Why Did He Take the Mound at Busan Sajik Stadium? Hospital Director Throws First Pitch at Lotte Giants Game

Director Nam Tae-uk of Himnaera Hospital, Sewing Baseball Stitches Instead of Surgical Threads

Lotte and UNICEF Celebrate 10th Anniversary of Social Contribution Agreement, Hospital Also Participates

On April 11, Nam Tae-wook, director of Himnae Hospital, is throwing the first pitch at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] It was on the afternoon of the 11th when an orthopedic specialist suddenly took the mound at Sajik Baseball Stadium.

Instead of surgical thread that day, the one who grabbed the baseball stitches was Director Nam Tae-wook of Himnaera Hospital (Beomil-dong, Dong-gu, Busan).

Why did he appear as the ceremonial first pitch thrower for the third game of the home opener, right when the Korean Professional Baseball season was in full swing to gain an early advantage?

The eight co-directors of Himnaera Hospital are all baseball enthusiasts. Their fan team is the Lotte Giants, based in Busan.

Since last year, they have been designated as the official hospital for the Lotte Giants and have been showing their love for baseball by providing medical support activities at Sajik Baseball Stadium.

The Lotte Giants have maintained a social contribution agreement with UNICEF for 10 years.

Himnaera Hospital participated in the donation for this 10th anniversary event. The Lotte team expressed their gratitude with the ‘ceremonial first pitch’. So, who will throw now?

Among the directors, one who is active as an amateur baseball club member and another were shortlisted as the final two. The result was that the elder, Director Nam, was selected.

Nam Tae-wook, director of Himnae Hospital (center), who threw the ceremonial first pitch at the game between Lotte and Kiwoom.

Two days earlier, popular actor Ji-sung took the mound for the professional baseball season opener ceremonial first pitch.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the UNICEF and Lotte Giants agreement, and Ji-sung serves as a special representative of the UNICEF Korea Committee.

The connection with the ‘Schools for Asia’ campaign, an Asian children’s education campaign sponsored by the Lotte Giants since 2016, brought Ji-sung to the ceremonial first pitch mound.

Himnaera Hospital, where Director Nam Tae-wook, the ceremonial first pitch thrower on the third day of the home opener, works, is a hospital specializing in spine and joint treatment, established in March 2015 in Beomil-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, with 84 beds.

In January last year, the inpatient rooms were expanded to 121 beds, and in February, it was selected as the official designated hospital of the Lotte Giants.

In October last year, it received the Minister’s Award in the social welfare category at the Ministry of Health and Welfare Public Policy Awards.

After throwing a ‘fastball’ ceremonial first pitch, Director Nam Tae-wook proudly said, “Our hospital’s pride is the one-stop system that allows same-day admission, diagnosis, procedure, and discharge for patient convenience.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.