Jamsil: A Testament to Legends' Memories → 'From the era when LG lost 15 straight games to Doosan, up to the physical altercation between An Kyung-hyun and Bong Jung-keun' — This baseball stadium is disappearing!

*This content was translated by AI.

Two legends who once dominated the Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium stepped onto the mound, which will disappear into history at the end of this season, to reflect on their fiery active careers.

LG Twins' eternal "Captain" Park Yong-taek (47) and Kim Jae-ho (41), formerly known as Doosan Bears' "genius shortstop," jointly threw ceremonial first pitches at the "2026 KBO Futures All-Star Game" held on the 10th at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, located in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Both are franchise stars who spent nearly two decades playing exclusively for their respective teams while using Jamsil as their home field. With junior players Park Hae-min (LG Twins) and Jeong Soobin (Doosan Bears) serving as catchers, they threw powerful pitches and then met with reporters immediately after the ceremony, overcome with nostalgia.

Jamsil Stadium is scheduled to be demolished at the end of this season to make way for a new 30,000-seat domed stadium set to be completed in 2032. Until stepping onto the mound that day, Park Yong-taek had remained calm, but he admitted, "Once I actually stood on the mound, I realized, 'This is truly the last time.'" He added, "As the season draws to a close, my emotions are likely to become even more intense." Kim Jae-ho, who played at Jamsil for an impressive 21 years, also shared his feelings: "Even when Dongdaemun Stadium was demolished in the past, I only felt the emptiness after it was actually torn down. If Jamsil Stadium is truly demolished, I think my heart will be deeply affected."

The two legends' conversation naturally turned to memories of the fiery "Jamsil Rivalry Games." Park Yong-taek recalled, "When playing against Doosan, not only did fans show great interest, but also front office executives and senior management from parent companies became highly engaged, creating a unique sense of tension every time." Kim Jae-ho nodded in agreement, saying, "There was an invisible rivalry dynamic. Many games against LG were ones where you absolutely could not relax your focus until the final out."

Especially during that day's interview, behind-the-scenes stories about the "spicy" atmosphere that once heated up Jamsil Stadium poured out, drawing attention. Bowing his head as he recalled the painful memory of the 2018 season when his team suffered a 15-game losing streak against Doosan while serving as captain, Park Yong-taek surprisingly brought up the "2007 An Kyung-hyun and Bong Jung-keun brawl (the backdrop incident)," which remains widely discussed among baseball fans. Kim Jae-ho commented on the backdrop incident at the time, saying, "I believe I was in the military during that period."

Kim Jae-ho also referenced the 2016 season during intense rivalry games against LG. He recalled, "That year, relief pitcher Jung Jae-hoon suffered an injury from a hit by (Park) Yong-taek's pitch — a moment I still remember vividly as it was crucial for our team at the time." Ultimately, Jung Jae-hoon (now Doosan Bears pitching coach) retired from active play after the 2016 season. While fierce battles and even memories of injuries have now become shared stories told with smiles, the vast battlefield where these two fiercely clashed is now set to disappear into history.

The two legends also did not forget to express their wishes and hopes for the upcoming new Jamsil Stadium. Park Yong-taek remarked, "Just a few years ago, visiting teams had to change clothes in the corridors of Jamsil Stadium because both teams' facilities were so inadequate. I hope the new stadium will have ample facilities so players can live without any shortages." Kim Jae-ho added, "I hope that instead of us traveling abroad to inspect domed stadiums, a world-class premium domed stadium will be built in Korea that foreign teams will want to visit for inspections."

Meanwhile, they did not forget to offer their support for their original teams as they spent their final seasons. Park Yong-taek expressed his unwavering love for his former team by wishing LG a "championship" this year, while Kim Jae-ho prayed for Doosan's "qualification for autumn baseball," leaving the stadium with heartfelt sentiments.

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*This content was translated by AI.