Professional baseball league, highest level of baseball in South Korea
The
KBO League
(
Korean
:
KBO 리그
) is the highest level league of
baseball in South Korea
. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea.
[1]
The
Kia Tigers
are the most successful team, having won 11 of the 42 championships.
In comparison with American
Major League Baseball
,
ESPN
reports that the KBO level of play "appears to be somewhere between
Double-A
and
Triple-A
, on average, though the best players are more likely to be MLB-quality than your typical Double-A league."
[2]
Historically, the KBO is known for its
vocal and exuberant fan base
,
[3]
[4]
as well as the widespread practice of
bat flips
(
ppa-dun
(
Korean
:
빠던
), a
portmanteau
of the "first syllables of the words for 'bat' and 'throw'")
[5]
[6]
by hitters after stroking what they think will be a home run.
[5]
[6]
In the KBO, the bat flipping tradition dates to the 1990s.
[6]
League structure
[
edit
]
Regular season
[
edit
]
Since the 2015 season, each team plays 144 games in the regular season, an increase from 128 games, along with the introduction of the
KT Wiz
to the league. Each team plays every other team 16 times.
[7]
[8]
In general, Korean teams play six games a week, with every Monday off.
KBO All-Star Game
[
edit
]
In mid-July of every season, the best players participate in the KBO All-Star Game. The franchises participating are divided into two sets of teams: "Dream All-Stars" (Doosan, KT, Lotte, Samsung, and SSG) and "Nanum All-Stars" (Kia, Hanwha, LG, NC and Kiwoom).
Post-season
[
edit
]
The KBO League's season culminates in its championship series, known as the
KBO Korean Series
. Currently, the top five teams qualify for the post-season based on win?loss records. The lowest-qualifying teams face off in a step-ladder playoff system, where each winner then faces the next-highest team, culminating in the Korean Series against the top-ranked team.
[8]
- KBO Wild Card Game
: fifth-place team vs. fourth-place team
- Fourth-place team starts the series with a 1?0 lead and advances with one win or a tie, while the fifth-place team must win twice to advance.
- KBO Semi-playoffs
: KBO Wild Card Game winner vs. third-place team
- Best of five series.
- KBO Playoffs
: KBO Semi-playoffs winner vs. second-place team
- Best of five series.
- KBO Korean Series
: KBO Playoffs winner vs. first-place team
- Best of seven series.
Any playoff games ending in an official tie are replayed, thereby raising the possibility of a close series containing more than the scheduled five or seven games.
Rules
[
edit
]
The KBO League rules are essentially those of the
Major League Baseball
(MLB). The
designated hitter
rule is universal in KBO.
[4]
Traditionally, South Korean professional baseball games have a maximum number of extra innings before a game is declared an official tie. The KBO abolished this limit for the 2008 season, but it was reinstated in 2009, with a 12-inning limit imposed during the regular season,
[4]
and a 15-inning limit for playoff games.
[9]
History
[
edit
]
Origins
[
edit
]
The first game was played on March 27, 1982, between the
Samsung Lions
and the
MBC Chungyong
at
Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium
,
Seoul
. Then-president
Chun Doo-hwan
threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
[10]
The 1982 charter teams of its first season were:
The first
Korean Series
featured the Bears versus the Lions, with OB winning the championship 4-games-to-1, with a tie.
The 1980s
[
edit
]
The
Haitai Tigers
dominated the 1980s, winning the Korean Series five times ? in 1983, 1986, and 1987 through 1989. They were led by pitcher
Sun Dong-yol
and infielders
Kim Seong-han
and
Han Dae-hwa
. Other KBO stars whose careers took off in the 1980s were sluggers
Chang Jong-hoon
and
Lee Man-soo
.
From 1982 to 1988, the regular season was divided into two (a spring season and a fall season), with a first-half pennant winner and a latter-half pennant winner. The two pennant winners then played each other for the
Korean Series
championship.
[11]
The 1982 campaign featured an 80-game (in total) season, which expanded to 100 games from 1983 to 1984. Rosters for each team were small (sometimes as few as 14 players), and many players in the league both pitched and batted.
Bang Soo-won
of the
Haitai Tigers
pitched the first no-hitter in Korean professional baseball history, in 1984 against the
Sammi Superstars
.
[12]
Mid-season 1985, the Sammi Superstars were sold and became known as the
Chungbo Pintos
, and the full season expanded to 110 games. Because the Samsung Lions won both half-season pennants (with a still single-season record .706 winning percentage), the Lions won the title outright so no
Korean Series
was played that year.
[11]
Because of the lack of a postseason in 1985, the next year saw some major changes, with the adoption of a playoff system, in which the top two teams from each half-season played for the right to get to the Korean Series.
[11]
1986 also saw the OB Bears moving from Daejeon to share
Jamsil Baseball Stadium
with MBC Chungyong in Seoul. A new franchise, the
Binggrae Eagles
, joined the league, replacing the vacancy in Daejeon made by OB's move, and expanding the league to seven teams. From 1986 to 1988, the regular season shrank to a total of 108 games.
1988 saw the Cheongbo Pintos change ownership again, becoming the
Pacific Dolphins
. In 1989 the KBO eliminated the two half-season pennants, moving to a single season of 120 games.
[11]
The 1990s
[
edit
]
In the 1990s the Tigers were again dominant, winning the championship four times in the decade ? 1991, 1993, 1996, and 1997. The Tigers were led by hitting-machine
Lee Jong-beom
and slugger
Lee Ho-joon
. Other KBO players who starred in the 1990s were Eagles' pitcher
Song Jin-woo
, who eventually became the all-time KBO leader in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched; slugging catcher
Park Kyung-oan
, the first catcher in KBO history to hit 300 home runs; and stolen base king
Jeon Jun-ho
. But probably the most notable hitters to emerge from the 1990s were the Lions'
Lee Seung-yuop
and
Yang Joon-hyuk
, who between them now hold most of the KBO's career offensive records.
In 1990, MBC Chungyong became the
LG Twins
and an eighth franchise was added, the
Ssangbangwool Raiders
, who represented the
North Jeolla Province
region.
From 1991 to 1998, the season increased to 126 games. The Lotte Giants won the Korean Series championship in 1992; the team has not won it since. There was little other change during this period except for a few major sponsors: in 1993 the Binggrae Eagles became the
Hanwha Eagles
, in 1996 the Pacific Dolphins became the
Hyundai Unicorns
, and in 1999 the OB Bears became the
Doosan Bears
.
The 1998 Korean Series was won by the Hyundai Unicorns for the franchise's first championship in 16 years of existence. (The team would go on to win the championship in 2000, 2003, and 2004.)
In 1999 the season was expanded to 132 games, and the KBO separated into two divisions ? the Dream League and the Magic League.
[11]
[13]
[14]
The 1999 Dream League consisted of the Doosan Bears, the Lotte Giants, the Haitai Tigers, and the Hyundai Unicorns; the 1999 Magic League consisted of the Hanwha Eagles, the LG Twins, the Samsung Lions, and the Ssangbangwool Raiders. That year the Eagles ? in their 14th season ? won their franchise's first (and only) Korean Series championship, after 14 years in the KBO.
The 2000s
[
edit
]
Bigger changes were made in 2000 when the Hyundai Unicorns moved from
Incheon
to
Suwon
, and a new franchise, the
SK Wyverns
, took their place in Incheon. The
Ssangbangwool Raiders
became defunct. The league's two-division structure slightly shifted as well, with SK taking Ssangbangwool's place in the Magic Division, and Lotte and Samsung switching divisions.
[15]
Thus, the 2000 Dream League was composed of Doosan, Haitai, Hyundai, and Samsung; while the 2000 Magic League was composed of Hanwha, LG, Lotte, and SK.
Parity ruled the 2000s, with the Unicorns and Lions each winning three titles, and the upstart Wyverns winning two. The hard-luck Doosan Bears appeared in the Korean Series five times in the decade but only won it once, in 2001. Stars who emerged in the 2000s include all-time KBO hit king
Park Yong-taik
, the Giants' first-baseman
Dae-ho Lee
, and the Eagles' first-baseman
Kim Tae-kyun
. Other notable players from the era include slugging third-basemen
Lee Bum-ho
and
Choi Jeong
, the Bears' designated hitter
Hong Sung-heon
, and the Twins' long-time outfielder
Lee Byung-kyu
.
In 2001, the KBO returned to a single-division format.
[11]
The Haitai Tigers became the
Kia Tigers
. From 2000 to 2012, the length of the regular season fluctuated between 126 and 133 games.
Despite its string of championships in the early 2000s, the Hyundai Unicorns franchise was disbanded in 2008. It was re-founded as the
Woori Heroes
and moved to
Mok-dong
in Seoul. In 2010, the team's naming rights were sold to
Nexen Tire
and the team was renamed the
Nexen Heroes
until the end of the 2018 season, when its naming rights were sold to
Kiwoom Securities
.
The 2010s
[
edit
]
The Samsung Lions were a powerful team in the 2010s, winning the championship four times during six straight appearances in the Korean Series (from 2010 to 2015). The Doosan Bears were also a powerhouse, appearing in the Korean Series six times in the decade (including five straight appearances from 2015 to 2019), winning it three times.
Expansion resumed in the 2010s, with the addition of the
NC Dinos
, located in
Changwon
, which joined the league in 2013. It is the first team located in Changwon, the city having previously been the second home of the nearby Lotte Giants. The KBO played 128-game seasons in 2013?2014.
In 2015, the
KT Wiz
became the league's tenth franchise. They play their home games in Suwon, which had not had a team since the Hyundai Unicorns' disbandment. Since 2015 the KBO has played a 144-game season each year, and has added a fifth team to the playoffs, with the introduction of the Wild Card game. In 2015 the league also increased the active roster size of each team, from 26 to 27 (of those, 25 may play in any one game).
[16]
After a number of seasons of inflated offensive production, the KBO introduced a new "
dejuiced
" baseball before the 2019 season. The results showed in a significant decrease in runs per game and home runs per game.
[17]
[8]
The 2020s
[
edit
]
The 2020 season was delayed by the
COVID-19 pandemic
, but finally started play on May 5, 2020, with no fans in attendance.
[8]
In response to the
lack of live sports programming
due to the pandemic,
ESPN
and the KBO League entered into an agreement to broadcast six games weekly. The Opening Day game between the NC Dinos and Samsung Lions was broadcast as the first game under the agreement that night.
Karl Ravech
,
Jason Benetti
,
Boog Sciambi
,
Eduardo Perez
, and
Jessica Mendoza
, along with various guests, broadcast the game remotely via Internet from their homes.
[18]
Expatriate baseball players in the KBO
[
edit
]
As with
Nippon Professional Baseball
(NPB), the KBO league places a cap on the number of foreign players allowed on club rosters. The foreign player limit is set at three (no more than two of them being pitchers),
[8]
[4]
increased from two players from 2014. Foreign players can only sign single-season contracts, and they are restricted by a salary cap.
[3]
Since 2019, the total compensation for a foreign player has been capped at $1 million.
[19]
[20]
The foreign hitters on each team are expected to provide power in the middle of the order, while the foreign pitchers are expected to anchor the starting rotation.
[21]
As with foreign players in the NPB, many of the most celebrated foreign players came to Korea after not finding success in the
Major Leagues
.
The KBO first began allowing foreign players in 1998,
[21]
[22]
when each team was allowed to sign up to two imports. Traditionally, teams chose one hitter and one pitcher, although there were exceptions. (In 2001 and 2002, KBO teams were allowed three foreign-born players, but only two of them could be on the field at the same time.)
[22]
By 2012, teams were using all their foreign-player allotments on pitchers, and there were no more foreign hitters in the KBO. After this happened again in 2013, the following season the KBO League raised the foreign-player limit to three for each team, but mandated that at least one foreign player had to be a hitter (again, with only two such players on the field at a time).
[22]
American
Tyrone Woods
was the first notable import. Debuting with the
Doosan Bears
in 1998, Woods was the first foreign player to hit a home run (as well as the first to be ejected from a game by an umpire).
[
citation needed
]
In his first year Woods set a then-KBO record with 42 homers and won the
MVP
award (becoming the first foreign player to win the award).
[
citation needed
]
In five years in Korea, Woods hit 174 homers, drove in 510 runs, and batted .294. (He later found additional success in
Nippon Professional Baseball
.) Woods left Korea with the longest career of any foreign player in KBO history, a record later eclipsed by hitter
Jay Davis
and pitcher
Dustin Nippert
. Davis played seven seasons for
Hanwha
(1999?2002, 2004?2006), compiling a .313 batting average, 167 home runs, and 591 RBI during that span.
[23]
Foreign pitchers with extended careers in the KBO include
Dustin Nippert
, who compiled a win?loss record of 102?51 and 1,082 strikeouts in eight seasons (a foreign player record); and
Danny Rios
, who in six seasons was 90?59 with 807 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.01, which is the lowest career ERA of any foreign pitcher in the KBO.
Josh Lindblom
pitched in the KBO for five seasons, compiling a 63?34 record and 750 strikeouts. Rios was given the 2008
KBO League Most Valuable Player Award
, Nippert was KBO MVP in 2016, and Lindblom won the award in 2019.
American
Jerry Royster
was the first-ever non-Korean to take the helm of one of South Korea's professional baseball clubs when he was signed as manager of the Lotte Giants in 2007.
[24]
(Royster served as the Giants' manager through the 2010 season.)
Over the league's history, more than 200 Americans have played in the KBO; other countries which have produced many current and former KBO players include the
Dominican Republic
(with more than 80 players), and
Venezuela
(with more than 20 players).
KBO players in Japan and the U.S.
[
edit
]
Several KBO players have had successful careers in Japan's
Nippon Professional Baseball
(NPB).
Baek In-chun
played professionally in Japan from 1963 to 1981, compiling 209 home runs, 776 RBI, and 1,831 hits in the NPB. (He returned to Korea for his final three seasons as a player.)
Lee Seung-yuop
, who holds the KBO records for career home runs, runs scored, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage and OPS, also played eight seasons in the NPB, accumulating an additional 159 home runs and 439 RBI. Other KBO hitters who had some success in the NPB include
Kim Tae-kyun
and
Dae-ho Lee
. Korean pitchers who have had an impact in the NPB include
Sun Dong-yol
,
Lim Chang-yong
, and
Seung-hwan Oh
(who led the NPB in saves in both 2014 and 2015).
Several Korean players have also successfully transitioned from the KBO to American
Major League Baseball
, starting in 1994 with pitcher
Chan Ho Park
. (Prior to Park, the South Korea-born Mexican pitcher
Ernesto Carlos
[born as
Lee Won-Kuk
] was signed to an
American minor league
contract with the
San Francisco Giants
' organization in 1968 after having found success in the NPB.
[
citation needed
]
Similarly, pitcher
Park Chul-soon
signed a minor league deal with the
Milwaukee Brewers
organization in 1980.
[
citation needed
]
Neither Ernesto Carlos nor Park Chul-soon, however, made it to the Major Leagues.) Other Korean born players who have had lengthy MLB careers include outfielder
Shin-Soo Choo
and pitcher
Byung-hyun Kim
. In 2013,
Hanwha Eagles
ace
Hyun-jin Ryu
became the first player from the KBO to join an MLB team through the
posting system
. Altogether, 28 South Korean players have made it to the MLB as of 2024.
[25]
Teams
[
edit
]
Team
|
City
|
Stadium
|
Capacity
|
Founded
|
Joined
|
Doosan Bears
|
Seoul
|
Jamsil Baseball Stadium
|
25,000
|
1982
|
Hanwha Eagles
|
Daejeon
|
Hanwha Life Eagles Park
|
13,000
|
1985
|
1986
|
Kia Tigers
|
Gwangju
|
Gwangju-Kia Champions Field
|
20,500
|
1982
|
Kiwoom Heroes
|
Seoul
|
Gocheok Sky Dome
|
16,744
|
2008
|
KT Wiz
|
Suwon
|
Suwon kt wiz Park
|
20,000
|
2013
|
2015
|
LG Twins
|
Seoul
|
Jamsil Baseball Stadium
|
25,000
|
1982
|
Lotte Giants
|
Busan
|
Sajik Baseball Stadium
|
24,500
|
1975
|
1982
|
NC Dinos
|
Changwon
|
Changwon NC Park
|
22,112
|
2011
|
2013
|
Samsung Lions
|
Daegu
|
Daegu Samsung Lions Park
|
24,000
|
1982
|
SSG Landers
|
Incheon
|
Incheon SSG Landers Field
|
23,000
|
2000
|
Broadcasters
[
edit
]
Most of the games are currently aired by
KBS2
,
KBS N Sports
,
MBC
,
MBC Sports+
,
SBS
,
SBS Sports
, and
SPOTV
.
Amid the disruption of international sport due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
, the league reached a U.S. broadcast deal with
ESPN
for the
2020 season
; games were called remotely by
ESPN Major League Baseball
personalities such as
Karl Ravech
and
Eduardo Perez
.
[26]
[27]
[28]
In 2024,
CJ ENM
's streaming platform
TVING
became the exclusive digital home for the KBO League, marking the end of the game's free-to-air digital broadcast.
[29]
Ballparks
[
edit
]
In addition to these ballparks, the
Lotte Giants
play some games at
Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium
, the
Samsung Lions
at
Pohang Baseball Stadium
and the
Hanwha Eagles
at
Cheongju Baseball Stadium
.
Attendance figures
[
edit
]
The league has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity, with increased attendance every year.
In
2016 season
, a new national record of over 8 million attendance figures was set. There was massive increase of 1 million compared with previous season.
[30]
The record was smashed again in
2017 season
with over 8.4 million fans to their games during the regular season. Bears, Twins, Giants and Tigers all attracted over 1 million fans. The average game attendance was above 11,600 fans.
[31]
This increase in popularity has been accompanied by the building of larger and more modern ballparks to further enhance the fan experience and their expenditures during games, such as
Gwangju-Kia Champions Field
(2014),
Gocheok Sky Dome
(2016),
Daegu Samsung Lions Park
(2016), and
Changwon NC Park
(2019).
Associations
[
edit
]
KBO League players and coaches have formed a number of associations:
[32]
Post-season
[
edit
]
Korean Series champions
[
edit
]
Club
|
Champions
|
Runners-up
|
Seasons won
|
Seasons runners-up
|
Kia Tigers
|
11
|
0
|
1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2009, 2017
|
?
|
Samsung Lions
|
8
|
10
|
1985, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
|
1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015
|
Doosan Bears
|
6
|
9
|
1982, 1995, 2001, 2015, 2016, 2019
|
2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021
|
SSG Landers
|
5
|
4
|
2007, 2008, 2010, 2018, 2022
|
2003, 2009, 2011, 2012
|
Hyundai Unicorns
(defunct)
|
4
|
2
|
1998, 2000, 2003, 2004
|
1994, 1996
|
LG Twins
|
3
|
4
|
1990, 1994, 2023
|
1983, 1997, 1998, 2002
|
Lotte Giants
|
2
|
3
|
1984, 1992
|
1985, 1995, 1999
|
Hanwha Eagles
|
1
|
5
|
1999
|
1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 2006
|
NC Dinos
|
1
|
1
|
2020
|
2016
|
KT Wiz
|
1
|
1
|
2021
|
2023
|
Kiwoom Heroes
|
0
|
3
|
?
|
2014, 2019, 2022
|
Postseason results
[
edit
]
- Legend
- 1st
? Champions
- 2nd
? Runners-up
- PO
? Playoff loser
- SPO
? Semi-playoff loser
- WC
? Wild card game loser
- ?
? Did not qualify
- DNP
? Did not participate
Teams
|
1982
|
1983
|
1984
|
1986
|
1987
|
1988
|
1989
|
1990
|
1991
|
1992
|
1993
|
1994
|
1995
|
1996
|
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
Total
|
Samsung
|
2nd
|
?
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
PO
|
SPO
|
2nd
|
PO
|
SPO
|
2nd
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
PO
|
PO
|
PO
|
2nd
|
1st
|
SPO
|
2nd
|
1st
|
1st
|
SPO
|
PO
|
?
|
2nd
|
1st
|
1st
|
1st
|
1st
|
2nd
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
?
|
?
|
29
|
Doosan
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
PO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
PO
|
2nd
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
2nd
|
?
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
PO
|
PO
|
?
|
SPO
|
2nd
|
?
|
1st
|
1st
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
1st
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
?
|
WC
|
25
|
Kia
|
?
|
1st
|
?
|
1st
|
1st
|
1st
|
1st
|
PO
|
1st
|
PO
|
1st
|
SPO
|
?
|
1st
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
PO
|
SPO
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
1st
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
WC
|
1st
|
WC
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
WC
|
?
|
22
|
LG
|
?
|
2nd
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
1st
|
PO
|
?
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
?
|
PO
|
?
|
2nd
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
PO
|
?
|
PO
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
SPO
|
SPO
|
PO
|
1st
|
17
|
SSG
|
DNP
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
2nd
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
1st
|
1st
|
2nd
|
1st
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
?
|
?
|
WC
|
?
|
WC
|
1st
|
PO
|
?
|
?
|
1st
|
SPO
|
14
|
Hanwha
|
DNP
|
?
|
?
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
SPO
|
2nd
|
2nd
|
?
|
PO
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
1st
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
2nd
|
PO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
13
|
Lotte
|
?
|
?
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
2nd
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
2nd
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
SPO
|
SPO
|
PO
|
PO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
12
|
Hyundai
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
2nd
|
?
|
2nd
|
?
|
1st
|
?
|
1st
|
PO
|
SPO
|
1st
|
1st
|
?
|
PO
|
?
|
DNP
|
10
|
Kiwoom
|
DNP
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
SPO
|
2nd
|
SPO
|
SPO
|
?
|
PO
|
2nd
|
WC
|
WC
|
2nd
|
?
|
9
|
NC
|
DNP
|
?
|
SPO
|
PO
|
2nd
|
PO
|
?
|
WC
|
1st
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
7
|
KT
|
DNP
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
1st
|
SPO
|
2nd
|
4
|
Ssangbangwool
|
DNP
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
PO
|
SPO
|
?
|
?
|
DNP
|
2
|
Awards
[
edit
]
- See footnote
and
Baseball awards#South Korea
Records
[
edit
]
Batting
[
edit
]
-
-
Career
Player
|
|
Years played
|
Batting average
minimum 3,000 plate appearances
|
Jang Hyo-jo
|
.331
|
1982?1992
|
Park Min-woo
|
.328
|
2013?present
|
Kim Tae-kyun
|
.323
|
2001?present
|
Home Runs
|
Lee Seung-yeop
|
467
|
1995?2017
|
Yang Joon-hyuk
|
351
|
1993?2010
|
Choi Jeong
|
342
|
2005?present
|
Chang Jong-hoon
|
340
|
1986?2005
|
Hits
|
Park Yong-taik
|
2,458
|
2002?2020
|
Yang Joon-hyuk
|
2,318
|
1993?2010
|
Park Han-yi
|
2,174
|
2001?2019
|
RBIs
|
Lee Seung-yeop
|
1,498
|
1995?2017
|
Yang Joon-hyuk
|
1,389
|
1993?2010
|
Kim Tae-kyun
|
1,329
|
2001?present
|
Stolen Bases
|
Jeon Jun-ho
|
550
|
1991?2009
|
Lee Jong-beom
|
510
|
1993?2012
|
Lee Dae-hyung
|
505
|
2003?2019
|
|
OPS
minimum 3,000 plate appearances
|
Lee Seung-yeop
|
.960
|
1995?2017
|
Yang Joon-hyuk
|
.950
|
1993?2010
|
Kim Tae-hyun
|
.944
|
2001?present
|
Strikeouts
|
Park Kyung-oan
|
1,605
|
1991?2013
|
Song Ji-man
|
1,451
|
1996?2013
|
Park Yong-taik
|
1,377
|
2002?2020
|
Pitching
[
edit
]
No-hitters
[
edit
]
Date
|
Pitcher
|
Club
|
Score
|
Opponent
|
Ballpark
|
Notes
|
May 5, 1984
|
Bang Soo-won
|
Haitai Tigers
|
5?0
|
Sammi Superstars
|
Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium
|
|
June 5, 1986
|
Kim Jeong-haeng
|
Lotte Giants
|
8?0
|
Binggrae Eagles
|
Sajik Baseball Stadium
|
|
April 2, 1988
|
Jang Ho-yeon
|
OB Bears
|
4?0
|
Lotte Giants
|
Sajik Baseball Stadium
|
Opening day of the season
|
April 17, 1988
|
Lee Dong-seok
|
Binggrae Eagles
|
1?0
|
Haitai Tigers
|
Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium
|
|
July 6, 1989
|
Sun Dong-yol
|
Haitai Tigers
|
10?0
|
Samsung Lions
|
Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium
|
|
August 8, 1990
|
Lee Tae-il
|
Samsung Lions
|
8?0
|
Lotte Giants
|
Sajik Baseball Stadium
|
|
April 30, 1993
|
Kim Won-hyeong
|
Ssangbangwool Raiders
|
3?0
|
OB Bears
|
Jeonju Baseball Stadium
|
At age 20, Kim was the youngest KBO pitcher to ever throw a no-hitter
|
September 9, 1993
|
Kim Tae-won
|
LG Twins
|
9?0
|
Ssangbangwool Raiders
|
Jamsil Baseball Stadium
|
|
October 20, 1996
|
Jeong Myeong-won
|
Hyundai Unicorns
|
4?0
|
Haitai Tigers
|
Sungui Stadium
|
Game 4 of the
Korean Series
|
May 23, 1997
[33]
|
Jung Min-cheul
|
Hanwha Eagles
|
8?0
|
OB Bears
|
Jeonju Baseball Stadium
|
May 18, 2000
|
Song Jin-woo
|
Hanwha Eagles
|
6?0
|
Haitai Tigers
|
Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium
|
At age 34, Song was the oldest KBO pitcher to throw a no-hitter
|
June 25,
2014
|
Charlie Shirek
|
NC Dinos
|
6?0
|
LG Twins
|
Jamsil Baseball Stadium
|
First foreign player to throw a KBO League no-hitter
|
April 9,
2015
|
Yunesky Maya
|
Doosan Bears
|
1?0
|
Nexen Heroes
|
Jamsil Baseball Stadium
|
|
June 30,
2016
|
Michael Bowden
|
Doosan Bears
|
4?0
|
NC Dinos
|
Jamsil Baseball Stadium
|
|
April 21,
2019
|
Deck McGuire
|
Samsung Lions
|
16?0
|
Hanwha Eagles
|
Hanwha Life Insurance Eagles Park
|
|
Sources:
[12]
[34]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
[2017 決算] 프로野球, 歷代 最多 840萬 觀衆..國民스포츠 公告
(in Korean). star.mt.co.kr. December 21, 2017
. Retrieved
February 12,
2017
.
- ^
Szymborski, Dan.
"How good would Mike Trout be in the KBO? We have the numbers,"
ESPN (May 13, 2020).
- ^
a
b
Kim Young-jin (3 July 2013).
"The 'mercenaries'
"
.
The Korea Times
. Seoul.
Archived
from the original on 21 November 2015
. Retrieved
21 November
2015
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Roscher, Liz.
"A KBO primer: Here's what you need to know to enjoy the return of baseball in South Korea,"
Yahoo! Sports
(May 1, 2020).
- ^
a
b
Keh, Andrew (September 2, 2015).
"Bat flipping draws shrugs in South Korea but scorn in America"
.
The New York Times
.
Archived
from the original on November 1, 2015
. Retrieved
November 11,
2015
.
- ^
a
b
c
Kimes, Mina (October 4, 2016).
"The Art of Letting Go: The great Korean bat flip mystery"
.
ESPN.com
.
Archived
from the original on October 5, 2016
. Retrieved
4 October
2016
.
- ^
Korea Baseball Organization (2015).
2015 달라지는 點
Archived
2015-04-05 at the
Wayback Machine
(Korean). Accessed on April 14, 2015.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Reuter, Joel.
"KBO for Dummies: An MLB Fan's Guide to the Korean Baseball League,"
Bleacher Report
(May 5, 2020).
- ^
Kim Jae-Won (2009-01-13).
KBO Abolishes Endless Overtime Rule
.
The Korea Times
. Accessed on 2009-06-11.
- ^
Kim, Jinsung.
"More than Sports: Politics in the Origins of the Professional Baseball League in South Korea,"
Asia Pacific Memo
(April 5, 2017).
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Young Hoon Lee, Rodney Fort, editors.
The Sports Business in The Pacific Rim: Economics and Policy
(Springer, October 31, 2014)
p. 178
.
- ^
a
b
Kim Tae-jong.
"No-hitter records in KBO history,"
The Korea Times
(2014-06-25).
- ^
Costello, Rory.
Dae-Sung Koo entry
, Society for American Baseball Research website. Footnote 11: "For the 1999 and 2000 seasons, Korea operated two leagues, the Dream League and Magic League. Hanwha was in the Magic League." Retrieved May 18, 2020.
- ^
"A Miraculous Comeback in the Making?"
,
The Dong-a Ilbo
(October. 17, 2007).
- ^
Zang, Hwansoo.
"Law of Jungle Also Exists in Pro Baseball"
.
The Dong-a Ilbo
. July 10, 2000.
- ^
"Wild-card game, speed-up rules among changes for 2015 KBO season,"
Yonhap News Agency
(March 24, 2015).
- ^
Kim, Sung Min.
"Let’s Check in on the KBO’s De-Juiced Baseballs,"
FanGraphs
(August 16, 2019).
- ^
ESPN News Services (4 May 2020).
"ESPN to televise Korea Baseball Organization games"
.
ESPN.com
. ESPN
. Retrieved
6 May
2020
.
- ^
"KBO's final foreign player signed"
.
Korea JoongAng Daily
. 28 December 2018
. Retrieved
2019-12-23
.
- ^
"KBO Establishes Salary Ceiling On Foreign Players"
.
MLB Trade Rumors
. Retrieved
2019-12-23
.
- ^
a
b
Lee, Seung Chan.
"Foreign Players in the KBO: What the Future Holds,"
The Hardball Times
(January 15, 2020).
- ^
a
b
c
"KBO clubs snatch up new foreign players following rule change,"
Yonhap News Agency (December 16, 2013).
- ^
"Jay Davis,"
Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^
Herman, Ken (June 26, 2008).
"Ex-Brave Royster now managing in Korea"
.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
. Retrieved
September 14,
2010
.
- ^
"MLB players by birthplace: South Korea"
.
baseball-reference.com
. Retrieved
2024-05-01
.
- ^
"ESPN shows interest in Korean baseball rights"
.
SportBusiness
. 2020-04-15
. Retrieved
2020-05-04
.
- ^
Hayes, Dade (2020-05-04).
"ESPN Goes Outside Its Usual Strike Zone, Setting South Korean Baseball Rights Deal"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
2020-05-04
.
- ^
"KBO tenders international media rights for 2020-23"
.
SportBusiness
. 2020-03-11
. Retrieved
2020-05-04
.
- ^
"KBO signs record-breaking streaming deal with CJ ENM, moves games behind paywall"
.
The Korea Times
. March 4, 2024
. Retrieved
March 19,
2024
.
- ^
"Korea pro baseball league KBO breaks nation's attendance record, surpasses 8 million"
.
WBSC
. 30 September 2016
. Retrieved
9 March
2019
.
- ^
"KBO postseason opens in Korea, following 8.4 million regular-season attendance"
.
WBSC
. 7 October 2017
. Retrieved
9 March
2019
.
- ^
S. Korea baseball community denounces abrupt recruitment halt at police club,"
The Korea Times
(November 14, 2018).
- ^
Lammers, Dirk.
"Dropped 3rd strike makes Korean no-no imperfect, 22 years ago today,"
No-hitters.com (May 23, 2019).
- ^
"Korea Baseball Organization no-hitters,"
No-hitters.com. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
KBO League
.
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Teams
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Defunct teams
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Postseason
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Awards
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Seasons
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Governing bodies
| |
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National teams
| |
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Competitions
| |
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Awards & honors
| |
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Hosted events
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