Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Ex-manager of Sammi Superstars dies at 84
By Park Ji-won
Kim Jin-young, former manager of the Sammi Superstars. Korea Times file
By Park Ji-won
Kim Jin-young, former manager of the professional baseball club Sammi Superstars and “Godfather” of Incheon baseball players, died in Florida, U.S., on Monday (local time). He was 84.
Born in Incheon in 1935, Kim's life was all about baseball. When he was a high school infielder at Incheon High School, his team won national baseball championships three times. He also played baseball in teams for the Korean Army and the Korean National Railroad until his retired as a player.
He changed his career to become a manager for multiple sports teams including the Korea Marine Corps and Inha University since 1966 until he joined the professional league. In 1982, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League was officially launched. A year later, he became manager of the Sammi Superstars, the now defunct Incheon-based club, replacing the first manager Park Hyun-sik.
After he took the post, the team was in the lead until May, but the team suspended his position after he was arrested for attacking and beating an umpire during a game to protest against a decision in June. He returned to the position in 1984, but the team never returned to its former glory.
When Punghan group bought the Sammi Superstars, it changed the club's name to Cheongbo Pintos in 1985. The new owner replaced Kim in a reshuffle. He later became manager of the Lotte Giants in 1990, but stepped down in the same year after the team suffered 18 consecutive losses.
He emigrated to the U.S. in 1994 and did not take a position related to baseball in Korea again. He is also the father of Kim Kyung-ki, former baseball player, manager and current baseball commentator of SPO TV.