Park Jin-man hands out rice cakes, Lee Kang-cheol spins his waist… A burning desire for the championship [Korean Series Media Day On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The managers of the two teams facing off in the Korean Series did not hide their burning desire for the championship. Samsung Lions Manager Park Jin-man (50) distributed rice cakes to his players, while KT Wiz Manager Lee Kang-cheol (60) expressed his intention to continue his "magic waist-spinning" routine.

Manager Park Jin-man gifted specially ordered rice cakes to his team ahead of Game 5 of the playoffs against the KIA Tigers, held in Daegu on the 1st. The packaging featured a photo of Manager Park’s face along with the message: "Players, even if the batted ball comes at you like a broken cake, catch it perfectly –Park Jin-man–."

At the 2026 KBO League Korean Series media day held at Ramada Plaza Suwon on the 2nd, Manager Park Jin-man responded to a question regarding this matter by stating, "It was for (third baseman) Kim Young-woong and (first baseman) Diaz, who are both hot corners." He explained, "Diaz is a player with great pride in his defense, so I put my heart into hoping he would catch the ball perfectly after eating the rice cakes."

Earlier in the playoffs, Kim Young-woong and Diaz missed several hard-hit infield balls from the opposing team, providing opportunities for runs. In response, Manager Park conveyed his wish for the players to play more focused defense along with the rice cakes.

Manager Lee Kang-cheol also conveyed his determination not to shy away from superstitions in pursuit of victory. At the media day that day, he shared a fan question received via social media: "Every time the manager spins his waist in the dugout during a game, magic happens."

In response, Manager Lee said, "I have been someone who stretches frequently since my playing days, and when I get tense during a game, I naturally do waist exercises." He added with a smile, "A coach’s daughter reportedly told me that whenever I spin my waist, hits come out and we score in bulk. So, if the game doesn’t go well, I sometimes spin my waist just in case. I plan to spin it a lot in this Korean Series as well."

Both managers were star players during their playing careers and have both won the Korean Series MVP (Lee Kang-cheol in 1996, Park Jin-man in 2006). In short series, factors beyond team strength can significantly influence the atmosphere and the outcome of games. Knowing this better than anyone, the two managers demonstrated their will to put their heart into even the smallest details.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original