Baek In-cheon, a legendary figure in Korean professional baseball and a player known for his remarkable batting average, passed away on August 15 at 6:41 a.m. at Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 83 years old.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Baek was found in cardiac arrest at his home in Cheonan around 6 a.m. the previous day. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he received CPR and regained his blood pressure and pulse, but his condition remained critical, leading to his transfer to Dankook University Hospital, where he had been receiving regular treatment.
After battling for a day in the intensive care unit, Baek ultimately passed away.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) plans to hold a funeral for Baek, honoring his contributions to the development of Korean baseball. He will be the second person to receive a KBO funeral, following Lee Yong-il, the former acting president of KBO, who passed away last September.
Born in 1942 in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, Baek learned baseball while fleeing to South Korea during the Korean War, playing at Kyungdong Middle School and Kyungdong High School.
He began his professional career as a catcher, joining the Nonghyup in 1961. In 1962, he signed with the predecessor of the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan, the Toei Flyers, as a free agent.
Baek played in Japan until 1981, representing teams such as the Daiei Hawks (now Seibu Lions), Lotte Orions (now Chiba Lotte Marines), and Kintetsu Buffaloes. He won the Pacific League batting title in 1975 with a batting average of .319.
Returning to Korea with the establishment of the professional league, Baek played for the Sammi Superstars from 1983 to 1984, concluding a 23-year career as a professional player in both Japan and Korea.
In 1985, he began his coaching career as a hitting instructor for the Cheongbo Pintos. He later became the inaugural manager of the LG Twins, a team he helped re-establish after acquiring the MBC Cheongryong, leading them to a Korean Series championship in 1990.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.