"Immortal .400 Hitter" Former Manager Baek In-chun Dies at 83

[Financial News] Baek In-chun, the only .400 hitter in KBO League history, has died at the age of 83.
Baek died at 6:41 a.m. on the 15th at Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, where he had been receiving treatment for a cerebral hemorrhage.
He was found in cardiac arrest at around 6 a.m. the previous day at his home in Cheonan and was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. After CPR, his blood pressure and pulse returned, but his condition remained critical. He was later transferred to the hospital where he had been receiving regular treatment and was cared for in the intensive care unit. He fought for a day, but ultimately did not recover.
Baek was a legend of Korean baseball, having played for 23 years in professional baseball in Korea and Japan. In 1982, the inaugural year of the KBO League, he played as both manager and player for MBC Chungyong and posted a .412 batting average, leaving his name in history as the only .400 hitter in Korean professional baseball.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) plans to hold a funeral as the second KBO-organized funeral in its history, in recognition of his contributions to the development of Korean baseball. The wake has been set up in the traditional room on the second floor of the funeral hall at Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan, and the funeral procession will take place at 8 a.m. on the 17th.
Born in 1942 in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, Baek moved to South Korea during the Korean War and learned baseball at Kyungdong Middle School and Kyungdong High School. He had a strong lower body, built in part through speed skating, and stood out at the plate while playing catcher.
He joined NACF, an amateur baseball team, in 1961 and moved to Japan's professional baseball league in 1962 by free contract with the Toei Flyers. He later played in Japan through 1981 with the Taiheiyo Lions, Lotte Orions, and Kintetsu Buffaloes.
While with the Taiheiyo Lions in 1975, he hit .319 to win the Pacific League batting title.
After returning home with the launch of the professional league, Baek continued his playing career with the Sammi Superstars in 1983 and 1984, bringing his 23-year run as an active player in Korean and Japanese professional baseball to an end.
He began his coaching career in 1985 as a batting instructor for the Chongbo Pintos. In 1990, he became the first manager of LG Twins, which had been reborn after taking over MBC Chungyong. Emphasizing "baseball of the soul," Baek led LG to the Korean Series title that year and enjoyed the peak of his career as a manager.
He later managed three teams: LG from 1990 to 1991, Samsung Lions from 1996 to 1997, and Lotte Giants from 2002 to 2003. He also coached younger players as a batting instructor for Samsung, Hanwha Eagles, and SK Wyverns, now SSG Landers.
During his time as Samsung manager in 1997, he was also involved in the so-called "illegal bat" controversy over allegations raised by then-LG manager Bo-sung Chun that Samsung hitters were using compressed bats.
After stepping down as a manager, he worked as a television baseball commentator in the early 2000s and continued meeting fans. As both a player and a coach, he left a deep impression as a leader known for his strong mentality and fighting spirit.
[email protected] Hong Ye-ji Reporter