SSG Kim Tae-hoon retires… “I want to be remembered as a cheerful and energetic player”
Retirement ceremony at the last game of the regular season on the 17th.
Professional baseball SSG Landers left-handed pitcher Kim Tae-hoon (33) climbed onto the mound and threw a ball before the bell rang to signal the start of the game.
The first pitch, which is not recognized as an official record, was the last ball thrown by Kim Tae-hoon as a ‘player’. 카지노
On this day, SSG starter Gwang-Hyun Kim watched Tae-Hoon Kim’s first pitch from behind the mound and then hugged his junior Tae-Hoon Kim deeply.
SSG held the ‘Kim Tae-hoon Retirement Ceremony’ at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 17th, the last day of the 2023 Korean Professional Baseball KBO League regular season.
Taehoon Kim threw out the first pitch ahead of the Doosan Bears game.
After the game, we say goodbye to the fans.
Before the game, Kim Tae-hoon gave his ‘last interview’ in the dugout.
Kim Tae-hoon decided to retire last September, and played his last official active game in the Futures (Second Division) League against the Hanwha Eagles on September 23.
He said, “I threw the ball with the thought, ‘It’s the last time, so let’s die once,’ and the speed reached 145 km/h.”
He added, “Before I even thought about reversing my retirement, my juniors threw beer and held a ‘mini retirement ceremony,’ which made me feel good.
“I folded it,” he said, laughing cheerfully.
Taehoon Kim achieved a perfect game at the Michuholgi National High School Baseball Championship in August 2008, when he was in his third year at Guri Inchang High School, and received attention as the ‘next-generation ace’, earning him the nickname ‘Mr. Perfect’.
SSG’s predecessor, SK Wyverns, recruited Kim Tae-hoon as the first draft pick in 2009.
Until this season, Kim Tae-hoon played in 302 games in the first team, posting 18 wins, 22 losses, 9 saves, 64 holds, and an ERA of 5.18.
He served as a key pitcher for the team in 2018 (9 wins, 3 losses, 10 holds, ERA 3.83) and 2019 (4 wins, 5 losses, 7 saves, 27 holds, ERA 3.88).
In 2018, when SK won the Korean Series, he pitched in 8 games of the playoffs and Korean Series, allowing only 1 run in 11 innings, and was considered a ‘leading figure in the championship.’
However, this year, Kim Tae-hoon was never able to stand on the first team mound, and eventually decided to take off his uniform.
Kim Tae-hoon said, “After staying in the second team for two years, I had a lot of thoughts.
There were a lot of good juniors and my competitiveness had decreased, so I decided to retire.
I did everything I wanted to do as a player.
I achieved a perfect game in high school.”
“I still have vivid memories of playing together when the team won the Korean Series in 2018.
I have tried everything and hit a wall, so I have no regrets,” he said.
He said, “I have also made plans for my second life.
I will open a baseball training center in Incheon and train juniors who will bring glory to Korean baseball.”
When Kim Tae-hoon informed the club of his decision to retire, coach Kim Won-hyung as well as seniors such as Ko Hyo-jun, Noh Kyeong-eun, and Kim Gwang-hyun dissuaded him, saying, “I can still do more.”
However, Kim Tae-hoon did not change his mind.
He said, “My brothers are older than me, but they still maintain good pitching skills.
I really respect them. Now, I don’t have the confidence to throw like those seniors.
Now that I have decided to retire, I feel relieved.”
Of course, there remains some regret. Kim Tae-hoon said,
I was a player with ups and downs. It’s a shame that I couldn’t throw well consistently.
A smile appeared again on his face, which had been shadowed for a moment.
Kim Tae-hoon said, “I want to be remembered as a cheerful, bright, and energetic player.”
Baseball player Kim Tae-hoon, who was full of positive energy, ended his last interview cheerfully.
