For the first time in 42 years since the inauguration of the KBO League, a “heatwave cancellation” game has appeared. Spectators watching the game are even being taken to the hospital due to a heat illness. The murderous heat at the baseball stadium is also unfamiliar to veteran Choi Jeong (SSG, 37) who has been in his 20th year as a professional.안전놀이터
Choi Jung contributed to the team’s escape from losing consecutive games by hitting two home runs in an away game against Kiwoom at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 6th. It is the first time in about two months that Choi Jung produced a multi-homer game since June 1. The previous multi-homer game also happened to be hit in a game against Kiwoom at Gocheok.
SSG, which had slowed down by giving up all three consecutive away games against Samsung in Daegu amid a record heat wave, regained its momentum with a victory over Kiwoom on the 6th. Choi Jeong, who missed the match against Samsung on the 3rd and 4th due to neck muscle pain, became the number one contributor to escaping the losing streak by hitting a cool long shot as soon as he returned.
Choi Jung-eun said after the game, “I was sick until I practiced today because I had a sore throat, but I came to the game with the mindset of trying to do something about it,” adding, “I took two days off because of my sore throat, but I feel like I saved more physical strength during the break and burst it today.”
Choi Jeong is struggling with humidity this summer. “I like hot weather, but this summer is especially hard because it’s too humid,” Choi said. “I’m sweating so much that I can’t breathe. It’s not that I’m sweating because it’s hot, but it’s because I feel like I’ve been in and out of the water once.” Choi Jeong said, “I can’t concentrate on the game because it’s too humid, and I feel exhausted as if I’ve played a game.”
The KBO announced on the previous day that it would postpone the start of games on Sundays and holidays in August from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in order to prepare for unusually high temperatures during hot weather. Gocheok Sky Dome, an indoor stadium, will be played without any changes.
Choi Jung-eun welcomed the change in the start time of the game and said, “If we play at 5 p.m. at home in Incheon, the shade and sunlight are mixed half and half on the ground, so the ball may not be seen well, and for now, it would be better to play when the temperature drops as much as possible.”
Choi Jung-eun said, “I heard that fans coming to the baseball stadium had a heat illness in Jamsil, and we need to change it so that fans can watch baseball in a better environment.”