36 Years at Jamsil Baseball Stadium... "It Was My Entire Life"

[Anchor]

Following yesterday's (October 14) loss in the wild card game, Doosan's era at Jamsil Baseball Stadium has drawn to a close. Doosan General Manager Kim Tae-ryong, who has spent the longest time at the stadium, looked back on past memories and bade farewell to the home where he dedicated 36 years of his life.

Reporter Yu Byeongmin has the story.

[Reporter]

Last night, as Doosan's era at Jamsil Baseball Stadium came to an end, fans lingered in their seats, reluctant to leave.

[Kim Jeong-sun / Doosan Fan: Jamsil Baseball Stadium was like family to me.]

[Ju Jeong-min and Ju Ye-chan / Doosan Fan: I've been a charter member since my childhood fan days, and I've been coming here until my hair turned white. (It feels like there won't be another space to find memories like this, so it's deeply meaningful to us.)]

The person reflecting on the most memories is Doosan General Manager Kim Tae-ryong, who has commuted to Jamsil Baseball Stadium for 36 years.

[Kim Tae-ryong / Doosan General Manager: When they said it was going away... I first... couldn't sleep. The thought that the ballpark where I worked for 36 years is disappearing leaves me feeling very sad and empty.]

The first-team manager's office, where he worked for eight years starting from his very first day of work in 1990, is soaked in the sweat of his youth.

[Kim Tae-ryong / Doosan General Manager: This room is my room. This room. If I had to see and talk about things here, I'd rush out to talk. There was no air conditioning. Just one electric fan.]

Incidents from the old Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which felt like a battlefield, can now be recalled with a smile.

[Kim Tae-ryong / Doosan General Manager: Whether cans were flying or jokbal was flying, we always cleared them away (to prepare for the game). People who didn't buy tickets would push through the iron gates, and the doors would break.]

Starting as an entry-level employee and being promoted to general manager in 2011, General Manager Kim led the team to its highest winning percentage and most Korean Series appearances. His favorite moment at Jamsil was the quiet stillness after the euphoria of victory had faded away.

[Kim Tae-ryong / Doosan General Manager: When the spectators clear out after winning a game and that silence flows, looking out at this ballpark at night gives you a different feeling.]

To Jamsil Baseball Stadium, which is now concluding its 45-year lifespan, General Manager Kim sends a farewell message of gratitude.

[Kim Tae-ryong / Doosan General Manager: It feels like, 'Where do I go now?' It's my entire life. I feel grateful that I grew from the very bottom to where I am now.]

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Reported by Yu Dong-hyong and Hwang In-seok | Video edited by Ha Sung-won)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.