The moment Oh Ji-hwan (33) led the LG Twins to their first overall championship in 29 years and became the Korean Series Most Valuable Player (MVP)
his wife, Kim Young-eun, who was watching from a close distance with her family, had her eyes covered. It was wet.
Ms. Kim said, “She shed tears without realizing it because she thought of her husband’s hard-working baseball career while the Korean Series was going on,” she said with a laugh.
LG defeated KT Wiz 6-2 in Game 5 of the Korean Series (best of 7) held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 13th 안전놀이터
winning the championship with a series record of 4 wins and 1 loss. This is the group’s first win in 29 years since 1994.
Coach Yeom Kyeong-yeop said, “The players and fans’ desire and desperation to win is the greatest strength,” and the captain stepped on the Korean Series stage for the first time in 15 seasons after being drafted in the first round in 2009 and joining LG. Oh Ji-hwan was also thirsty for victory more than anyone else.
His wife knows Oh Ji-hwan’s earnestness better than anyone else.
She said she felt sorry for her husband who cried every day because he didn’t win.
Ms. Kim said, “My husband cried every day.
He was sobbing when he saw his brothers who went through LG, including Park Kyung-soo, win championships on other teams.
I think my husband was also very desperate to win because he had a long (unrelated) time of 15 years.
I hope you shed lots of tears (of joy) because you won the championship,” he said.
Before I could enjoy the joy of winning, I felt physically and mentally ill.
Oh Ji-hwan, who showed off his fierce batting ability right after the opening game
had to leave for a while due to microscopic damage to his side muscles, and perhaps because of the aftermath
his home runs also decreased significantly.
Oh Ji-hwan, who hit a personal high of 25 home runs last year, achieved 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, but he only hit 8 home runs this year.
He even blamed himself for not being able to contribute to the team.
Ms. Kim said, “The more home runs you hit, the more helpful you are to the team, but this year, I was blaming myself for the lack of home runs.
She added, “I was determined to do my best even if my husband got hurt (ahead of the Korean Series), and that sincerity paid off.
It seems like it is,” he said.
In the Korean Series, where he had made up his mind, Oh Ji-hwan flew faster than anyone else.
He committed 3 errors due to the cold weather, but he hit hard with a batting average of 0.316, 3 home runs, 8 RBIs, 6 runs, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.351.
As Oh Ji-hwan had hoped, he helped the team a lot with a home run in fall baseball.
In the second game after losing the first game, he hit a solo shot in the 6th inning to lay the foundation for a comeback victory, and in the 3rd game, he hit a thrilling three-run home run in the 9th inning to win.
Then, in Game 4, he hit a 3-run arc in the 7th inning, setting a record of becoming the first player to hit a home run in 3 consecutive Korean Series games in a single season.
In addition to his personal performance, Oh Ji-hwan led by example as a captain and managed the players carefully to unite the team.
Ms. Kim smiled and said, “My husband is an icon of consideration.
There are times when my family is having a hard time because he is so considerate,” and then added
My husband’s daily routine started with contacting the first and second team players every morning to check how they are doing.
The players “I paid close attention to what state of mind I was in, and I think the players followed my husband better because of that,” she said.
She continued, “I had a lot of worries that my husband wasn’t able to take care of himself properly, but perhaps because he was very mentally strong, I was able to overcome it well.
I think I was able to win the championship because I had that process.
“Although the time was shortened, it still looked great to see him fulfill his role as captain,” he said.
Oh Ji-hwan said at the championship award ceremony, “This is our starting point, and we will enjoy the LG dynasty in the future.
Ms. Kim, who heard this from the side, expressed her wish, “Since my husband said so, I hope the LG dynasty continues for one, two, three years.”