"It felt like the house I lived in was disappearing, and it brought tears to my eyes"... Yoo Hee-gwan, who holds the record for the most wins by a left-handed pitcher at Jamsil Stadium, carried with him the traces of Jamsil rather than his regrets

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Jamsil Baseball Stadium holds a special meaning for Yoo Hee-gwan (40), a pitcher with 101 career wins. For Yoo, who has recorded more wins at Jamsil than any other left-handed pitcher in the history of Korean baseball, it was an unforgettable day.

A special game was held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 14th. Sixty-one retired professional baseball stars gathered to take in their final view of Jamsil Baseball Stadium while playing a memorable match.

The game was also special for Yoo Hee-gwan, a one-club man for the Doosan Bears who used Jamsil as his home ground throughout his playing career.

Taking the mound as a KBS baseball commentator, he wore a microphone and pitched while engaging in lively conversation with the broadcast team. He engaged in a rivalry with Park Yong-taek and Lee Byung-gyu, star players of the Jamsil rival LG Twins, and provided various highlights by throwing his trademark slow curveball against senior players who were like the sky to him.

He was busy in the dugout as well. As the youngest member of the team, he spent a hectic day running errands for his seniors.

At the same time, he did not neglect making final memories at Jamsil Stadium. He took photos whenever he had a chance to leave behind memories, and thus bid farewell to Jamsil.

After the game ended, Yoo Hee-gwan met with reporters and said, "Being able to play alongside senior players I only watched on TV when I was young and having my name included among them is itself an unforgettable special day for me." He added, "Various emotions are crossing my mind, and it feels as if the house I lived in is disappearing. So, out of regret, I brought back a little dirt from the mound."

After the game ended, Yoo Hee-gwan headed to the mound and crouched down to scoop up dirt. He wanted to somehow keep a trace of Jamsil Stadium. He said, "It was too regrettable to just leave. I will take it home and display it as a memento." He added, "If my heart is with me, I would like to come even on the day it is demolished."

He continued, "Jamsil Stadium will disappear, but it will remain forever in the hearts of baseball fans and players. It will be a place with many memories where people came holding their parents' hands when they were young, came with romantic partners, and came even after getting married and having children." He emphasized, "It is also a special space for fans. Even now, whenever Jamsil Baseball Stadium comes up in conversation, I feel emotional. Because it is a place that contains all joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness, it will be impossible to forget."

For Yoo Hee-gwan, the stadium was a place where many memories were buried. Despite earning the nickname "The Aesthetics of Slowness" for his not-so-fast pitches, he secured 101 wins based on precise control. Yoo Hee-gwan was the pitcher who most cleverly utilized Doosan's tight defense and the characteristics of the spacious Jamsil Stadium. As a result, he left his name in history as the left-handed pitcher with the most wins (62) at Jamsil Stadium.

He said, "It was an incredibly comfortable stadium for pitchers. Every time I pitched, senior Kim Jae-ho provided solid defense behind me." He did not hide his pride, adding, "I will go around telling people that I am the left-handed pitcher with the most wins at Jamsil."

While parting with a beloved stadium is painful, he also emphasized the need for better infrastructure for fans. Yoo Hee-gwan said, "There are many memories, but even the away team's locker room is too old." He expressed expectations for the new stadium, adding, "It will be good in that regard because many fans can watch baseball without worry at a better stadium even on rainy days."

Finally, Yoo Hee-gwan did not forget his respect for the senior players who helped him grow and nurture his dreams alongside this stadium. Listing the names of seniors such as Park Chul-soon, Kim Dong-ju, and Son Si-heon, he said, "It has been a long time since I last saw you, and I feel the weight of time greatly. I hope that senior players will continue to run around healthily for Korean baseball in the future." He conveyed his sincere feelings, adding, "I do not know when I will return to the field again, but I want to be of some help to Korean baseball."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original