Jang Hyo-jo

Jang Hyo-Jo
Jang Hyo-Jo
Home runs	54
RBI	437
Hits	1009
Teams
	Samsung Lions (1983–1988); Lotte Giants (1989–1992);
Career highlights and awards
	KBO MVP (1987); 5× KBO League Golden Glove Award winner (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987); .331 career batting average (highest ever); Won 4 batting titles, including 3 in a row (1985–1987).; 2x KBO League champion (1985, 1992);
Medals
Representing South Korea
Men’s baseball
Baseball World Cup
Intercontinental Cup

Jang Hyo-Jo (

Korean professional baseball league who played for the Samsung Lions and Lotte Giants. Jang batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Busan

.

Jang is widely regarded as one of the best KBO hitters for average of all time. He still holds several records as of 2011, including the highest career batting average (.331) and most career batting titles with four.

Playing career

Jang played college baseball at

South Korean national baseball team and helped his team to win its first world championship as a starting right fielder. After the competition, Jang announced his interest to join the KBO Draft, and he was eventually drafted by the Samsung Lions

in the third round of the 1983 KBO Draft.

In his first pro season (1983), Jang won the batting title with a .369 batting average, being the first

OB Bears, which has been considered one of the most controversial KBO elections of all time.^{[citation needed}

]

In 1985, Jang won his second batting title with a .373 batting average and led the Lions to their first KBO championship. He won his third batting championship with a .329 average in 1986 and won his fourth title with a career-best .387 batting average in 1987.

After the 1988 season, Jang was traded with

Choi Dong-Won and Kim Yong-chul.^[1]

In 1991, Jang was runner-up in batting average with .347 and first in on-base percentage with .452. In 1992, his last pro season, Jang earned his first Korean Series ring but he dipped down to batting a career-low .265, with 0 home runs and 25 runs batted in. After the 1992 season with the Giants, Jang announced his retirement.

In a ten-season career, Jang batted .331 with 78 home runs and 437 RBI in 961 games and ended with a .430 on-base percentage. He had 1009 career hits in 3050

at-bats. Jang also topped the KBO in on-base percentage in six seasons and won five straight Golden Gloves from 1983 to 1987 for defensive excellence.^[2]

Coaching career

Following his playing career, Jang coached for the Lotte Giants in 1994 and the Samsung Lions in 2000.

Jang was named manager of the Lions' second-tier team in 2010.

Death

Jang died of liver cancer at a hospital in Busan on September 7, 2011.^[2]

References

^ Yoon, Chul (2011-09-07). "Korean baseball legend Jang dies at 55". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
^ ^a ^b "Former All-Star Jang dies of cancer". The Korea Herald. 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2011-09-07.

External links

Career statistics and player information from KBO official website

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)

[1] Yoon, Chul (2011-09-07). "Korean baseball legend Jang dies at 55". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2011-09-07.

[kh-2] "Former All-Star Jang dies of cancer". The Korea Herald. 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2011-09-07.

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