Park Chan-ho ends playing careet

Park Chan-ho speaks during a press conference in Seoul to announce his retirement from baseball, Friday. / Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

Park Chan-ho, the first Korean to play in Major League Baseball (MLB), wrapped up his storied career on Friday.

However, the veteran right-hander will still be seen around the diamond to help develop Korean baseball.

“It was a tough time to reach the decision, but I think that rather than an end, retirement is a new beginning for me, so I have decided to quit playing,” the 39-year-old said at a press conference in Seoul.

“I think I may be the luckiest guy in the history of Korean baseball. I was just a country boy who picked up baseball by chance. I just enjoyed playing the game and wanted to be better than my friends. I became more competitive, started winning championships, and eventually had the honor of playing in the majors for a long time.”

Park, a native of Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers out of Hanyang University in 1994 for $1.2 million (1.2 billion won) and became just the 18th player to make his professional debut in the big leagues.

During 17 MLB seasons, he played for seven teams — the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates and the Dodgers — with a 124-98 record with a 4.36 ERA over 476 games. His 124 victories are the most in Major League history by an Asian hurler. Park’s former Dodgers teammate, Japan’s Hideo Nomo, is ranked second with 123.

Park finished his big-league career last year by joining the Orix Buffaloes in Japan’s Pacific League and he pitched for the Hanwha Eagles in Korea this past season, with a 5-10 record and a 5.05 ERA.

He made it clear that there is a post-playing career plan involving the sport here, which requires him to study in the United States.

“I arrived in the Korea Baseball Organization this year with a plan to play one year and I achieved what I intended. As I have distinctly mapped out a new scheme for Korean baseball, I have reached my conclusion, leaving nothing behind,” he said.

“Throughout my career, I have always been interested in the technical side of the game and I want to teach young players some technical aspects through youth camps.

“I would also like to be involved in baseball administration and operations. I would like to act as a bridge between U.S. and Korean baseball and help the Korean league learn from the more advanced major leagues.”

Park said he would like to manage one day, but it is not yet the right time for him.

Along with solid numbers in the majors, Park holds some memorable yet dubious records during his long MLB journey.

Park served up a home run to Cal Ripken Jr. in the Hall of Famer’s final All-Star game in 2001 and allowed Barry Bonds’ record-breaking 71st and 72nd homers.

In addition, he became the only pitcher in league history to allow two grand slams in one inning to Fernando Tatis in 1999.

Here are five highlights from the right-hander’s career.

1. First win

On April 7, 1996, Park, who was stuck in the bullpen at that time, took the mound in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs, replacing injured Ramon Martinez.

Despite an unprepared appearance, he threw four scoreless innings and fanned seven for his first MLB victory. It also marked the first win by a Korean-born pitcher in the majors.

2. First complete game

Although Park moved into the Dodgers fulltime rotation in 1997, he did not do well as an innings eater until Aug. 11 that year when he recorded his first career complete game, again against the Cubs. He surrendered just one run on four hits over nine innings.

3. Bangkok Asian Games final

Park was named starter for the final of the 1998 Asian Games against Japan in Thailand’s capital city with his military service on the line and led his country to the gold medal, lasting seven innings and only allowing one run.

With the victory came exemption from Korea’s mandatory military service, as well as promoting the nation, which became a stepping stone for him to strike a lucrative $65 million free-agent deal with the Texas Rangers in 2001.

4. First home run

Aug. 25, 2000 may go down as one of Park’s most successful days, as he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Montreal Expos for his 13th win of the season.

However, the shutout was not the biggest highlight as the pitcher hit his first home run off fastballer Javier Vazquez.

5. Most wins by Asian player

In the twilight of his career, Park was dumped by the New York Yankees midway through the 2010 season and he settled in with the cellar-dwellers Pittsburgh Pirates just two wins short of breaking former Los Angeles Dodger Hideo Nomo’s record of the most wins by an Asian pitcher.

When he threw three innings as a relief pitcher in a game against the Florida Marlins he picked up his 124th win, the most by a pitcher born in Asia.