Retired baseball star hits lifetime home run in Laos
Retired baseballer Lee Man-soo speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Songdo, Nov. 18. /Korea Times Photo by Choi Won-sukLaunching national baseball teams and building a ball park in LaosBy Kim Se-jeongFor older baseball fans who've watched the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League since 1982 when it was launched, former Samsung Lions catcher Lee Man-soo is a player hard to miss. Lee hit KBO's first home run in the opening game against the then MBC Blue Dragons, now the LG Twins, which helped him earn the nickname “Hulk” after the U.S. TV series that was a big hit in Korea back then. By 1984, he was the leader in home runs, RBIs and batting average ― a triple achievement few other baseball players have achieved. Between 1983 and 1987, he was the All-Star catcher.Lee attracted thousands of fans to baseball stadium.Then-SK Wyverns coach Lee Man-soo runs around the Incheon baseball stadium during his team's game against KIA to entertain baseball fans in May 2007. /Korea Times fileIn 1997, he retired from his then baseball club and flew to the United States for
