Park Jae-Hong (baseball) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

For the football player see Park Jae-Hong (football).

Park Jae-Hong (Hangul

Hangul

Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...

: 박재홍, Hanja

Hanja

Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...

: 朴栽弘) (born September 7, 1973 in Gwangju

Gwangju

Gwangju is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister...

, South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

) is a South Korea

South Korea

n outfielder

Outfielder

Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...

who currently plays for SK Wyverns

SK Wyverns

SK Wyverns Baseball Club is a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 2000. Based in Incheon, they play their home games at Munhak Baseball Stadium.Their current manager is Man Soo Lee .-History:...

in the Korea Baseball Organization

Korea Baseball Organization

The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...

. Park is currently considered one of the best five-tool player

Five-tool player

In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities....

s in the KBO league. He is the first player in the KBO

Korea Baseball Organization

history to have 30 home run

Home run

In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

s and 30 stolen base

Stolen base

In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...

s in and the only player to have more than two seasons of 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, doing so a record three times .

Park competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics

2000 Summer Olympics

The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...

, and led his team to the bronze medal in the baseball tournament

Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics

Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games...

Amateur career

While attending Gwangu Jaeil High School, Park was a highly regarded right-handed power pitcher

Power pitcher

In baseball, a power pitcher is a pitcher who relies on the velocity of his pitches, sometimes at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of power...

. In , he was selected for the South Korean national junior baseball team as a pitcher to compete against the Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

and USA national junior teams at the 3-nation friendly baseball series in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The Korean team swept all the games with a record of 4-0 and Park drew attention from MLB scouts along with fellow pitchers Park Chan-Ho and Lim Sun-Dong

Lim Sun-Dong

Lim Sun-Dong is a retired South Korean baseball player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics and in the 2000 Summer Olympics....

.

In , upon graduation from high school, Park started to play college baseball at Yonsei University

Yonsei University

Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...

, converting his position to third base

Third Base

is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...

. While at Yonsei University, Park led his team to five college championships in four years alongside Lim Sun-Dong

Lim Sun-Dong

Lim Sun-Dong is a retired South Korean baseball player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics and in the 2000 Summer Olympics....

and Jo In-seong.

In , as a sophomore Park was selected for the South Korea national baseball team and competed in the Asian Baseball Championship

Asian Baseball Championship

The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...

held in Perth

Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. The South Korean team won silver and Park was named to the All-Star Team as a third baseman

Third baseman

A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...

.

As a senior in , Park helped Yonsei University win the 1995 National College Championship (Spring Season) and was named MVP with Home Run, RBI and Stolen Bases titles. After the 1995 college season, he signed with the Hyundai Phoenix in the Korea Baseball Association

Korea Baseball Association

The Korea Baseball Association is the governing body of baseball in South Korea. KBA was founded in 1946 as Joseon Baseball Association , and renamed as the current thing in 1954. KBA has been charged with the task of promoting and spreading organised baseball. It is one of two major baseball...

amateur league, refusing to join the KBO

Korea Baseball Organization

pro league in order to participate in the 1996 Summer Olympics

1996 Summer Olympics

The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....

next year.

Notable international careers

Year	Competition	Individual Note
1993	Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...	All-Star (3B Third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run... )
1993	Universiade Baseball at the Universiade Baseball is not currently played at the Summer Universiade. However, in 1993, the baseball tournament was held at the XVII Summer Universiade in Buffalo, USA, and it was staged two years after at the XVIII Summer Universiade in Fukuoka, Japan....
1994	Asian Games Baseball at the Asian Games Baseball has been an event at the Asian Games, since the Games in Hiroshima, Japan in 1994.-Medal table:-Medalists:-External links:*...
1994	Baseball World Cup	.293 BA (12-for-41), 11 R
1995	Universiade Baseball at the Universiade Baseball is not currently played at the Summer Universiade. However, in 1993, the baseball tournament was held at the XVII Summer Universiade in Buffalo, USA, and it was staged two years after at the XVIII Summer Universiade in Fukuoka, Japan....	.125 BA (2-for-16), 2 SB
1995	Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...

Hyundai Unicorns

After the KBO

Korea Baseball Organization

season, the Taepyeongyang Dolphins based in Incheon

Incheon

The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...

was purchased by Hyundai Group

Hyundai Group

Hyundai Group is a South Korean conglomerate founded by Chung Ju-yung. The first company in the group was founded in 1947 as a construction company. With government assistance, Chung and his family members rapidly expanded into various industries, eventually becoming South Korea's second biggest...

due to financial difficulties, and the team was moved before the season to Suwon

Suwon

Suwon is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A major city of over a million inhabitants, Suwon lies approximately south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety"....

and renamed the Hyundai Unicorns. Due to the business relationship between the Phoenix and the Unicorns, five players in the Hyundai Phoenix roster moved to the Hyundai Unicorns and Park eventually decided to join the pro league, signing with the Unicorns in March 1996. In the 1996 KBO season, as a rookie Park become the first player in KBO history to join the 30-30 club

30-30 club

The 30–30 club is a grouping of Major League Baseball players who have reached the 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases plateaus in the same season....

. He also won the home run

Home run

and RBI

Run batted in

Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...

titles and Golden Glove Awards as an outfielder

Outfielder

. After the season, Park was named Rookie of the Year in unanimous vote and runner-up behind Koo Dae-Sung

Koo Dae-Sung

Koo Dae-Sung is a former left-handed pitcher for the Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization. He was formerly with the New York Mets of Major League Baseball and the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball. He announced his retirement from Korean baseball on August 15, 2010...

of the Hanwha Eagles in the MVP balloting.

Park joined his second 30-30 club in when he hit 30 home runs and stole a career-high 43 bases. After the season, Park was selected for the South Korea national baseball team and led his team to their first Asian Games

Asian Games

The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...

gold medal in the baseball tournament

Baseball at the 1998 Asian Games

Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand beginning on December 7, 1998.-Level A:-Level B:-Medal round:-References:*...

, batting .455 with 3 home runs and 12 RBI.

Park joined his third 30-30 club in the KBO season when he hit 32 home runs and stole 30 bases. Park also won his second RBI

Run batted in

title, driving in 115 runs. In September 2000, he competed for South Korea

South Korea

in the 2000 Summer Olympics

2000 Summer Olympics

where they won the bronze medal in the baseball tournament

Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics

Kia Tigers

Prior to the season, Park was traded to the Kia Tigers

Kia Tigers

Kia Tigers Professional Baseball Club is a Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982. The Tigers are a member team of the Korean Baseball Organization and the most successful team in Korean baseball having won the national championship, the Korean Series, ten times, with a perfect 10-0...

for third baseman

Third baseman

Jeong Seong-Hoon. In 2003, he had his third .300 plus batting average

Batting average

Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...

(.301) season, accumulating 19 home runs, 66 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

In , Park hit his 200th career home run on May 11 to become the tenth player in 22-year KBO history to reach the milestone. However, he had his worst pro season due to injuries, batting a career-low .253 and hitting only 7 home runs and 47 hits in 73 games played.

SK Wyverns

After the season, Park was traded to the SK Wyverns

SK Wyverns

where he played center field and batted cleanup or 5th in the order.

On July 23, , Park joined the 200-200 club as its first member in KBO history, getting his 200th stolen base of his career.

In the season, Park had 17 home runs, and led the Wyverns to their first Korean Series

Korean Series

The Korean Series is the championship series of the Korea Baseball Organization. It has been held since the KBO's first season in and is the final series of in the post-season play-offs. From , the winner of the Korean Series goes on to play in the Asia Series....

championship.

On April 23, , Park stole his 250th base of his career, and this made him the first member of KBO's 250-250 club.

After the season, Wyverns offered him the coaching job but he wanted to stay as a player. On November 25, 2011, Wyverns confirmed that he would play for the team one more year.

Notable international careers

Year	Competition	Individual Note
1998	Asian Games Baseball at the 1998 Asian Games Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand beginning on December 7, 1998.-Level A:-Level B:-Medal round:-References:*...	.455 BA (10-for-22), 3 HR, 12 RBI, 9 R
1999	Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...	.438 BA (7-for-16), 7 RBI, 3 R All-Star (OF Outfielder Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder... ), RBI Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... title
2000	Olympic Games Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games...	.182 BA (4-for-22), 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R
2002	Asian Games Baseball at the 2002 Asian Games Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea beginning on October 2, 2002. Five East and Southeast Asian nations participated in the tournament...	.364 BA (8-for-22), 3 RBI, 4 R
2003	Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...	.455 BA (5-for-11), 3 RBI
2006	Asian Games 2006 Asian Games The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...	.000 BA (0-for-7)

External links

Career statistics and player information from the KBO official website
databaseolympics

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