'The Frog Bunt That Echoed in Jamsil → LG's First Championship in Club History' Former Manager Kim Jae-bak, Who Spent 44 Years with Jamsil: "A Nostalgic and Sad Feeling... I Will Never Forget It" [Jamsil On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"I think I will never forget Jamsil."

The star of the 'Frog Bunt,' which led Korean baseball to the pinnacle of the world in 1982, returned to Jamsil Baseball Stadium for the first time in 44 years. Former manager Kim Jae-bak (72), who experienced LG Twins' first championship as a player and led the golden era of the Hyundai Unicorns as a manager, bid farewell to Jamsil, which holds the history of Korean baseball.

Speaking with StarNews ahead of the 'Jamsil The Last Inning' game held at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 14th, former manager Kim Jae-bak said, "I started when professional baseball began. Of course, before that, I won a world championship in Jamsil as an amateur. It is a stadium full of memories for me."

Jamsil Baseball Stadium opened in 1982. The person who created the greatest moment in Korean baseball history that year was former manager Kim Jae-bak. In the final match between Korea and Japan at the 27th World Baseball Championship held in Jamsil on September 14, 1982, Korea faced a prime opportunity to tie the game with one out and a runner on third in the bottom of the eighth inning while trailing 1-2.

Starting shortstop Kim Jae-bak stepped up to the plate. When Japanese pitcher Nishimura Yukio threw the ball high and outside, wary of a bunt, Kim dove and extended his bat. The name 'Frog Bunt' was given because he jumped up like a frog to successfully execute the bunt.

The batted ball rolled toward third base, and in the meantime, the runner on third crossed home plate to make it 2-2. Subsequently, Han Dae-hwa hit a go-ahead three-run home run, and Korea defeated Japan 5-2 to win its first World Baseball Championship title. It was an iconic scene that cannot be omitted from Korean baseball history. Former manager Kim Jae-bak's bunt remains one of the moments representing Jamsil even after 44 years have passed.

Former manager Kim Jae-bak's story with Jamsil did not end there. He joined the MBC Dragons at the end of that season and entered professional baseball, going on to play as a representative shortstop in the league who excelled in offense, defense, and base running from the following year. He won the Golden Glove Award for shortstop four consecutive years from 1983 to 1986, and five times in total through 1989, earning the nickname 'The Fox of the Ground.'

In 1990, as a member of LG Twins, which was newly launched after acquiring MBC Dragons, he experienced the club's first championship. That year, LG defeated Samsung with four straight wins in the Korea Series to reach the top. When asked about his most memorable moment at Jamsil, former manager Kim Jae-bak reflected, "As a player, coming to LG and winning in the 1990s is what I remember most."

His connection to championships continued after becoming a coach. Former manager Kim led the Hyundai Unicorns to the Korea Series championship four times in 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2004. In particular, in 1998, he led Hyundai to its first championship by defeating his former team LG with a record of four wins and two losses.

He defeated Doosan in 2000, SK in 2003, and Samsung in 2004 in succession, establishing himself as a legendary manager representing the KBO League. From 2007 to 2009, he served as LG's manager and used Jamsil as his home again.

Former manager Kim Jae-bak said, "As a manager, while with the Hyundai Unicorns, I won championships in both Jamsil and Suwon. Since I won four times, it left good memories even as a manager."

The shortstop who reached the world's pinnacle as an amateur national team member in 1982 experienced LG's first championship in professional baseball, and later became the manager who directed Hyundai's four championships. Throughout that long journey, Jamsil was an indispensable stage. Former manager Kim emphasized, "Starting from then, I won a world championship, and when professional teams were formed, I won with a professional team too. Because it remains a stadium with good memories, I think I will never forget Jamsil."

Jamsil Baseball Stadium is scheduled to be demolished at the end of this year and reborn as a new dome stadium. Regret over the disappearance of a place filled with 44 years of memories and expectations for enjoying baseball in a better environment intersected.

Former manager Kim Jae-bak confessed, "In a way, I have a nostalgic and sad feeling, but on the other hand, thinking that they are building a dome stadium gives me a sense of comfort." He added, "A dome stadium allows players and baseball fans to watch games comfortably. It is also great that we can play baseball all-weather at any time," and conveyed, "It is welcome and I am very grateful that another very large dome stadium will be built in Seoul."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original