[Current & Culture] An Ajura by a Foreigner

There is a term called ‘Ajura.’ It originated from fans of a local baseball team shouting in the regional dialect, "Give it to the child," to spectators who caught foul balls. It’s hard to say whether it’s endearing or overly meddlesome. It seems to be a culture that has almost disappeared these days. Seeing children reaching out as if to retrieve a ball left behind can only be annoying. I have caught a few foul balls myself, but I have never given them to anyone and have kept them carefully. On August 17, a baseball team in the Seoul metropolitan area announced ‘Jovian Turnbull’ as the ceremonial first pitch thrower. He is neither a celebrity nor a prominent figure like a local association president or hospital director. He is introduced as a ‘foreign fan.’ The reason he was chosen to throw the first pitch is because of Ajura.

In July, at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, something happened. Jovian, who was sitting at third base cheering for the visiting team, chased after a foul ball hit by player Jo Yong-ho. He ran to catch it and, after competing with several people, found the ball under a chair and picked it up. Then, he handed it to a nearby child, bowed, greeted, and returned to his friends. This scene became a hot topic because the child who received the baseball was sitting in a wheelchair seat. The broadcast camera captured the moment perfectly. At that time, Jovian was wearing Jo Yong-ho’s uniform, and the team and player began searching for him based on that information.

Soon after, Jovian’s friend posted on social media (SNS). The content was so impressive that I still remember it. Here is a partial quote: "We are U.S. military stationed in Korea. … None of us had ever caught a foul ball before, so Jovian was very excited. As soon as he caught the ball, he saw the child in the wheelchair and realized from the heart that it was right to give the ball to him because the child could not come down the stairs to receive it himself."

When a foul ball falls into the stands, many people move to catch it. Whether children or adults, they run toward balls rolling under chairs or down stairs. It is a unique baseball culture where the finder becomes the owner. Jovian’s expression was truly joyful. It was his first foul ball in his life. However, at that moment, he saw the child in the wheelchair and understood that the child could not come down the stairs to catch the ball. In fact, the foul ball had fallen close to the child. If the child had been able to walk, the owner of the foul ball would have been different. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jovian approached the child and handed over his foul ball. According to his friend who wrote the post, Jovian knew from the heart that it was the right thing to do.

Looking at others at the happiest moment, considering them from their perspective, and willingly giving what one has. Thanks to such people, our lives move toward a better place, and baseball becomes more than just a simple ball game. Baseball is not just about playing baseball in the stadium. Player Jo Yong-ho, who remembered and sought out the kindness of someone wearing a uniform with his name on it, and the team officials who eventually found him and proposed the ceremonial first pitch, all did a wonderful thing. Above all, thanks to Jovian.

Kim Min-seop, Social and Cultural Critic

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