1791 and 1/3 innings. This is the total number of innings for manager Yeom Jong-seok, ace of Lotte glasses who lived with shoulder and elbow injuries. He played a total of 16 seasons with the Lotte Giants, pitching over 100 innings in 11 of them. 1791 and 1/3 innings must be a great record to rank in the top 20 overall in the KBO League. Starting with 204 and 2/3 innings in his debut season (excluding the postseason), coach Yeom Jong-seok, who threw about 592 innings for four years (1992-1995), was the Lotte Giants’ ‘fighting spirit’ itself.메이저놀이터
Continuing from the last episode, Episode 3 of the Busan Baseball Record will take time to listen to the instructor of ‘Director Jong-Seok Yeom’ and recall the past of ‘Player Jong-Seok Yeom’.
The Annals of Busan Baseball (hereinafter referred to as ‘Part’): Dong-Eui Science University’s baseball team has a short history. I think there is potential for further growth in the future. Is there a ‘future image’ of Dong-eui Science University that Director Yeom draws?
Coach Jong-seok Yeom (hereafter referred to as ‘Yeom’): Not everyone, be it a leader or a player, cannot be without a competitive spirit. Moment by moment, I also have such thoughts (good grades), and I am greedy, but I do not think that is the first. We are creating an environment so that players can exercise happily at the given time without stress when they come out of the playground, but I don’t know.
Boo: During his active career, the director was so popular that he was called ‘Yeom Tae-ji (Yeom Jong-seok + Seo Tai-ji)’. The generation of players’ parents must have really loved player Jong-seok Yeom. What was the parent’s reaction?
Yeom: When you meet your parents for player scouting, there is no particular reaction to that individual because it is the time for parents to make a cool judgment for the player’s career. But once or twice a year, when there is a baseball event, he comes to me and talks. ‘I was really a fan’ and ‘Thank you’. However, as much as my parents love me, I have high expectations for my children to take good care of me, so when it’s time to graduate, I might be disappointed.
In the 2021 season, Choi Jun-yong (Lotte Giants) unfortunately failed to win the Rookie of the Year award, and manager Yeom Jong-seok remains the only Lotte Giants’ rookie king. ‘Super Rookie’ Kim Min-seok (Lotte Giants) is showing great success as a rookie, but other rookies such as Lee Yong-jun (NC Dinos) Kim Dong-ju (Doosan Bears) Moon Dong-ju (Hanwha Eagles) Park Myeong-geun (LG Twins) are also performing at a high level. As such, the title of ‘Lotte Giants’ second Rookie of the Year’ is still in doubt. The only rookie king of the Lotte Giants left a big impact in his debut season, but after that, he was in a position where he could not be separated from the great pain of injury and surgery.
Boo: At the time of winning the championship in 1992, there are a lot of people saying that he exchanged his physical condition for the championship. Do you have any regrets about this?
Salt: I have no regrets. At that time, if I hadn’t pitched like that, the opportunity to challenge for the championship might not have come. After that, the Lotte Giants did not win the championship and the rookie of the year did not win the award, so it is a little burdensome to keep appearing with my name. However, I am proud that restaurant staff, taxi drivers, and acquaintances still call me ‘Yeom Jong-seok’ and miss me. Rather than exchanging bodies for winning, how many times in your life will you have such an opportunity? I was not feeling well at the time, so I underwent a lot of surgeries, but I have no regrets.
Wealth: From player life to coaching life. Is there a baseball person who inspired you during your long baseball life?
Yeom: With the launch of professional baseball and the Lotte Giants team settling in Busan, there are many people such as senior Choi Dong-won, coaches Kim Yong-hee and Kim Yong-cheol. Member of the 1980s. After seeing them, I made up my mind that I should play baseball, and I think the influence of them at that time was great for me to shake off the name Jong-seok Yeom.
Boo: Do you remember the last time you threw a ball off the mound?
Yeom: Since 1996, I have continued my career as an ordinary pitcher. Fighting for the 4th and 5th starts was the task I had to do for a year. Except for 2008, he continued to win the starting spot. I had a lot of love for the starting pitcher spot, but in 2008 I was removed from the starting pitching competition list. I was very disappointed at the time, and I thought about quitting my career as a player, but I felt like I would regret it. At the time, coach Royster told the manager of the 2nd team about how to make an effort as a middle pitcher in order to have a chance in the 1st team. About a month and a half after the season started, I came to my senses. After that, after consistently throwing games for the 2nd team, I was called up to the 1st team, and I played the game thinking that one game after another was the last. As a middle pitcher, he threw more than 20 games that season and recorded an ERA of 3 points. I remember the last appearance was a post-season game at Sajik Stadium.
Director Yeom recently had a chance to meet fans at the Sajik Baseball Stadium. He was invited as the first pitcher for the classic series against the Samsung Lions. However, thick raindrops poured throughout the series, and director Yeom’s opening ceremony was also canceled.
Boo: You were recently invited as the first pitcher for the Lotte Giants and Samsung Lions Classic Series, but it was canceled due to rain. Aren’t you sorry?
Yeom: I was thrilled to receive a request for a classic series, and I was thinking it was an honor. I went to my family’s Sajik Baseball Stadium with that kind of heart, but it rained that day, so unfortunately I couldn’t throw the first pitch. It’s very sad, but won’t there be another chance?
Boo: Do you remember the time when you won your first professional win?
Yeom: At the time of the opening two consecutive games, I naturally thought that seniors Yoon Hak-gil and Park Dong-hee would go out. At that time, senior Park Dong-hee suddenly felt unwell, so her selection changed to me that day. I didn’t eat anything, but I was so nervous that I felt nauseous. In the end, he gave up 4 runs (2 earned runs) in 2 2/3 innings in his first appearance against OB. Afterwards, he thought he would not have a chance in the first team, but he got a chance to start again (against LG). I don’t know if it’s a little irresponsible, but I went up to the mound with the thought that I would just be whatever it was. As I caught one batter at a time, I was able to finish the 8th inning before I knew it. At that time, the score was 2-0, and it became possible to aim for the youngest shutout victory. With two outs and second base in the ninth inning, the ball hit by the opposing batter rolled toward the shortstop. I thought it was over now, but senior Park Gye-won (current coach of Busan High School) cracked the egg. (Laughs) The runner came home and was hit again, so I ended up with 2 out and 1st and 3rd base, but I was able to strike out at the end and end the game.
Boo: When the director was active as an ace, he was the same age as his current students. An ace position with great responsibility at a young age. Do you think it would have been too much of a burden?
Salt: Simple. These days, the word ‘mental’ is used a lot, but now that I think about it, I just played without fear. It’s like, “Be confident and do whatever you want.” The mindset that I am better than my opponent can give me a sense of stability in a way, and a person’s movement eventually starts from the head. I think I was able to achieve good grades without any pressure through such confidence.
The reporters of the Busan Baseball Annals are a generation that has not been able to see with their own eyes the heyday of director Yeom Jong-seok. However, through the unwavering support of old fans for manager Yeom and various records that can be seen with the naked eye, we could clearly feel what kind of position Yeom was as a pitcher in the ‘Lotte Giants’. The title of ‘Ace of Glasses’ is a word enough to resonate with all Giants fans regardless of generation.
The 20-year-old glasses ace who commanded professional baseball and led the team to victory has become a 50-year-old leader. As a player, what is the goal of Manager Yeom, who has achieved the great feat of ‘winning the Korean Series’, which is very difficult to do even once, and ‘Rookie King’, who is given only one chance in his lifetime?
B: What is the goal you most want to achieve as a leader?
Yeom: When I was a player, it was a time when I was suppressed by the leaders and cursed while exercising. I really hated doing something in a scary environment. In any situation, the players will feel difficult for the coach and coach. I’m trying to be a leader who can run into players and reach out to them. This is because they believe that players can fully demonstrate their abilities on the field. I want to create an atmosphere where players can develop their skills through constant communication.
The detailed story with director Yeom can be found in the video or on the YouTube channel ‘Viditori’.