(Daegu = Yonhap News) Reporter Dae-ho Lee = The moment Chris Fedek's last ball, which he threw with all his might, hit Min-ho Kang's mitt, players in blue uniforms poured onto the ground at once.
When the Samsung Lions regained the top spot in the Korean Series for the first time in 12 years with a 12-1 win in Game 5, with a record of 4 wins and 1 loss, the players hugged each other and shed hot tears, each with a different story.
For some, it was the first championship ring they finally received after enduring 22 years, and for others, it was a thrill to return to their parents' home after 10 years.
The person who was most desperate to win that day was veteran catcher Kang Min-ho (41).
Kang Min-ho, who debuted as a professional with the Lotte Giants in 2004, had many great records, including the most games played, but had nothing to do with the Korean Series championship ring.
In 2024, in his first Korean series since his debut 21 years ago, he ended up in second place and was disappointed.
This year, Samsung juniors united as one, saying, “I definitely want to put a championship ring on senior Kang Min-ho.”
Kang Min-ho also led the pitching staff by staying at home throughout the Korean Series following five playoff (PO) games with the KIA Tigers.
Even though he could only swing the bat halfway due to a back injury, he showed his fighting spirit to participate.
In Game 4, which was held as a daytime game after completing 9 innings in Game 3, he was omitted from the starting list for physical strength reasons, but after wearing a mask in the top of the 5th inning, he even hit the first hit of the series in the 8th inning, proving his veteran quality.
In Game 5, he played as the number 9 hitter and catcher and finally resolved 22 years of resentment.
Because the swing itself was difficult, he practically just watched the ball at the plate, but when the opportunity came in the 5th inning with one out and bases loaded with a 6-1 lead, he had no choice but to swing erratically.
It seemed like the batted ball went straight toward the second baseman, leading to a double play, but when two runners hit home due to a throwing error by KT's second baseman, they cried out as if they sensed victory.
Although they were unable to hit, Samsung pitchers continued to pitch well under Kang Min-ho's skillful game management.
For ‘Captain’ Koo Ja-wook (33), this is his first Korean Series win since his professional debut.
Koo Ja-wook, who joined Samsung in 2012, did not show much in the first year, and immediately joined the Armed Forces Athletic Corps (Sangmu), completed his military service, and debuted in the first team in 2015.
2015 was the year that Samsung succeeded in winning its fifth consecutive regular season title, but failed to win the Korean Series.
He had emerged as Samsung's main hitter that year, but was unable to lift the championship trophy as the team fell into a dark period.
In 2024, when the team finally advanced to the Korean Series, he got injured during the playoffs and had to watch the Korean Series from the bench.
This year, he left at the end of the regular season due to a thigh injury, casting a dark cloud over the fall baseball field.
However, Koo Ja-wook showed his fighting spirit by participating in the playoffs even though he was unable to defend.
After leading the batting line with three hits, including a two-run gun in Game 1 of the Korean Series and a game-tying hit in Games 1 to 4, he became the winning captain who was proudly named Series MVP.
With a batting average of 0.500 (10 hits in 20 at-bats) in this series, the ‘rebuilding dynasty’ began with his bat.
For Choi Hyeong-woo (43), the oldest active professional baseball player, it is a victory completed with ‘The Return of the King.’
He played a key role in Samsung's 4-game winning streak from 2011 to 2014, then moved to KIA in 2017 and led the Tigers to victory that year.
And ahead of this season, he wore a blue uniform again for up to 2.6 billion won for two years.
Even though he was well past his age, Choi Hyung-woo devoted himself to the team, willingly shouldering the burden of outfield defense when the team needed it.
In the PO against his old team KIA, he put the team in the Korean Series with a batting average of 0.385 and 2 home runs, and also showed off his instincts as a problem solver in the Korean Series with multiple hits in Game 2, a timely hit in Game 3, and a timely hit in Game 5.
It was the moment when the championship trophy was presented to Daegu fans again exactly 12 years after 2014, the last championship of the Samsung dynasty.
‘Blue Blood Ace’ Won Tae-in (26) took center stage on the mound with a sacrificial spirit regardless of his position.
When closing pitcher Kim Jae-yoon left due to injury ahead of the playoffs, starting ace Won Tae-in moved to the bullpen without hesitation and guarded the backfield.
Afterwards, when it became necessary to reorganize the starting lineup, Won Tae-in returned to the starting position and took on the important role of starting Game 5, where the championship was at stake, and finished with a comeback performance by the winning pitcher, allowing 4 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 1 run in 5 innings.
