The Korea Herald

[Weekender] En-chanting times at ball games

Oct 14, 2016

Spectators come in representative colors. Electrically amplified cheering and sing-alongs by fans of each team echo throughout ball parks. Cheerleaders, dancing along to K-pop hits during the breaks, wow the tens of thousands in the crowd. The cheering culture of South Korean baseball fans can be overwhelming -- something akin to the overflowing emotions pioneered by the high-profile cheering squad at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. Back then, a number of Korean soccer fans clad in trademark red
[Weekender] Delectable wonders at baseball stadiums in Korea

Oct 14, 2016

Hot dogs and nachos are often associated with baseball in the United States. For Korean baseball fans, however, the range of options is far wider. The variety of food available at ball games is a boon for Korean baseball buffs, including Kim Young-won, who frequented the Lotte Giants’ home ground Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan city during the time he lived there.“You only really go to the stadium for the food and the fun that comes with it,” Kim said, “The distance to the field is too far from
Seoul clubs to renew rivalry in postseason baseball

Oct 12, 2016

Two Seoul clubs -- the Nexen Heroes and the LG Twins -- will renew their Korea Baseball Organization rivalry when they meet in the first round playoff series starting Thursday.The Heroes finished third in the regular season and will have the home field advantage in the best-of-five set. Game 1 is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Gocheok Sky Dome.The Twins finished fourth in the standings and dispatched the fifth-seed Kia Tigers in the wild-card game.This is their first meeting in the playoffs since
Rangers' Choo Shin-soo picks up RBI in ALDS loss to Blue Jays

Oct 7, 2016

Texas Rangers' outfielder Choo Shin-soo picked up an RBI in three at-bats as his club was routed by the Toronto Blue Jays 10-1 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.Choo drove in the Rangers' only run with a groundout in the top of the ninth, while striking out twice in his first two at-bats at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday (local time). The Jays wielded hot bats to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.Batting ninth and playing right field, Choo struck out loo
LG Twins to host baseball's wild card game

Oct 7, 2016

The LG Twins will host South Korean baseball's wild card game next week, after locking down the fourth spot in the Korea Baseball Organization Thursday.The Seoul-based Twins defeated the Lotte Giants 4-1 on the road in Busan to improve to 71-70-2 (wins-losses-ties). They hold a 1.5-game lead over the Kia Tigers, who lost to the Samsung Lions 4-3 and fell to 70-72-1. Both the Twins and the Tigers have one regular season game remaining.They will clash in the wild card game at 6:30 p.m. Monday at J
Two Koreans to see postseason action in MLB

Oct 3, 2016

Two South Koreans will see postseason action in Major League Baseball this month.The regular season wrapped up across the United States Sunday (local time) with 15 games.Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers will be in the postseason for the second straight year. The Rangers have long clinched the American League West division crown and have also secured a home field advantage throughout the postseason with the best record in the AL at 95-67. They lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 Sunday.Choo has had
Doosan Bears clinch baseball pennant

Sept 23, 2016

The Doosan Bears clinched their first South Korean baseball pennant in 21 years with a 9-2 victory over the KT Wiz on Thursday.At 90-46-1 (wins-losses-ties), the Bears secured first place in the Korea Baseball Organization with seven games remaining. The second-place NC Dinos beat the Hanwha Eagles 7-2 on Thursday to sit 11.5 games behind at 74-53-3, but they will not catch the Bears even if they win their remaining 14 games.The Bears won the 2015 Korean Series after finishing third in the regul
Pirates' Kang Jung-ho stays hot with two-run double

Sept 9, 2016

When you're hot, you're hot. Just ask Kang Jung-ho, the third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Kang hit a two-run double against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Thursday (local time), helping the Pirates to a 4-1 victory.Kang entered the game having belted three homers in his past two games. And in his first at-bat against the Reds in the bottom of the first, Kang sent a two-out double to left center, bringing two runners home to give the Bucs an early lead.Kang moved to third
Baseball commentator found dead in apparent suicide amid fraud allegations

Sept 8, 2016

A South Korean baseball commentator was found dead Thursday, police said, in an apparent suicide that occurred a few months after he was indicted over allegations of fraud.Police said an employee found the body of Ha Il-sung, 67, hanging in his office in Songpa Ward, eastern Seoul, at around 8 a.m.A suicide note has not been found yet. In July, the Busan District Prosecutors' Office indicted Ha on charges of receiving 50 million won ($45,800) from an acquaintance in April 2014 without the intent
Pitcher banned for match-fixing issues online apology

Sept 6, 2016

A former baseball pitcher banned for life four years ago for match-fixing issued an online apology Tuesday, saying he simply "wants to live like everyone else.""I've had a lot of time for self-reflection over this," wrote Park Hyun-joon on his Facebook page. "I did an unforgivable thing, but I decided to write this message because I wanted to go on with my life. I won't ask for your forgiveness. I just want to go out in the world."The 29-year-old received a suspended jail term and a fine of 7 mi
Baseball pitcher gets 10-month suspended sentence for match-fixing

Aug 26, 2016

A local court on Friday slapped a suspended sentence with probation on a baseball pitcher for fixing games.The Changwon District Court sentenced NC Dinos pitcher Lee Tae-yang, who was indicted on charges of fixing games in the Korea Baseball Organization, to a 10-month jail term with a stay of execution for two years. The court also ordered the 23-year-old right-hander to forfeit 20 million won ($17,940) and serve 200 hours of community service. "Match fixing from pro athletes can't be accepted
KBO baseball pitcher denies involvement in match-fixing scandal

Aug 10, 2016

Police questioned a Korean pitcher Wednesday, looking into his alleged engagement in a match-fixing scandal that has plagued Korea’s top baseball league. 　 Lee Jae-hak, a right-handed starting pitcher for the NC Dinos, denied allegations he had deliberately allowed walks in the first inning of games during the 2014 Korean Baseball Organization league. 　 Pitcher Lee Jae-hak (Yonhap)Lee, 25, has constantly denied that he manipulated games, only to be sent to the second-tier league in accordance wi
Baseball pitchers cleared of Internet gambling charges, probe suspended

Aug 10, 2016

Prosecutors on Tuesday cleared South Korean baseball pitchers An Ji-man and Yun Sung-hwan of illegal Internet gambling charges, but said further investigation is needed in regards to their overseas gambling allegations.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, however, temporarily suspended the investigation as the whereabouts of gambling site operators who can possibly give reference on the case have not been clear. Prosecutors have put them on the wanted list.The two players, affiliated
KBO players' association apologizes for match-fixing scandal

Aug 8, 2016

The umbrella group for South Korean professional baseball players on Monday apologized for a recent match-fixing scandal involving their members and pledged to come up with strict punishment for those who commit such wrongdoings.The Korea Professional Baseball Players Association said it feels responsible for the match-fixing scandal involving players in the Korea Baseball Organization that is still being investigated by the police. So far, three players -- Lee Tae-yang of the NC Dinos, outfield
KT Wiz sign castoff for rotation help

Jul 29, 2016

South Korean baseball club KT Wiz said Friday they've signed a castoff from another club for rotation help.The Wiz in the Korea Baseball Organization acquired left-hander Ryan Feierabend, who was released by the Nexen Heroes last Friday when they signed Andy Van Hekken.The Wiz will be on the hook for the duration of Feierabend's $450,000 contract.The Wiz, a second-year franchise mired in last place in the 10-club league, had released Yohan Pino last Sunday.KBO teams can each sign up to three for