"You'll Be Embarrassed": Out-of-Bounds Taunting Plagues Student Baseball

[Anchor]

Critics point out that the recent controversy over derogatory cheering stems from a culture of taunting that has become rampant in student baseball. With sportsmanship—which emphasizes respect for the opponent—missing, cheering that mocks not only players but even coaches has persisted.

Reporter Bae Jeonghun has the story.

[Reporter]

This is the game between Baejae High School and Gwangju Jeil High School, where the controversy over cheering that disparaged the May 18 Democratization Movement erupted.

Even before the problematic so-called "Starbucks" cheer, taunts aimed at provoking the opposing team continued throughout the game.

Some players made dog barking sounds to distract the pitcher, while others mocked the pitcher, shouting at him to throw a ball.

Such taunting is not a problem unique to Baejae High School.

A few years ago, during a game between rival schools in Seoul, collective cheering aimed at provoking the opposing team's pitcher continued.

[Ball, ball, ball, ball, ball.]

[Go ahead and blow the game before you leave.]

Earlier this year, at a national tournament, when a first-year player stepped up to the plate, chants mocking the opposing team's third-year ace echoed through the stadium.

["You'll be embarrassed if you get hit by a first-year student."]

Professional team scouts say that "taunting cheers" have become increasingly severe over the past few years.

One scout stated that cases of opposing teams protesting due to derogatory cheering are on the rise, and that even when umpires requested restraint, it was to no avail.

Another scout from a different club mentioned that in a game he witnessed, there was even an instance where they called out the opposing coach's name to mock him, adding that despite conveying opinions to the teams that such cheering should be stopped, there was no change.

One of the reasons why taunting cheers do not disappear is that cases of strong sanctions are rare.

The regulations for the Blue Dragon Flag tournament, where the May 18 disparagement controversy occurred, state that "excessive cheering" can lead to a suspension of up to three games, but there were almost no cases of actual ejections or suspensions before this incident.

Experts agree that it is difficult to understand the phenomenon of rampant taunting in the baseball world, which has many unwritten rules precisely because it values consideration for the opponent.

[Yoo Hyo-sang / SBS Sports Amateur Baseball Commentator: Outside of Korea, in amateur baseball in countries like Japan and the U.S., this type of cheering culture does not exist. Because there is a mindset that one must win at all costs, some parents even pressure the coaches, saying, "Why is only our team not doing that kind of cheering? The kids are losing their spirit."]

The Korea Baseball Softball Association announced that it plans to make it mandatory to provide advance notice prohibiting inappropriate cheering at all future tournaments and to refine relevant regulations to respond strictly to similar cases.

Reported by Bae Jeonghun | Video by Yang Doo-won | Video Editing by Ha Seong-won | Graphics by Seo Seung-hyun and Hwang Se-yeon | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.