The season’s first showdown between Doosan Bears and Samsung Lions will be held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 25th. This is the first time Doosan coach Lee Seung-yeop, a former Lions franchise star and the main character of the club’s third permanent absence, visits Daegu wearing a bandalgom uniform.
Head coach Lee Seung-yeop went through Gyeongsang Middle School and Gyeongbuk High School and made his professional debut in 1995 wearing a Samsung uniform. During his career, he won MVP and Home Run Champion 5 times each, and Golden Glove 10 times, and still ranks first in career home run rankings. He has been active in Japanese professional baseball for 8 years from 2004 to 2011 and has experienced two Japan Series championships.
Also, wearing the Taegeuk mark, he won 1 gold medal in the Olympics (2008), 1 bronze medal (2000), 1 gold medal in the Asian Games (2002), and 3rd place in the World Baseball Classic (2006), leading the achievements and becoming a ‘national hitter’. was called After his retirement, he broadened his knowledge as a KBO league commentator and worked hard to establish a grassroots baseball culture by running the Lee Seung-yeop Baseball Scholarship Foundation.
Head coach Lee Seung-yeop, who met with reporters ahead of the match against KT in Jamsil on the 23rd, said, “I don’t feel anything special yet. Of course, it will be a game that draws attention. Friends in Daegu contacted me and said they made reservations. Professional baseball is gaining interest. If it helps, it’s good that this three-game series is highlighted.”
Head coach Lee Seung-yeop also added, “Of course, I will have new feelings when I meet my former club, but as Doosan coach, I will find a cool mind thinking only about our team’s victory.”
Lee Seung-yeop is not the only Lions legend visiting the Daegu Samsung Lions Park on this day. Senior coach Kim Han-soo cannot be left out.
Senior coach Kim Han-soo, who joined Samsung in 1994 after attending Gwangyeong High School and Chung-Ang University, participated in 1497 games and recorded a batting average of .289, 1514 hits, 149 home runs, 782 RBIs, 704 runs scored and 59 stolen bases. He also earned a reputation as the country’s best third baseman, winning six Golden Glove awards in his career (1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004).
After retiring from active duty, head coach Kim Han-soo served as the Futures defensive coach and first-team batting coach, and since 2014, he has been recognized for his outstanding leadership, such as making a big contribution to achieving a team batting average of 30% for two consecutive years. He held the Samsung baton for three years from 2017.
After stepping down from his position as head coach, he spent four years as an outsider. At the request of head coach Lee Seung-yeop, he took over as head coach of Doosan.
Coach Lee Seung-yeop said, “Head coach Kim Han-soo has been a teammate since he first came to the pro league. He was also the captain. He was a coach when he returned from Japan and a manager when he retired. He is someone who has experienced both players and staff. He knows a lot about me. I know the personality of coach Kim Han-soo,” he said.
He continued,메이저놀이터 “I thought I would like to work together someday. But the opportunity came. As an inexperienced manager, I believe in the role of head coach. My goal is to make Doosan a better team with good coordination.”
Senior coach Kim Han-soo, a former Samsung one-club man, also seems to feel that the Daegu 3-game series is unique. Head coach Kim Han-soo seems to have similar feelings to head coach Lee Seung-yeop. What is clear is that Doosan’s victory is the first goal.
