The Hulk Returns to Korean Baseball

Nine years have passed since he left as the best player in Korean Professional Baseball and went to the United States. Now former home run king Lee Man-su (48) has returned to SK as a coach.

The first batter to receive three major awards in one year (1984), and three straight home run titles (1983-85), was deeply moved at his comeback ceremony, and had a flushed expression.

When he received a uniform with the number 22, his number from his days in the diamond, from SK president Shin Young-chul, and the red SK cap from the new manager Kim Seong-geun (64), tears came to his eyes.

Tearful initiation-

“The time when I arrived at Chicago Airport nine years ago comes to my mind. In Korea, I was a star, but in America, there was no one to greet me at the airport. I worked hard to survive in America, especially because communication was difficult. During the 13 hour flight back to Korea yesterday, I wasn’t able to sleep a wink. It’s similar to the feeling I had when I arrived at the U.S. airport nine years ago.

After spending one year as a minor league coach, he made it to the major league by becoming the Chicago White Sox bullpen coach in 2000. Last year he helped his team win the World Series, and gained a lot of experience as a successful coach.

Before Lee was offered to become coach for the SK team, he had already contracted for two years with his former team, but because SK’s motto, “together with the fans,” was the type of baseball he aimed at, he decided to come to SK.

Same feelings he felt when leaving Korea-

Lee said, “While I was in America, I watched Korean baseball through the Internet, and Korean baseball has progressed a lot. One lacking thing was that there weren’t many fans in the stadium. I want to help coach Kim Seong-geun to make baseball a game for the fans.”

Lee will join Coach Kim in the finishing camp to take place at the Gang Chang-hak Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju starting October 31.

kimsk@donga.com