Dustin Nippert (43), who left after spending seven years with Doosan Bears alone, ended his career after playing for KT Wiz in 2018. Nevertheless, he was more than just a foreign player to Doosan fans, as any baseball fan reminds them of Nippert.메이저놀이터
Seven years after Nippert left Doosan, and six years after he finished his career, he visited Jamsil Beol again. It was a day that fans eagerly looked forward to.
Nippert held a retirement ceremony for the final game of the season between Doosan and KT at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on Wednesday. Six years after his retirement from the two teams he played in, he is finally able to officially put down the baseball.
Nippert is an indispensable figure in Doosan’s history. Having played in fall baseball since the mid-2000s, Doosan slowed to fifth place in 2011, but found a new ace pitcher named Nippert and comforted him. Since then, Doosan has rapidly beefed up its power and led the dynasty since 2015.
He recorded 102 wins, 51 losses, 1 hold, 1,082 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.59 in 214 games, but Nippert is the only foreign pitcher with 100 wins and 1,000 strikeouts. Having given Doosan the V4 in 2015, he had 22 wins the following year, giving Doosan the most perfect win along with the MVP.
Nippert (right) handing out roses to fans at a signing event. /Photo by Doosan Bears = Courtesy
Marking the 40th anniversary of the professional baseball league in 2022, he was the only foreign pitcher to be selected as one of the 40 legendary All-Star pitchers. He was dubbed the “Greatest Of All Time” due to his work ethic and team-first spirit that never lags behind any other Korean players. Fans deified him and called him “Nipert+God.”
However, after the 2017 season, Doosan broke up with Nippert, and fans felt sad as if they had parted ways with their careers after playing the following year.
Therefore, Doosan fans began to be excited about the news of Nippert’s retirement ceremony. Early on, seats were sold out so hard that they were almost sold out, and only 70 selected through fierce competition at fan signing events took the opportunity to face Nippert.
Nippert visited Jamsil Stadium ahead of the game and met his fans without much time to say hello to his teammates. In the midst of a long queue, he was able to easily find his uniform. Fans who received his greetings and autographs took yellow flowers from him, but most of them couldn’t leave easily and were busy taking pictures of his every move.
Kim Min-sung (38), who became a fan of the Bears since they won their second title in 1995, said, “I’ve been waiting for six years. I’m grateful to Doosan for holding the event even though I thought I wouldn’t be able to attend the retirement ceremony.”
Kim Min-sung, a fan of Doosan and Nippert, participating in the fan signing event. /Photo by Ahn Ho-geun
“I was sorry that I couldn’t retire from Doosan,” he said, adding, “I think today, when I won the fan signing event and saw it right in front of me, will remain in my head for the rest of my life.”
Even though he left Doosan for a long time, he was an unforgettable player. “I’ve seen many foreign players, but none of them were good examples of batting both inside and outside the stadium like Nippert,” Kim said. “I respect him so much from a fan’s point of view. I will always cheer for him no matter what he does.”
Yoo So-young (41), who has been a fan of Doosan for more than 20 years, couldn’t leave her seat even after the fan signing event and captured one moment of Nippert’s eyes and camera.
“Nifert is a very special player to Doosan fans. I am grateful that he gave me a win as an ace player when I did not pass the championship threshold for 13 years,” he said. “I wish I had retired from Doosan, but I always had regrets about not being able to do so. I am so happy that I have this opportunity even though time has passed.”
Yoo said, “You’ve worked so hard, and I hope you succeed while receiving a lot of love as you do now.” “Nifert is our forever ace.”
In the end, all seats were sold out with about an hour left before the start of the game. The concept of home and away cheering seats did not seem particularly important in the game. Doosan fans didn’t mind sitting in the away cheering section to see Nippert. When Nippert appeared as the first pitchman, the packed spectators stood together and shouted his name.
As in the top of the first inning when fielders were greeted one by one, when players from both teams delivered special gifts during cleaning time, and at the official retirement ceremony after the game, the crowd paid attention to all of Nippert’s actions and responded enthusiastically.
At the retirement ceremony, Nippert’s eyes were teary with just the enthusiastic cheers from the spectators. As such, he shared his last path with his friends. He took special photos with his old teammates and sent them video messages, before reading the letter as well. Nippert shed tears several times, and many spectators also cried.
At the end of the letter was a message for the fans. “Finally, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the fans. All of you are the reason why we can play the baseball that we love. If the fans don’t exist, the KBO League doesn’t exist. Their passion and love for baseball are always amazing,” Nippert said. “Regardless of the victory or defeat, they have always supported me. Thank you for supporting and helping me become a better player behind me every day. Thank you again, and you will be with me forever in my heart.”