"What Exactly Is Baseball?" Fans Cry and Laugh Over Lee Seung-yeop at 'Lafak'

"I was so frustrated that I couldn't sleep." (Doosan Bears fan), "The batting lineup was good, but a bit worrisome." (Samsung Lions fan)

On the afternoon of the 27th, the game between the Samsung Lions and Doosan Bears held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park (Lafac) ended with Samsung's second consecutive win. On baseball-related communities, there were heated debates about Doosan's late pitcher substitution timing and Samsung's strong batting lineup.

Among baseball fans, this game held significance beyond a regular professional baseball match. This is because Doosan's manager is Lee Seung-yeop. Manager Lee was born and raised in Daegu, debuted with Samsung in 1995, and played exclusively for Samsung for 15 years as a franchise star (a representative player symbolizing the team), retiring in 2017. Wearing the Samsung uniform, he hit 467 home runs, ranking first all-time in the KBO League. With such a player visiting 'Lafac' as the opposing manager, the media called it "the biggest big match of this season" and paid close attention.

The event was also a commercial success. On the 26th, the first game day, 9,213 spectators attended Lafac. Considering it was a weekday game, this is a high number. According to the Samsung team, the average weekday attendance at Lafac this season was 4,879 over five games. Nearly twice as many fans as usual visited the ballpark.

On the 26th, a professional baseball game between the Doosan Bears and Samsung Lions was held at Daegu Samsung Lions Park. In the bottom of the 4th inning, Samsung's Koo Ja-wook hit a solo home run.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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Reviewing the game process, it was dramatic. Coincidentally, Samsung hit home runs against the "national batter" and "home run king" Lee Seung-yeop in both the first and second games. On the 26th, with the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the 4th inning, Koo Ja-wook came up as the leadoff batter and hit a solo home run over the right fence off pitcher Ra?l Alc?ntara's 149 km/h fastball. The home run ball flew to the spot where Lee Seung-yeop's mural was painted. Then, on the 27th, Oh Jae-il hit a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the 7th inning with two outs and bases loaded. The dugouts of both teams showed clear joy and sorrow, and the stands reflected the same.

However, this is all from the perspective of baseball fans. Those who do not like baseball or are interested in other sports may not understand this situation. Actor Ha Jung-woo said in the Tving show "Our Game: LG Twins," released on the 13th, "What on earth is baseball, what is baseball that..." expressing his inability to understand the behavior of baseball fans.

But as Ha Jung-woo himself said, he has been an LG Twins fan to the bone since the 1980s MBC Blue Dragons (the predecessor of LG Twins) era and played in the LG Children's Baseball Team. Still, he questioned, "Why on earth is baseball such a big deal?"

"Pitcher Kim Dae-jung is coming in... 'Tears of Mokpo' from the stands..."

As Ha Jung-woo said, what is it about baseball that stirs fans so much? What impact has baseball had on our society? According to the study "A Theoretical Study on the Evolution of Korean Baseball Spectator Culture," published in 2011 in the Korean Society of Sport Sociology (authors Lee Ju-yeon and Lee Ye-won), professional baseball is inherently closely linked to political and social situations.

One example is that in the 1980s, there was a player named Kim Dae-jung on the Binggrae Eagles (now Hanwha Eagles). Whenever this player took the mound at Gwangju Mudeung Stadium, the song "Tears of Mokpo" automatically played from the stands. It is analyzed that baseball stadiums in the 1980s were places where citizens, oppressed by the times, vented intense emotions.

In the 1990s, with economic growth, the culture shifted from watching baseball alone to enjoying it with family in a prosperous social atmosphere. This was also the time when "MBC Blue Dragons children's fan members" began appearing as "LG Twins fans" with their families.

Especially after LG's championship in 1994, the sophisticated team name, uniform, and Seoul base attracted numerous male and female baseball fans to the ballpark. From this period, female fans gradually increased, and the spending of spectators on baseball also rose. This shows the economic and social impact of professional baseball.

Doosan Bears Manager Lee Seung-yeop Photo by Yonhap News

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Why and who? ... The worst spectator invasion incident

Along with the soaring popularity of professional baseball, some incidents caused frowns. The so-called "Jamsil Stadium riot incident." On August 26, 1990, during a game between the Haitai Tigers (now Kia Tigers) and LG Twins, about 500 away-team Haitai fans collectively invaded the stadium. The Jamsil Stadium riot was triggered by away-team cheering fans and was a large-scale incident that escalated into a social problem due to its sudden and unclear cause.

The day after the incident, on the 27th, even the president expressed his position. Former President Roh Tae-woo said, "Acts of riot in a game where fair play should be upheld are unacceptable for any reason, especially in a country that has hosted the Olympics. Democracy must be based on law and order, and the trend of using violence to achieve one's goals must be eradicated. Identify those involved and strictly punish them according to the law." Nineteen spectators were arrested due to this incident. The resumed game ended with LG's 13:1 victory.

Jamsil Baseball Stadium Photo by Yonhap News

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Professional baseball's economic value exceeds 1 trillion won... advertising effect over 100 billion won

In the 2000s, professional baseball's position changed significantly from an industrial perspective. According to a "Forbes Korea" survey, as of 2019 before COVID-19, the economic value of professional baseball teams reached 1.3898 trillion won. This self-assessment was based on the market value of 10 teams, stadium value, salaries, and broadcasting rights fees.

Moreover, the title sponsorship fees for professional baseball have continued to rise. The amount of title sponsorship is also a criterion for judging the value of the league. According to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), the first regular season title sponsor was Samsung Securities in 2000, with a scale of 3 billion won. The increase since then has been even greater. In 2011, Lotte Card paid 5 billion won; in 2014, Korea Yakult 6.5 billion won; and in 2015, Tire Bank signed a 3-year 21 billion won deal, steadily increasing the scale. Korea Yakult reportedly achieved advertising exposure effects exceeding 100 billion won, according to KBO estimates.

Sports critic Choi Dong-ho said, "The first factor for professional baseball's popularity can be seen as strong regionalism." He added, "Because of this, loyalty to the teams has continued until now." He also emphasized, "Another factor for popularity is that the baseball stadium infrastructure has improved significantly compared to the past. When you go to the stadium, you can enjoy not only baseball but also many facilities for eating and entertainment. The cheering culture and so on mean that professional baseball has also embraced an entertainment role."

He continued, "Baseball constantly generates issues. For example, Kiwoom pitcher Ahn Woo-jin is talented but was involved in a school violence controversy. Such issues are continuously reported by the media, so fans inevitably pay attention. This is also related to professional baseball's popularity." Regarding the recent increase in sports documentaries about baseball, he analyzed, "(It is) not only the development of baseball culture but also the advancement of sports marketing."

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