Eldest pitcher Kim steps on 600th game

If KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) had a Hall of Fame, the candidates for the first place would include Park Chul-Soon of OB Bears who set a world record of 22 wins during a single season in 1982; Jang Myoung-Boo of Sammi Super Stars with 30 wins out of 52 in 1983; Choi Dong-Won of Lotte Giants who won 4 games at the 1984 Korean series; Sun Dong-Yul of Haitai Tigers who¡¯s ERA had been under 0 point three times; Lee Jong-Bum who has a perfect combination of offence, defense and base stealing; and last but not least Coach Kim Ung-Young who took Haitai to the Korean Series and won 9 times in the19 years of baseball history of Korea.

But LG¡¯s eldest pitcher Kim Yong-Soo (40) had sunk into oblivion from fans. Fans, however, were astonished to see Kim make an all-time highest record that no other player has ever attempted, at the Chamshil Stadium during the July 15th game between Hanhwa and LG. He pitched in 600 games, which is equivalent to 2000 games for a batter.

During the game with Hyundai Unicorns on April 15 last year at the Inchon Stadium, Kim was the first pitcher in Korea ever to mark a record of 100 victories with 200 saves. Even in the 130-year history of American baseball, only four players set the record.

Kim who has always done his utmost in every game would be the first candidate to be listed on the Hall of Fame.