Ex-batting champion, ageless slugger among honorable mentions for KBO's anniversary team

All News 10:49 September 20, 2022

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- Having announced all 40 members of its 40th anniversary team of retired legends, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) disclosed 10 honorable mentions who just missed the cut on Tuesday.

Votes cast by a panel of experts and fans determined the members of the "KBO 40 Legends" team, marking the 40th anniversary of the country's top professional league. The KBO unveiled four names each week since July, and the final four members were introduced on Monday.

In this file photo from May 28, 2015, Jang Sung-ho of the KT Wiz flips his bat after an RBI single against the LG Twins during the top of the third inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap)

Jang Sung-ho, one of only eight players in KBO history with at least 2,000 games and 2,000 hits, finished 41st in the voting. Jang, whose 20-year career ended in 2015, earned 40.61 points based on his total votes, only 0.32 point back of former Doosan Bears slugger Tyrone Woods for the 40th spot.

Checking in at No. 42 was Lee Ho-jun, eighth all time in both home runs (337) and RBIs (1,265). The popular clubhouse leader served as captains for two franchises, the SK Wyverns and the NC Dinos. Lee put together four consecutive 20-homer campaigns from 2013 to 2016, in his age-37 to age-40 seasons.

In this file photo from Sept. 30, 2017, Lee Ho-jun of the NC Dinos reacts after flying out against the Nexen Heroes during the bottom of the fifth inning of a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Masan Baseball Stadium in Changwon, 380 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

From 43rd to 46th were: Chung Myung-won, the only pitcher to throw a no-hitter in a Korean Series game; Lee Bum-ho, who holds the record for most grand slams in league history with 17 and ninth all time with 329 home runs; former outfielder Kim Jae-hyun, who won four championships with two different teams in a 16-year career; and Ryu Joong-il, a defensive whiz at shortstop.

Ma Hae-young, who blasted the first-ever Korean Series-clinching walkoff home run in 2002 for the Samsung Lions, ranked 47th, followed by former pitcher Yoon Hak-gil, who tossed a record 100 complete games; another ex-pitcher Kim Won-hyong, who is ninth all time with 134 victories; and former outfielder Park Han-yi, one of just two players to record at least 100 hits in 16 consecutive seasons.