No path for girls in baseball? This 12-year-old is making one
Baseball runs deep in Gwangju. The Tigers, based in the city, have won 12 championships in the 45 years since Korean professional baseball began. Seven of the 30 Koreans who have played in the U.S. Major League Baseball came from Gwangju. Its residents have shared the highs and lows of the sport. Now a 12-year-old here is adding a chapter the sport has never had. This is Choi Seo-yoon's story.…
Baseball has a deep-rooted presence in Gwangju, South Korea. The city's Tigers, a professional team, have claimed 12 championships over the last 45 years since Korean professional baseball commenced. Remarkably, seven of the 30 Korean players who have ventured to Major League Baseball in the United States hail from Gwangju. This close-knit community has witnessed the sport's triumphs and tribulations firsthand.
In the midst of this baseball heritage, a 12-year-old girl named Choi Seo-yoon is rewriting history. As a sixth-grader, the usually male-dominated sport now includes a female player in Gwangju's baseball city. Seo-yoon stands out during warm-ups, her damp and heavy long hair contrasting with the dust from the infield dirt. She leads her team with confidence, serving as the captain as they jog side by side across the field.
Seo-yoon's leadership is evident when she spots a sloppy stride in the front row and shouts, "Run all the way to the end!" Her voice resonates through the park, echoing the sound of the long July sun and the persistent chorus of cicadas. The Gwangju Stream, a tributary of the Yeongsan River, flows to the right of the Yeongsan River and winds through the city. Beyond the stream lies Champions Field, home to the KIA Tigers and a significant baseball venue in Gwangju.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- No path for girls in baseball? This 12-year-old is making one koreatimes.co.kr
