“It Feels Like I’m Making My First Step into Society“

“Does this suit look good on me?”

Seemingly very nervous, Kim Eung-ryong, the newly appointed president of the Samsung Lions, showed up in the president’s room instead of the dugout. The way he dressed up in his suit with a dark green shirt, and the way he had his hands folded seemed very awkward. Is he feeling burdened by his newly started baseball life after long years as a baseball coach?

-What was the reason why you resigned from the head coach position, even though there is one more year of your contract left?

“Including my bad health condition, I had many things bothering my mind. It seemed like it was time for me to quit. Seeing Coach Sun Dong-ryul doing his job for one year, it seemed he was doing better than what I had done for 20 years. Wouldn’t the team do better if I left it to Coach Sun?”

-How do you feel about being a president of a baseball team?

“At first I refused, since I knew nothing about it. I thought I might bring trouble to the team. Now I feel like I’m making my first step into society. I used to think coaching was the most difficult job. As the first coach ever to become the president of a team, I will do my best with a sense of duty.”

-Now, resigning as an active coach…

“Including my amateur period, I had been a coach for 33 years. A thousand thoughts crowd in my mind. The time when I moved to Samsung and won my dramatic first victory remains in my memory the most.”

-What plans do you have as a president of a baseball team?

“There are several, but I’ll say them later, after more studies.”

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com