Chapters 187 – 185. The Man With 3000 Hits. (2)

– Woo-gwan hyung! Right-handed! Right-handed!

– Invincible A! T! Right-handed! Whoa oh oh!

“Wow, look at the sound of the cheering song. It’s boring.”

As soon as Woo Kwan-hyung entered his first at-bat, the sound of the cheering song made the ground shake. There is only one emotion that fills me up when I hear that cheering sound. It was envy. In high school, he had been benching for three years and the scene he had always dreamed of was unfolding in front of his eyes, so it was only natural that he could not help but feel envious.

It was something he vaguely felt every time he appeared in a match, but now that the spotlight is on Woo Kwan-hyung, that vague feeling becomes clear. I want to be in that spotlight. I want to be the main character in this arena.

I’ve been hungry for baseball for a long time, so I didn’t want to lose that spotlight even if I was on the same team.

‘Hehe, it’s natural for a baseball player to feel that way. Isn’t that why pitchers are so arrogant?’

‘I know, right. If he had known it would be like this, he would have pitched.’

‘With your skills, there’s no way.’

‘Because if you’re a pitcher, Mr. Rossby can’t help you.’

And the typing wasn’t bad either. A hitter can come out on the field every day. If you come out every day and stand at the plate receiving cheers like that….

“When will I ever get a shout like that?”

My cheering song was loud enough, but it was nothing compared to Woo Kwan-hyung’s cheering song today. After realizing this feeling, I was madly envious of Woo Kwan-hyung who received such shouts.

“Hey, are you the same as your older brother? If you want to be like that, you have to play here for 20 years.”

“Um…. 20 years is a bit. Shouldn’t I still go to the majors?”

“Then did you win once? Heck, there’s nothing more special than the cheering songs you hear in Korean series.”

The weatherman seemed to recall the memories of that time. And then he returned with a serious expression and continued talking.

“Hey, you won the AT and you get the MVP, right? Maybe they’ll put up a statue in Jamsil?”

“Ah, would you?”

While I was chatting with the weather manager, a cheerful sound of the bat rang out.

Right!

– Woo-gwan hyung! Right-handed! Right-handed!

It was Woo Kwan-hyung’s 2998th hit in his professional career. And that hit was a timely hit that yielded the third run. And pouring flash lights. It was spectacular to see everyone taking pictures of Woo Kwan-hyeong, whether it be from the audience or from the reporters.

‘Fuck, I’m so jealous.’

I tried to ignore the pain in my stomach and opened my mouth as if nothing was wrong.

“I’m going to go 3 points from the 1st inning, so I’ll be able to go comfortably today.”

“Well, because the opponent is a volcano.”

As the meteorologist said, the opponent is a volcano. I was a little nervous because today’s starter was Kim Chan-young, the 5th starter, but I was confident that with the firepower of our other lineup, we could overturn it at any time even if we gave up points. In fact, most of the recent games have been scoring close to 10 points.

In addition, the players were playing more tenaciously than usual as they were determined to give Woo Kwan-hyung as many at-bats as possible.

‘If this continues, I’ll be able to hit 3,000 hits today?’

*

[Woo Kwan-hyung’s second at-bat. Once again, the audience in Jamsil is excited.]

[The cheers are tremendous. You can feel how much Woo Kwan-hyung is a loved player in the AT Thunders.]

[Now, there are two steps left to reach the record. Woo Kwan hyung, from the first pitch!]

Right!

A light hitting sound sounds. A hit that exploded once again. The score had already increased to 5 points at the end of the 3rd inning, but the crowd fell into a crucible of enthusiasm again.

-2999! 2999! 2999!

-Wow, Woo-gwan hyung is crazy. Fuck!!! A really great record, GAZAA!!!

-LOL Until last year, I was nervous about retiring, and then I suddenly pretended to be cheering for you.
ㄴ Last year, I was in the middle of the day, and this year, I’m good at it, but of course I have to suck it up, right?
ㄴThis baby baseball one-to-day looks likehaha

-But honestly, aren’t you a right-wing legend? No championships, no titles.
Does my hyung look like Joss because he wears at the gallery?

-Whoops, isn’t the record in the upper league set only for the losers who didn’t advance to the lower league?
ㄴThat’s right. If Joo Hyung-jin had stayed in Korea, he would have just hit it.
ㄴ Choi Joo’s attitude If he had been consistent in Korea, he would have hit 4,000 hits.

-Wow, but it’s hard to get 3000 hits.

-Ha, fuck, are you setting a record again?
The team is also in last place, set all the records, and if you’re going to fuck this up, disband it.

– Now, I think Woo Kwan-hyung is the best hitter in the KBA.
Are you a hitter who has not advanced to the majors?
He said It’s not the best hitter in Korea, but the best hitter in the KBA.
No, but I have to admit 3000 hits. 150 hits for 20 years.

-Woo Kwan-hyung vs Joo Hyung-jin. Hange people’s choice
ㄴWhy are you posting this on a good day? Let’s clear it up.
Can’t you even compare players?
ㄴHonestly, Joo Hyung-jin is better, but I want to choose Woo-gwan.
No, then at fan.
What’s wrong with being a fan?
ㄴBut honestly, if it were our team, I would choose Woo Kwan-hyung, and Joo Hyung-jin would go to the majors when posting.
ㄴThat’s right haha ​​Kwan Woo-ong, who has been living as a professional in Korea for the rest of his life, would be better.
Are you a crazy bastard, you should compare what you want to compare. Is Woo Kwan-hyung in the class?
No profanity…
No, I have to say what I have to say. Woo Kwan-hyung, honestly, aren’t they their own legend?
Ha ha, I feel good on a good day for nothing.

-Woo Gwan-hyung, congratulations on 3000 hits. At this rate, I’ll set a record today, or tomorrow if I can’t.
I am thrilled to see such a great record in my life.
No, it’s not yet, so don’t get excited.

And along with the audience, the internet community was also on fire. There was a position that the record set in the KBA league was not recognized, but most of them were celebrating Woo Kwan-hyung’s great record. In particular, fans of the 9 clubs, including AT, were thrilled with the record that was about to be achieved.

When I was thrilled with the expectation of seeing a record of 3,000 hits, which existed in the major leagues and NPB, but never appeared in the KBA, there was one club that couldn’t laugh.

-Fuck, we’re going to be stuffed into the data screen again.
B*tch really. Those bastards have no fighting spirit, no skills. See how fat the little ones are

It was the Volcano Falcons facing the AT Thunders right now. And this feeling was also felt by the director of the volcano.

“Hey! Hey! Gather everyone.”

After the bottom of the third inning, the manager of the Volcano Falcons called the players together.

“Director?”

“Why are you meeting all of a sudden?”

Most of the players reacted sceptically to coach Jung Chul-min’s call for a meeting during the game. Not in the second half of the game, but in the beginning of the game with a 5-point lead, such a call.

‘Ha, these bastards….’

Seeing that, director Jung Chul-min gnashed his teeth. When I first started the season, it was definitely not like this. There was hope that Volcano Falcons could definitely head upwards.

Choi Si-woo, a giant cannon resource, Shin Su-ho, a finisher who will firmly support the mound, and domestic one-two punch Kim Min-jun and Chae Jae-hyun, who will not be outdone no matter where they are put. In addition to the other players who have fed experience step by step. If only the mercenaries were selected well, they would definitely be able to fight in the top 5, so the hope was greater.

However, those hopes were shattered when they faced the AT Thunders. As Lee Won-hyung, the only hitter in his 30s and in charge of the center of defense, was injured, the defense began to crumble and the team slowly began to crumble. In addition, Baek Doo-hyeong, a veteran pitcher, lost his baseball skills as if possessed by a ghost after being hit by Ji Maeng-ho, making it difficult for him to reach Shin Su-ho.

Moreover, after falling to 10th in the series, the idea that it won’t be this year is starting to spread among the players. While leading the series against Volcano to victory, they took the opposite course of the AT Thunders, which are on the rise with the strong chance of a manager change.

And at the center of that move was Ji Maeng-ho. He broke Lee Won-hyung’s leg and broke Baek Doo-hyung.

‘If it weren’t for Ji Maeng-ho, that bastard. That bastard will look at the situation later and do something like beanballs, but there’s something more important than that right now.’

From Hwasan’s point of view, Ji Maeng-ho and his team his, the AT Thunders, are enemies themselves. In addition, he gave a record of 3000 hits, until he was in danger of being stuffed into history. Hwasan’s manager, Jeong Chul-min, thought that if they gave up such a great record, the team that was holding out every now and then would completely collapse.

“Has everyone gathered?”

“Yes.”

“I have to go to bat soon.”

Even if the army is missing, it looks too much. Seeing this, Jung Chul-min sighed deeply.

“Whoa. OK, I’ll be brief. To be honest, this game? You can lose It’s just one game out of 144 anyway.”

‘What, all of a sudden. Why are you still beating candles in third place?’

When the expressions of the Hwasan players were rotating at the unexpected words of the coach, coach Jung Chul-min opened his mouth again.

“But today. Don’t fall victim to 3,000 hits.”

“Yes?”

“In baseball, winning and losing are always happening. 10 teams play 144 games, so there must be 1440 games in one season. If it was usual, the game would have gone like that today.”

Of course, there are overlapping games, so it wasn’t that 1440 games were played. However, in this situation, no players were counting the number of games, and all the players were staring at the coach because of the spleen in coach Jung Chul-min’s voice.

“Look at the crowd and the reporters gathered here. Which of them do you think will be interested in winning or losing this match? Even the fans cheering in AT uniforms probably don’t care who wins this match. What they want to see, what they want. Woo Kwan-hyung’s 3,000 hits.”

“…….”

At first, the players who wondered why they were holding such a meeting are now starting to fall in love with the manager’s words.

“Yes, Kwan Woo’s 3,000 hits. 3000 hits. Isn’t it the great record you’ve been dreaming of too? I will hit 500 home runs as a professional hitter. I will hit 3000 hits. I’ll try to hit a 400. Aren’t they all aiming for this kind of record in their careers? Isn’t it? That’s 3000 hits. Even in the major leagues, it’s called a guaranteed check.”

“By the way, that record is about to come out now. Korea’s first. I don’t know, but it probably won’t break for at least 20 years. No, maybe it won’t break forever. All the talented guys are from America and Japan and will advance. You all know that the atmosphere is different now compared to the 2000s when Woo Kwan hyung was playing, right? Perhaps if Woo Kwan-hyung had debuted within 10 years, he might not have achieved it in the US or anywhere else. So getting 3,000 hits in the KBA is more difficult than in the major leagues. Do you understand what I’m talking about?”

“It’s a great record, so you want me to congratulate you?”

“You fool. It means that your image will remain forever in that record that will never be broken. Ugly too. Are you going to keep that image of you smiling and celebrating forever? How will you answer when your children ask you later? My father was also at the game. Over there, over there, the one clapping with a pitiful face is my father. Will you answer me like this?”

“…….”

The situation coach Jung Chul-min said flashes through the players’ heads. Perhaps the one and only record that will remain forever. 3000 hits. And stuffed in the data screen, the images of themselves that will suffer for the rest of their lives.

“Are you going to answer like that!”

“”No!””

Volcano players answer with one voice. In particular, the voice of Lee Jin-ki, who is today’s starting pitcher and has already contributed two hits, was even louder.

“Even if you end up in 10th place, are you going to let the fans who always support you go through that kind of humiliation?! Are you going to embarrass the fans by wearing uniforms on the street?”

“”No!””

“Today, Woo Kwan-hyung, fight hard. But if you win hard, of course you will be cursed. The losers in Gyeonggi-do do everything they can to avoid giving records. Are there any bastards who want to be cursed at like that?”

“”There is not!””

“Then don’t ever give me the records of the game. Even if I lose all other matches, today and this series will never be. Got it?”

There is a slight silence at Director Jung Cheol-min’s words. However, the eyes of the players were burning more than ever.

“Ten years old, you’re coming out so damn late.”

And there was a player who spit out swear words while watching the dugout of such a volcano.

“I see a meeting, but it’s not like winning. Ah, are you preparing for a celebration for senior Kwan-hyeong over there too?”

“Eh, Ancana quietly? I can hear everything.”

“I’m stuck in the dugout, what? And what do you do when you hear it?”

“Do not glitch.”

That player was Ji Maeng-ho, who was burning with wanting to be the main character of the stadium.