“Following my wife to Doosan, following my husband to LG” — Heavy rain couldn’t stop the 44th-year farewell to Jamsil Stadium: “I wish I could take the sunset with me” [Jamsil On-Site Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

“It is a place like an eternal friend, an eternal companion.”

“(If it were up to me,) I wish I could take the sunset at Jamsil Baseball Stadium with me.”

Even as rain poured down steadily, and despite supporting different teams, fans shared the same feelings toward Jamsil Baseball Stadium. Despite the bad weather, LG Twins and Doosan Bears fans held their families’ hands as they made their way to the stands. For some, it was the place where they first fell in love with baseball; for others, it was where they learned about the game alongside their parents.

On the 14th, “Jamsil The Last Inning by Renault” was held at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium. It was an event gathering 61 legends representing Korean baseball to commemorate Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which will be demolished at the end of this year.

Opened in 1982, Jamsil Baseball Stadium grew alongside the development of professional baseball in Korea. On August 1 of that year, the first professional baseball game was played between MBC Cheongryong and the Lotte Giants. In September, Korea defeated Japan at the World Baseball Championship to claim its first-ever title.

The Seoul-based team MBC Cheongryong used it as their home ground first, and in 1986, OB Bears moved in as promised, allowing the two teams to live under one roof. MBC changed its name to LG Twins in 1990, and OB became Doosan Bears in 1999, but the tradition of sharing Jamsil continued.

LG has memories of their championships in 1990 and 1994, as well as their triumph in 2023 after a 29-year wait. Doosan also left countless cheers at Jamsil while going through its golden era in the 2010s, including titles in 1995 and 2001. Although they were rivals who had to defeat each other at the same stadium, Jamsil was equally precious to fans of both teams.

In Young-gyo (38), a Doosan fan met that day, also formed a special bond at Jamsil. In smiled and said, “My wife was originally a Doosan fan. I didn’t have a specific team to support and only watched baseball occasionally, but after meeting my wife, I settled into being a Doosan fan.”

His first visit to Jamsil was in 2015, while he was dating his wife. At the time, Doosan’s starting pitcher was Dustin Nippert (45). He initially came along with his wife, but before long, he became a Doosan fan cheering together and waiting for a championship. In reflected, “Doosan won in 2019 as well, but I stopped visiting the stadium often because my first child was born then. So, the most special championship for me is the one in 2016.”

Nippert is more than just a foreign pitcher to Doosan fans. After joining Doosan in 2011, Nippert served as the team’s ace, recording 94 wins over seven seasons until 2017. In particular, in 2015, he was selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the playoffs and secured a victory in the Korea Series, leading Doosan to its first championship in 14 years.

The following year, he achieved a triple crown in wins, ERA, and winning percentage with an overwhelming record of 22 wins and 3 losses in 28 games, posting a 2.95 ERA. He swept the Regular Season MVP and the Golden Glove Award for pitchers, and led Doosan to back-to-back Korea Series titles. After spending his final season with KT Wiz in 2018, Nippert left behind a KBO League career record of 102 wins, 51 losses, and 1,082 strikeouts. In 2022, he was also selected as a KBO League 40th Anniversary Legend.

In stated, “I believe Nippert is a foreign pitcher worthy of having his number retired. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been done, but to Doosan fans, Nippert is an eternal retired number,” expressing his affection for the player.

He visited the stadium with his son, In Do-yoon (9), to see Nippert stand on the Jamsil mound again. Do-yoon said, “I first came here when Lotte and Doosan played two years ago,” adding with a bright smile, “It’s fun to watch baseball in such a big place.”

The stadium where he first went during his dating days has now become a place to build memories with his son. In said, “There is a generational gap between my son and me, but many legendary players from generations above mine also came. It is very meaningful and wonderful that I can share those memories and players with my son.”

When asked what Jamsil means to Doosan fans, In described it as an “eternal friend, eternal companion” and cited abundant food options as something he hopes will continue at the new Jamsil Baseball Stadium. Doosan fans are famously known for their dedication to food, often referred to as “Muk-san” (a portmanteau of “eating habits” and “Doosan Bears”). In laughed and said, “For Doosan fans, it’s about the food. I hope it will be better than now, but at least not less. Food is the most important thing for Doosan fans.”

LG fans also built love and family memories at Jamsil. For Lee Chang-hoon (42), Jamsil has been a place passed down from his father. Influenced by his father, who loved baseball since the MBC Cheongryong era, Lee first visited Jamsil Baseball Stadium in 1991. He grew up supporting LG and later had his first date with his wife at Jamsil as well.

This year, marking their 10th wedding anniversary, Lee returned to Jamsil with his wife, Kim Ji-hee (37), and their daughter. Lee said, “Today (the 14th) is also the last day, and it is a place full of wonderful memories. Since I had my first date with my wife at Jamsil, it is a very meaningful place, but this time we are visiting for the last time together with our child.”

Interestingly, Kim was originally a Doosan fan. She first visited Jamsil during her college years and supported Nippert and Son Si-hyun (46). However, while attending games with her husband, she naturally fell in love with the pinstripe uniform. Kim laughed and said, “I became an LG fan after going with my husband, but I was originally a Doosan fan. I liked players Nippert and Son Si-hyun, so it was really nice to see them again after a long time.” Lee also welcomed the legends he met that day. He said, “I really liked ‘Labang’ Lee Byung-gyu, so it was enjoyable to see him after a long time.”

The 2023 LG Korea Series championship is also an unforgettable memory for the Lee Chang-hoon and Kim Ji-hee couple. That year, LG defeated KT Wiz in Game 5 of the Korea Series held at Jamsil to reach the top for the first time in 29 years. The couple witnessed that historic moment on-site. Lee reflected, “Like all LG fans, during the somewhat long dark period, everyone probably kept their fan spirit hidden. But because our love for LG never changed, I think all those feelings were compressed and then burst out all at once in 2023.”

Now, Jamsil will disappear into history after the 2026 season. The Seoul city government is pushing a project to build a 30,000-seat dome stadium on the site of the existing Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The target completion date is 2032. In the meantime, LG and Doosan are scheduled to use Jamsil Olympic Stadium as their alternative home ground for five seasons from 2027 to 2031.

Although the coexistence of the two teams will continue at the new stadium, it is impossible to transfer everything that could be felt at the current Jamsil as-is. For Lee, Jamsil Baseball Stadium was not just a place to watch baseball games and check the results before leaving.

Lee said, “I think Jamsil was a place of mental rest for LG fans. On weekends, we would come here to relax, and even after our wedding, we came to Jamsil for fun. We would stop by even if there were gatherings nearby.” He added, “It seems like it was a resting space where we shared good memories and time together.”

His wife Kim expressed her expectations for the new dome stadium along with regret over the disappearance of the current Jamsil. Kim said, “When I think of Jamsil Baseball Stadium, I liked the open feeling. But if it changes to a dome stadium, that will be gone, so that is the part I miss the most.”

She then smiled and said, “Still, coming here with my daughter feels like we left behind one photo to remember when Jamsil opens anew in the future, which makes me very happy.” At Jamsil, where LG and Doosan shared victories and defeats for 44 years, fans formed bonds, became family, and returned to the stadium.

When asked what they definitely wanted to take from the last Jamsil to the new baseball stadium, Kim paused for a moment before answering:

“(If it were up to me,) I wish I could take the sunset at Jamsil Baseball Stadium with me.”

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

*This content was translated by AI.View Original