Chan Ho Park
Chan Ho Park | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Pitcher | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born: Gongju, South Korea | June 30, 1973|||||||||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||||||||
Professional debut | |||||||||||||||||||||
MLB: April 8, 1994, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||||||||||||||||||||
NPB: April 15, 2011, for the Orix Buffaloes | |||||||||||||||||||||
KBO: April 12, 2012, for the Hanwha Eagles | |||||||||||||||||||||
Last appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||
MLB: October 1, 2010, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||||||||||||||||||||
NPB: May 29, 2011, for the Orix Buffaloes | |||||||||||||||||||||
KBO: October 3, 2012, for the Hanwha Eagles | |||||||||||||||||||||
MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 124–98 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 4.36 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 1,715 | ||||||||||||||||||||
NPB statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 1–5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 4.29 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
KBO statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 5–10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 5.06 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 68 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Chan Ho Park | |
Hangul | 박찬호 |
---|---|
Hanja | 朴贊浩 |
Revised Romanization | Bak Chanho |
McCune–Reischauer | Pak Ch'anho |
Chan Ho Park (Korean: 박찬호; Hanja: 朴贊浩; Korean pronunciation: [pɐk̚.tɕʰɐn.ɦo]; born June 30, 1973)[1] is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history, and the first South Korean player to be named an MLB All-Star.[2] He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB), the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League. As of 2023, he has the most career wins of any Asia-born pitcher in history (124), having passed Hideo Nomo for that distinction in 2010.[3] [4] During his playing days, Park stood 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall, weighing 210 pounds (95 kg).[1]
Early life and career in South Korea
Chan Ho Park was born in
Park was a member of the 1992 and 1993 South Korea national baseball team. He posted a 2.76 ERA in helping South Korea earn the silver medal at the Asian Baseball Championship in 1993. He also competed in 1993 Summer Universiade, and led his team to the silver medal.
Park was a sophomore at Hanyang University, Seoul in 1994 when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent.
In 2015, he and Yang Hak-seon lit the cauldron for the 2015 Summer Universiade held in Gwangju, South Korea.
Professional career
1994–2001: Los Angeles Dodgers
Park made his professional debut for the Dodgers on April 8, 1994, against the Atlanta Braves as a reliever, working one inning (a game in which the Dodgers were no-hit by the Braves' Kent Mercker).
Park played in one additional game for the Dodgers that season and then spent the bulk of the season with the
With the
In 1996, his first full season with the Dodgers, he went 5–5 with a 3.64 ERA in 48 games (10 starts). He recorded his first win on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs.
Park had a breakout season in 1997 as he became a full-time starter. He tied for the team lead in victories, while posting a 14–8 record and a 3.38 ERA in 32 appearances, 29 of them starts.
In 1998, he was 15–9 with a 3.71 ERA in 34 starts and struck out 191 batters in 220.2 innings. After the season, he led the South Korean national team to the gold medal in the Asian Games, beating Japan in the final match.
In 1999, he struggled in the rotation with 13–11 with a 5.23 ERA. On April 23, 1999, he became the only pitcher in the history of baseball to allow
In 2000, he ranked second in strikeouts with 217, second in opposing batting average (.214), and lowest in allowed
2002–2005: Texas Rangers
Park was granted free agency after the season and was signed by the
On July 29, 2005, he was traded by the Rangers to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Phil Nevin. Padres fans had hoped that Park could repeat his previous success by playing in pitcher-friendly Petco Park.
2005–2006: San Diego Padres
In the 2005 season, his combined record was 12–8, despite a 5.74 ERA. In the 2006 season, Park was reunited with his former Texas Rangers teammate and friend Chris Young, who was traded to the Padres in exchange for Akinori Otsuka. Park started the season as a reliever but soon he became a starter. On July 31, he suffered from intestinal bleeding and was placed on the disabled list. Several of his teammates, including Jake Peavy, Woody Williams, Chris Young, and Alan Embree, offered to donate their blood, but Park graciously refused their offer, as they were vital members of the team. Park accepted blood transfusions, that came, in part, from Jake Peavy's wife Katie and Kelly Calabrese, the Padres' team massage therapist. However, Park's recovery did not last long as he suffered from another episode of intestinal bleeding on August 21. He was hospitalized again, this time along with his wife Ri-hye, who was about to deliver their first child.[7] A very thorough medical examination revealed that Park was suffering from a congenital defect called Meckel's diverticulum. Park had a successful surgery and only six days later his wife delivered a healthy baby daughter at the same hospital.[8]
The San Diego Padres advanced to the post-season and Park joined the postseason roster. On October 3, 2006, Park made his first career postseason appearance in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals as a reliever. He also had career-high season batting average of .268 from 41 at bats.
2007: New York Mets & Houston Astros
On February 8, 2007, the
On June 12, 2007, he signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros. Astros Manager Phil Garner said, "Park will have a few starts at Triple-A Round Rock before the Astros decide whether to call him up." Park compiled a 2–10 record over 15 starts with Round Rock, failing to earn a spot on the Astros' 40-man roster.[14]
2008: Return to the Dodgers
On November 8, 2007, Park accepted an offer from his original team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, to attend spring training as a non-roster invitee. On November 28, 2007, Park asked to be let go by the Dodgers to play for the Korean national team. After pitching with no health issues for the Korean national team, the contract was finalized on December 6, 2007. Despite being considered a long shot for the fifth starter's role, Park pitched very well, but was ultimately passed over for right-hander Esteban Loaiza. He was eventually reassigned to the minor leagues on March 30, 2008. Faced with the problem of a fatigued and depleted pitching staff three games later, the Dodgers purchased Park's minor league contract on April 2, 2008.[15]
On May 17, 2008, Park made his first start as a Dodger since 2001 against the
On June 21, 2008, Park started against the
After
2009: Philadelphia Phillies
On January 6, Park signed a one-year, incentive-laden, $2.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.[19] On March 31, Phillies GM
In December 2009 it was announced that Chan Ho Park was suing his former Dodger teammate Chad Kreuter in Los Angeles Superior Court, in which he claimed Kreuter breached repayment of a $460,000 promissory note issued in October 2005.[21]
2010: New York Yankees & Pittsburgh Pirates
On February 28, 2010, Park signed a one-year contract worth $1.2 million with $300,000 incentives with the New York Yankees.[22][23] Chan Ho Park decided to play for the Yankees after rejecting an offer of around $3 million per year from the Philadelphia Phillies.[24]
Park got off to a poor start in 2010. In a widely circulated YouTube clip, he blamed his poor performance in one April appearance on a case of diarrhea. After struggling with a 5.60 ERA.,[25] Park was designated for assignment on July 31, 2010. On August 4, 2010, Park was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.[26] On October 1, Park recorded a record for most wins by an Asian-born pitcher in MLB history, tossing three scoreless innings for his 124th career victory. He passed Hideo Nomo for the most ever by an Asian-born pitcher. He became a free agent at the end of the season.[27]
2011: Orix Buffaloes
On December 20, 2010, Park signed one-year deal with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball for the 2011 season.[28]
2012: Hanwha Eagles
On November 24, 2011, Park signed one-year deal with the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League for the 2012 season.
On December 20, 2011, Park announced that he would guarantee a minimum of $35.5k (₩40 million) of his salary to fund the development of amateur baseball in South Korea. His contract bonus has potential earnings at up to $550,000 (₩600 million) in which Park would donate 100% of this salary to fund efforts to build amateur baseball with youth in the country.[29] Park posted a record of 5–10 with a 5.06 ERA with the Eagles.
He announced his retirement from baseball on November 30, 2012. Park had a record of 124–98 in the Major Leagues with the Dodgers, Rangers, Padres, Mets, Phillies, Yankees, and Pirates.
World Baseball Classic
Between the 2005 season and the
Pitching style
In his prime, Chan Ho was essentially a
Personal life
Park married Korean-Japanese socialite Ri-hye Park on November 29, 2005. An
In 2020, Park made a cameo appearance as himself in two episodes of the Korean television drama Start-Up.
In 2021, Park played in two golf tournaments on the Korean Tour.[32]
See also
- List of Texas Rangers Opening Day starting pitchers
- List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
- List of baseball players who went directly to Major League Baseball
- List of Major League Baseball players from South Korea
References
- ^ a b "Chan Ho Park". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ "2001 All-Star Game". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ 박찬호 발차기는 한국인이기 때문에? (in Korean). Asia Today. January 4, 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ 2000 NL H/9 Leaders
- ^ http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060822&content_id=1622945&vkey=news_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060822&content_id=1623911&vkey=news_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd
- ^ The Official Site of The San Diego Padres: News: San Diego Padres News
- ^ "English.YonhapNews.co.kr". Archived from the original on February 12, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
- ^ "NYDailyNews.com". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
- ^ Sports.Yahoo.com
- ^ "Ultimate Mets Database – Chan Ho Park". Ultimatemets.com. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
- ^ "Chan Ho Park – His New York Mets Career 2007". April 15, 2018.
- ^ Kang Seung-woo. "Sun Setting on Baseballs Golden Generation," The Korea Times (Aug. 30, 2007).
- ^ "Inside the Dodgers". Archived from the original on April 7, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2008.
- ^ Mike Scarr, Dodgers Even Series MLB.com May 18, 2008.
- ^ Ken Gurnick, No Win for Park MLB.com June 21, 2008.
- ^ "박찬호, 드디어 30개 전구단 상대 선발 등판 조이뉴스"], June 20, 2008 (Korean)
- ^ Phillies sign Park
- ^ Zolecki, Todd (March 31, 2009). "Park overjoyed to be Phils' No. 5 starter". Philadelphia Phillies. MLB. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
- ^ Ho-park-sues-chad-kr_n_403422.html "Chan Ho Park Sues Chad Kreuter" The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 25, 2009.
- ^ Yankees sign right-handed pitcher Chan Ho Park
- ^ "Chan Ho Park says he has agreed with New York Yankees on one-year, $1.2 million contract – ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. February 22, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
- ^ Murphy, David (February 22, 2010). "Chan Ho Park signs with Yankees". philly.com. Retrieved July 31, 2011.
- ^ "Chan Ho Park Stats, News, Photos – Pittsburgh Pirates". ESPN. June 30, 1973. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
- ^ "Pirates claim Resop, Park off waivers". Seattlepi.com. August 4, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
- ^ "Pirates Shuffle Roster on Busy Day". mlb.com. November 3, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ Ho-park.html Orix Buffaloes Sign Chan Ho Park
- ^ "박찬호, 한화와 최저연봉 2천400만원에 계약(종합)". December 20, 2011.
- ISBN 978-0684816067.
- ^ 2007 Bullpen Preview: Chan Ho Park (Mike's Mets)
- ^ "CHANHO PARK". Official World Golf Ranking. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Chan Ho Park at Baseball Almanac
- Official website
- Career statistics and player information from the KBO League