The star of the "Dream Home Run Derby" was not Yeop, Dae, or Baeng, but Kim Tae-gyun! He cleared the vast Jamsil field again and again [Jamsil On-Site]

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It was not Lee Seung-yeop (50), the legend with 626 home runs, nor Lee Dae-ho (44), who hit home runs in nine consecutive games for the first time in the world, nor Park Byung-ho (41), a six-time home run champion. Kim Tae-gyun (44) confidently claimed victory in the legends' home run derby.

Kim Tae-gyun was crowned the home run king with three points in the home run derby held during the "Jamsil The Last Inning by Renault" Legends Match on the 14th at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

This game, hosted by the Ilgu Association, came together as retired professional baseball legends gathered to mark the final days of Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which will be demolished at the end of this season.

A special event was held after the fourth inning ended. A home run showdown among legends, something only imaginable in dreams, unfolded.

The youngest, Park Byung-ho (40), stepped up first. Park Byung-ho, who ranks fourth all-time with 418 home runs in the KBO League, was a slugger who had won the home run title six times in history.

However, Park Byung-ho, who had put down his bat after retiring in 2022, was not as he used to be. Failing to produce any notable long hits in six at-bats, Park Byung-ho hit the final ball the farthest but could not clear the fence.

The second batter was Lee Dae-ho (44). Ranking fifth all-time with 374 home runs, Lee Dae-ho is also a slugger who has won the home run title twice and holds the world record for hitting home runs in nine consecutive games for the first time.

Lee Dae-ho hit a massive ball that struck the fence directly on his first at-bat and immediately connected his third ball into a home run. The high-flying ball soared well over the left field fence. His fourth ball headed to a similar location. Cheering erupted from the stands.

After six outs were recorded, he hit a service ball. The ball flew for a long time but landed in the deepest part of the center field at Jamsil Stadium, dropping on the warning track and leaving a sense of regret. It was a ball that allowed one to feel the vast scale of Jamsil Stadium until the very last moment.

It was Kim Tae-gyun's (44) turn third. Ranking 14th all-time with 311 home runs, Kim Tae-gyun had been more formidable as a medium-to-long distance hitter rather than a home run specialist, but he possessed the power to have won the home run title once.

After clearing the left field fence in his practice swing, Kim Tae-gyun hit consecutive large balls, but they repeatedly landed just short of the fence. His sixth ball finally cleared the left field fence, and by knocking down the service ball, he jumped to first place with three home runs.

The last to step up was Lee Seung-yeop (50). The legend Lee Seung-yeop, who hit 467 home runs in the KBO League alone to rank second all-time and 626 home runs combined in Korea and Japan, felt his advanced age most acutely as he failed to produce a home run, leaving a sense of regret.

The enduring power of Kim Tae-gyun and Lee Dae-ho was impressive, but in fact, it was not important who hit more home runs. The scene of past home run champions gathering together to compete cheerfully could remain as another gift that becomes a memory for baseball fans.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original