Chapter 554 – 546. The Start of the Retirement Tour. (2)

“Jincheol, are you a gunner too?”

“Celebration?”

“I heard Meng Hao fired a congratulatory gun to commemorate his retirement tour.”

“Ah, that’s right. Congratulations. “Brother, you’re retiring, so I should congratulate you.”

Choi Jin-cheol, who was returning to the dugout after hitting a home run, playfully responded to Woo Kwan-hyung’s light congratulations.

“Brother, take a shot too.”

“What is a home run at this age?”

Woo Gwan-hyeong said he was too old to hit a home run. Choi Jin-cheol wanted to joke and deny those words like usual, but he couldn’t. When I saw Woo Gwan-hyeong’s face in detail for the first time in a long time, he looked much older than when I first met him.

The words of the 43-year-old veteran, who is currently the oldest player in the KBA league and is about to retire, seemed very sad to Choi Jin-cheol.

‘Wow, I can’t believe that Gwan-hyung, who seems like he never grows old, has gotten this old. Is it time for me to go now? .’

2006. Woo Kwan-hyeong, who was standing in front of him as a rookie, was a young, next-generation superstar.

Woo Kwan-hyung, who was a high school rookie who debuted like a comet in 2002, made his name known to AT fans by hitting 115 hits in his first season. In 2006, when he debuted, he had already won the Golden Glove for two consecutive years. It was the center of the team.

And Choi Jin-cheol was a promising player on the team who was selected in the first round and was highly anticipated by baseball fans.

Like all players who enter the professional ranks, Choi Jin-cheol was a promising prospect known in his high school days. Choi Jin-cheol was the hitter who dominated the high school league, including home runs in four consecutive at-bats and receiving an intentional walk with the bases loaded. In line with such expectations, he received a large contract fee and joined his dream club, the AT Thunders. The AT Thunders have one of the strongest fandoms in the league…

And all of that came as a burden to Choi Jin-cheol. His high contract fee, the expectations of his coaches, and the fact that he received a lot of love and gifts from the time he joined, but even the fans who came to his mini-homepage and cursed at him every time he didn’t perform well.

All of these things came as a burden to Choi Jin-cheol, who was still young.

Add to that the atmosphere within the team, which was more disciplined than in high school, and the coaches who would fix his batting form before the next game when he returned after striking out in one at-bat, and young Choi Jin-cheol just couldn’t hold on.

At that time, the person who comforted Choi Jin-cheol, who cried every day whenever he was promoted to the first team, was Woo Gwan-hyeong, who was emerging as the team’s main hitter and was his roommate. Woo Gwan-hyeong was a senior who had many things to be thankful for, such as taking him out every night to buy him food when he was up in tears every night, as well as giving him a ride on his way to and from work when he did not have a car.

Moreover, at the away hotel, they always told you that you could become a big player, and you were Choi Jin-cheol’s support during those days.

When he was discharged from the Sangmu position, he hit double-digit home runs with the help of Woo Gwan-hyeong, and this trade was made when he was curious to see if the rough but passionate fans would repay his feelings. After that trade, Choi Jin-cheol’s baseball life changed completely as he won the home run title and advanced to the majors. I always had a burden on my mind.

That was clearly the reason why he returned to AT Thunders. When I was young, to repay the support of passionate fans that I couldn’t handle back then, and to repay my senior Woo Kwan-hyung who took care of me when I was a humble person.

AT Thunders returned like that. I thought I had sufficiently repaid my fans and Woo Kwan-hyung by winning two championships, but I couldn’t help but feel emotional once my retirement tour began.

‘Is it because we grow old together?’

Twenty-four-year-old Woo Gwan-hyeong, who was comforting a twenty-year-old high school graduate rookie, was now 43 years old and about to retire, and the 20-year-old himself, who cried himself to sleep all night because baseball was difficult, went on to become the home run king several times, advance to the major leagues, and return to his hometown team. He came back and won two championships, becoming a 39-year-old veteran.

As sports medicine has developed, there has been a trend in the sports world that retirement age has been pushed further back, but now it is an age where it would not be strange to retire at any time… No, it was safe to say that Woo Gwan-hyeong was at a strange age for not retiring.

That’s why Choi Jin-cheol wanted to convey the gratitude he felt at that time. Before it’s too late, before he becomes uglier.

Choi Jin-cheol also knew. That his career as a player is now over. Compared to last year, when he hit 38 home runs, his quickness was not what it used to be, and he himself felt that it was becoming dull as time passed, month by month.

That’s why today was more important to Choi Jin-cheol. The first day of my respected senior’s retirement tour. When he was still the team’s cleanup hitter and central hitter, he wanted to proudly become the MVP of the game and say that he was able to grow this many thanks to the advice he received at the time. There may be 8 more retirement tours besides today, but the most memorable day was definitely today, the first day.

‘Well, Sangju and Maengho also hit home runs, and the starter is Bellingham, so if I want to be a distinguished player…’

“Evil!”

As he was calculating his chances of becoming the Distinguished Player, a sudden shock felt in the back of his head brought Choi Jin-cheol back to reality.

“Uh… ? Are you crying, senior? “It was a helmet, but did it hurt?”

He was the most senior member of the team, and the person who hit him, the captain, was Ji Maeng-ho, a bold junior. The hand that congratulated him on returning from a home run… That touch made Choi Jin-cheol, who had been feeling sentimental while thinking about that time, return to his normal self.

“Now, wait! Senior! Wait a minute! I hit everyone else too… ! Evil! Headlock! Stop!”

The only thing that can be done to Ji Maeng-ho is a headlock. Choi Jin-cheol covered the arrogant junior’s head with his strong forearms, and his colleagues smiled familiarly and erected a wall in front of the camera to block the image.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Try gently today. Okay?”

“That’s a bit…” . Evil! I’ll hit you gently! Gently!”

No matter how much you think about it, if you go to a batting match, this is the only way you can receive the Distinguished Player Award. The game was already 5-0. The competitor was here, not the opposing team.

“Okay, let me go! Mr. Ai, unless you are a real senior…”

“If it’s not a senior, what?”

And the declaration of surrender from Ji Maeng-ho’s mouth. Choi Jin-cheol felt uncomfortable about that comment and thought about strengthening his arm again, but he let go of the arrogant junior.

“Uh! Kim Hyun-seong, that bastard hit a double play. Do you hit a double play on a day like this? “You fell behind.”

“Meng Hao, stop harassing your junior.”

“No, who was the person in the headlock just now…?” . Seeing.”

And just in time, Kim Hyun-seong, who came out as the number 8 hitter, hit a double play, ending the long first inning.

‘Well, I don’t think Meng Hao will attack me gently.’

Although he told Ji Maeng-ho to be gentle, what really matters is his record. To surpass Ji Maeng-ho’s record, he would have had to hit at least two home runs. Even Ji Maeng-ho, whose batting condition has been declining these days, was showing the performance of an MVP-level player.

‘Okay, today I’m just going to aim for home runs.’

And that opportunity came sooner than expected.

[Top of the 3rd inning, one out. Ji Maeng-ho, who hit a two-run home run in his previous at-bat, comes to bat. … Ji Maeng-ho’s batted ball cuts into left-center! Ji Maeng-ho reaches second base! Stand up and go in. And at the plate, Choi Jin-cheol, who hit a home run in the previous at-bat.]

Ta – Aak!

Choi Jin-cheol picked up the third ball from Jin Yong-jae, who had been guarding the mound since the beginning of the first inning, and the batted ball went over the left field fence as Choi Jin-cheol had hoped.

[Choi Jin-cheol’s consecutive home runs! He hits his first consecutive home run this season in this game! Score 7:1!]

‘It’s okay! At this rate, today’s interview is about me…’

A series of home runs that put a dent early in the game. Although it wasn’t a winning performance, it was usually good enough for an interview. On days like this when a mega Thunders strike occurred, there was a high probability that the player who hit multiple home runs that day would be the subject of the interview.

Moreover, Ji Maeng-ho’s third at bat came after that,

[The leading batter is Ji Maeng-ho… You hit it! A hit that exceeds the height of the second baseman! Exquisitely pushed! Third hit today!]

As Ji Maeng-ho’s third at-bat ended with a hit, Choi Jin-cheol sighed in relief as he felt that his strongest competitor had been put to rest.

[Fan! One out! Lee Jun-won, who strikes out Choi Jin-cheol!]

Although he did strike out, he was ahead of the competition for the Most Valuable Player award with multiple home runs rather than three hits.

But Choi Jin-cheol didn’t know until then. What does a home run in the first at-bat, a double in the second at-bat, and a hit in the third at-bat mean?

[Two outs, top of the 7th inning. Ji Maeng-ho takes the fourth at-bat.]

[Oh, Ji Maeng-ho only has one triple left in his cycling hit? He is a strong player who has also recorded a cycling home run, but he has only recorded one cycling hit, so he must be greedy, right?]

NV Rex’s tendency to like to compete outside, and Ji Maeng-ho ready to push for a triple.

‘Mr. Rossby! Just one more hit and it’s cycling, so please help me just once!’

‘Ha, bother.’

‘I want to be interviewed today!’

Ji Maeng-ho, who linked up with Rossby, was still destructive,

Ta – Aak!

[Ji Maeng-ho hit! Right field! Right field! I can’t catch it! A batted ball hits the wall and rolls out! Ji Maeng-ho reaches second base! It doesn’t stop! Third base! Third base! Third base! Safe! Ji Maeng-ho records his second career cycling hit! Roaring from third base! On the first day of Woo Kwan-hyung’s retirement tour, Ji Maeng-ho congratulates his senior by setting a great record!]

Choi Jin-cheol couldn’t help but feel frustrated when he saw that. Although he hit a hit in his next at-bat and added an RBI, he couldn’t beat the cycling hit record by adding an RBI to his two home runs.

When the game ended, the score gap had already widened by more than 10 points, and the subject of the interview was naturally Ji Maeng-ho, who recorded a cycling hit.

“Hello! Today, we will interview the distinguished player, Ji Maeng-ho.”

“Hello! AT Thunders are great!”

All Choi Jin-cheol can do is sit in the dugout and watch Ji Maeng-ho conduct an interview with a reporter, looking brighter than usual.

‘That seat should have been mine…’

Today, I wanted to express my gratitude to my respected senior… Although there was some regret, the result could not be changed, and Choi Jin-cheol had no choice but to swallow tears inside.

“Well, the first event of Woo Kwan-hyung’s retirement tour was held today. Ji Maeng-ho, do you want to say something?”

“Big, big. Senior Kwan Hyeong is retiring, um… Congratulations, fans, don’t be too sad! Because I have it! Now is my time!”

“Oh, not yet…”

“Anyway, don’t worry!”

Ji Maeng-ho’s words telling us not to worry too much about the retirement of Woo Gwan-hyeong, who had single-handedly supported the team through a dark era for over 20 years…

‘Yes, what fans need is words like that, not my detailed personal history. Kwan said something like this, telling me not to worry even if my brother retires…’

It was a little arrogant, but Choi Jin-cheol nodded because he felt like the fans needed more words like that.

‘… But, won’t that guy go to the majors after next year? It won’t work. I guess I should tell the store manager and ask him to give me a special hit on Maengho.’

Excluding this season, there is only one season left until Ji Maeng-ho goes to the majors. Choi Jin-cheol left the dugout, planning mental education at Maeng-ho’s words, which seemed to deceive the fans the more he thought about them.

‘Well, even if Meng Hao goes, I will be there. To do that, I need to take better care of my body.’

Even after Meng Ho left, he pledged to protect the AT Thunders even after he turned 40, like his respected senior, Gwan Hyeong.