`Blade Slider` with 140km ········ The Beginning of 37SP Sensation

“I will not play baseball any more.”

Cho Young-jun disliked baseball as the first and the last time when he was the first year of Hyochun High School in Sunchun. As the colleague players suffered difficulties because of the dispute between Cho and the coach, he left the players` accommodation without any purpose and went to Seoul. He spoke to his mother Han Yun-sim (44) who had asked around and came to his stay “I will not play baseball any more and learn a skill in a industrial high school.”

However, he came back home with her mother by her tearful persuade and began to play baseball again at the high school. At that time, the director of Hyochun High School was Chang Ho-yun (Director of Shinil High School at present) of the hero of splendid curve. Cho Young-jun who had been infielder decided to be pitcher after discuss with Director Chang, and began to learn pitching actively.

Cho Young-jun spoke “I learned how to throw slider and all behavior pitcher should be equipped with from Director Chang at that time.” After transferring into pitcher, his ability improved visibly and Hyochun High School that has had not baseball history obtained the Championship of Golden Lion Game, etc.

However, when he graduated from the high school, he was nominated 5th of the second group by Hyundai Professional Baseball Team, 35th of total new players. So he was not focused on.

Cho Young-jun entered Yunsei University rather than join to professional baseball league directly and played as national selective for 4 years. He contract joined Hyundai Baseball Team with contract money of 540 million won. Nobody expected this contract.

He has relatively small body with 175㎝ tall and 72 kg weight. However, his fast ball with 148 km/h and `acute slider` with 140 km/h does not allow for most batter to hit. His slider of 140 km/h is the fastest slider since Sun Dong-yul of `National Asset` pitcher. So he is called with the nickname `Cho rider`.

Since the opening game against SK Suwon on the 5th of April to the game against Samsung Suwon on the 4th of May, he recorded non-earned run pitching for thirty and one-third innings for a month it was the best record among new players. He also recorded 21 consecutive no defeat pitching from the game against Samsung Suwon on the 9th of July to the game SK Munmak on the 7th of September.

He recorded the most save points (37SP, 9 relief wins, 28 saves) and average earned run of 1.90. It is historical record for new players and nobody can deny his qualification for being selected as the best rookie.

As staying in Australia for finishing training, he did not attend to the ceremony of awarding the prize and spoke on call “I really appreciate Director Chang Ho-yun who made me from an ordinary player to what I am.”

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com