* Translated by AI

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'Why on earth' did it even come out, and now it's cancelled again → Stepping directly onto the ground at the scene... Even KBO officials came to 'verify in person' [Suwon Scene]

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Kim Woojong

*This content was translated by AI.

On the 23rd, a view of the ground near the third-base line at Suwon KT Wiz Park. /Photo=Reporter Kim Woo-jong
On the 23rd, a view of the ground near the third-base line at Suwon KT Wiz Park. /Photo=Reporter Kim Woo-jong

The rain has stopped and the sun has even peeked out, but there was nothing that could be done at Suwon KT Wiz Park. It was impossible to play a game on the mud-soaked ground.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 23rd that the game between Doosan Bears and KT Wiz, scheduled to be held at Suwon KT Wiz Park, was cancelled due to ground conditions.

It began on the 21st. It was the first of a three-game midweek series between Doosan and KT. At the time, KT was on a seven-game winning streak, while Doosan was on a three-game winning streak. The game seemed to be proceeding smoothly until the top of the sixth inning, when it suddenly faced a drastic change. Heavy rain poured down, and the umpires declared a suspension of play.

The time was 8:24 p.m. KT was leading 2-1 in the top of the sixth inning during Doosan's turn at bat. After one out, just as relief pitcher Lee Sang-dong was about to pitch to new foreign batter Severino for Doosan, the umpires stopped the game.

Although a tarp was placed over the field, water began to accumulate in the infield almost immediately. A little time passed, and then the rain gradually began to ease up. The umpires decided to resume play. Eventually, after 1 hour and 17 minutes (77 minutes), the game resumed at 9:41 p.m.

After that, the rain continued to fall and stop repeatedly. The ground was already thoroughly soaked. To make matters worse, both teams entered extra innings. After a fierce battle lasting until the 11th inning, they could not break the 2-2 tie. The game ended at 11:51 p.m.

KT Wiz Park. /Photo=Reporter Kim Dong-yoon
KT Wiz Park. /Photo=Reporter Kim Dong-yoon

The aftermath of this heavy rain was quite severe. Even on the following day, the 22nd, the ground conditions had not improved. And one more day passed to the 23rd. Rain fell in the Suwon area that morning as well. It was impossible to cover the ground with a tarp to dry the soil. Although the sun briefly began to shine in the afternoon, it was insufficient to dry it completely.

We went directly onto the ground to assess the condition. Stepping on the dirt caused our feet to sink deeply. Moreover, due to the slippery mud, our shoes slid easily, as if walking on an icy road. If someone were to twist an ankle, it could lead to a serious injury.

Kim Si-jin, KBO Game Supervisor, was present at the scene that day, along with officials from the KBO Operations Team who came out in person to inspect the condition. After making the decision to cancel the game, Kim met with reporters and said, "Playing games is a promise to fans. Both the club and everyone else try to conduct as many games as possible."

He continued, "However, it rained yesterday, so we couldn't cover the tarp today. As a result, the entire soil has become slippery. To lay new soil, we would have to overturn all the dirt on the ground. This might require about 100 tons of soil."

Supervisor Kim Si-jin said, "Originally, Suwon Wiz Park had excellent drainage. I used this field extensively during my time as a Hyundai Unicorns manager. Back then, it was hard." He added, "However, ahead of this season, all the ground soil was replaced. Therefore, the soil underneath has not yet hardened firmly. As I mentioned earlier, we want to proceed with games because they are a promise to fans, but if injuries occur, it would create further problems. As a game operations committee member, I am sorry," bowing repeatedly despite it not being his fault.

On the 23rd, a view of the ground near the third-base line at Suwon KT Wiz Park. /Photo=Reporter Kim Woo-jong
On the 23rd, a view of the ground near the third-base line at Suwon KT Wiz Park. /Photo=Reporter Kim Woo-jong

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*This content was translated by AI.

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