts and actions cannot be done as humans or athletes, the children can change."

High school coach B also raised his voice, saying, "I have taught my school's students never to do such things. Why is mockery needed in baseball? Even elementary and middle schools don't do this. It is a shameful culture that must absolutely be eliminated as a bad habit. We must separately conduct character education to prevent such words from coming out."

Student-athletes are students first, not just baseball players. There were countless adults—coaches, umpires, parents, and officials—who could have pointed out the wrongdoings. However, by failing to speak up, these adults prevented students from having the opportunity to learn from their own mistakes.

For now, Bae High School's baseball team has accepted responsibility at the team level with a six-month suspension from national tournament participation. However, this disciplinary action alone cannot be seen as the end of the problem. If student-athletes spoke wrongly, adults must reflect on where those words originated and why they were not stopped in time. Now is the moment for the adults who have turned a blind eye to show action.

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*This content was translated by AI.