From Baseball Player to CEO of a Baseball Club

Before his interview, Kim Eung-ryong seemed unapproachable because he is usually very reticent.

However, once the interview began, Kim talked for over an hour without taking a break. The time allotted for the interview was too short for his 30 years of life with baseball.

Kim Eung-ryong (63), the newly appointed president and CEO of the Samsung Lions, spoke openly and with candor about the past in Samsung Ballpark in North Gyeongsang Province on November 10. Kim became the first former baseball player to become a CEO of a baseball club in Korean professional baseball history the day before.

“Luck Has Been With Me” –

Kim spent 32 years of his career as a baseball manager from 1972 with Hanil Bank until this year. When asked what was the secret to his long successful career, Kim said that he has been blessed with people around him. “I have been very lucky to have met good people. The owner of Hanil Bank, the presidents, owners and the players of the ball clubs that I had worked with were all nice people,” said Kim. “Championship titles do not come without good players,” added Kim. His monthly salary of 380,000 won as a manager of Hanil Bank’s baseball team in 1981 jumped to an annual salary of 24 million won when he became the new manager of the Haetae (now Kia) Tigers in 1983. He earned 200 million won this year as the manager of the Lions.

Multi-talented Sportsman-

Kim first started as a soccer player. When Kim was in his first year at Kaesung Middle School in Busan, he was one of the best players in soccer.

Kim’s first encounter with baseball came when he was selected as one of the members of his class’ baseball team in middle school. “I worked hard because at least I didn’t have to starve,” said Kim. “I was so big that when I went to Myeongdong in the 60s, everyone would stare at me,” added Kim. After he retired as a baseball player in 1972, he has been playing tennis for about 20 years and is fairly good at it. However, because of a knee problem, he began mountain climbing instead 10 years ago. Kim plans to concentrate on golf from now on. “I heard that golf is a must for the presidents of baseball club teams. I’ll be able to catch up if I practice for a year,” said Kim. Now he averages scores in the mid-90s.

Precious Family –

Born in Pyeongwon, South Pyeongan Province in North Korea, Kim crossed the border to the South with his father during the January 4 Retreat at the age of 10. “I left home after someone told me that I could be back home after three days. I never knew that would be my last encounter with my mother, brother and four sisters,” Kim said with teary eyes. He said that he has applied for a family reunion every time there was chance, but he was never selected and was deceived many times.

Knotty Problems-

Starting from next month, Kim will go to the club’s offices every day to work. It is the first time in more than 20 years that he has regular office hours. The last time was in the early 80s when he was with Hanil Bank. “Wearing a necktie gives me a headache. Do I have to wear one?” complained Kim. Kim also hates making speeches and singing. “A lot of people ask me to officiate at weddings, but because I hate to speak in front of the public, I usually decline requests,” said Kim “Also, I’m tone-deaf. When someone asks me to sing while drinking, he usually gets beaten up by me,” Kim added. However in his profile, Kim always specifies his favorite song as “Tears in Mokpo.” His explanation is “because that song was constantly played in the stadium in Gwangju when I was with the Tigers.”

A New Life –

Kim thought that after he quit as a manager, he would finally be at ease. “I thought I could get a good deep sleep. But it was to the contrary. I can’t fall asleep because I’m too excited about the future,” said Kim. His goal is to work towards the development of Korean baseball, not only for the Samsung Lions. He wants to inspire hopes in young baseball players. He plans to entrust Sun Dong-yeol, the new Samsung Lions manager, with everything related to shaping the coaching staff and the player roster. “I’ll have to do something more important,” said Kim, grinning.

During the interview, Kim’s cell phone was constantly ringing with incoming congratulatory calls and messages from people in the baseball circle. Lions’ pitcher Bae Young-soo, this year’s MVP laureate, said that Kim paved a new way for baseball players. “Kim has proven to us that we baseball players can become a CEO.” Kim’s becoming a president and CEO of a baseball club is indeed auspicious news to baseball people.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com