The appearance of former major leaguer and KBO leaguer Kim Byung-hyun surprised Arizona baseball fans in the United States.안전놀이터
Kim Byung-hyun is visiting Major League Baseball team Spring Camp and the Korean team of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Arizona, USA. While filming a program, he visits a major league campsite to meet and interview players.
On the 21st (Korean time), Kim visited the San Diego Padres spring camp held at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona. It was to meet Kim Ha-seong, who was training here.
Kim Byeong-hyun is a submarine closer who went directly to the major leagues in 1999 and harvested two World Series rings. As ‘Heroes senior’ Kim Byung-hyun was traded to KIA in April 2014, he had nothing to play with Kim Ha-seong, who joined in 2014, but they are also seniors and juniors on the team who trained together for a while.
Kim Byung-hyun and Kim Ha-seong met and greeted each other that day. Kim Byeong-hyun cheered for this season by giving thanks. After Kim Ha-seong left after a short greeting for training, the tour of Kim Byung-hyun’s San Diego camp began.
The person who welcomed Kim Byung-hyun was Matt Williams, former KIA coach and current San Diego coach. Coach Williams and Byung-Hyun Kim had a close relationship when they played together for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kim Byung-hyun, who reunited with coach Williams in 2021 in search of KIA spring camp, met him again in the United States and exchanged greetings.
On the other hand, Kim Byung-hyun had to wait a long time. In order to reunite with San Diego manager Bob Melvin, who served as Arizona’s bench coach from 2001 to 2002, he waited tirelessly in front of the bullpen pitching rink where Melvin was standing. However, manager Melvin, who was busy checking pitchers, hardly recognized Kim Byung-hyun and had to leave due to schedule problems.
Kim Byung-Hyun knew there were other people. A middle-aged man, who was watching him closely, held out the screen of his mobile phone to the reporter. It was Kim Byung-hyun’s profile picture during his Arizona days. The man asked, “Is that person really this ‘BK’?” I replied, “Yes,” and my eyes widened. Not only that, but all the middle-aged fans around him were surprised.
Perhaps Arizona residents who visited the camp remembered Kim Byung-hyun, who contributed to the 2001 World Series victory. They said, “I know BK who played in Arizona. He came here!”
A broadcaster who came with Kim Byung-hyun said, “There are fans who recognize Kim Byung-hyun wherever he goes. Recently, when I went to the fan fest of the Arizona club, so many fans recognized him. Everyone was surprised to see Kim Byung-hyun while doing the same hand movements (imitating a pitcher on the side).” said.
Despite being famous, Kim Byung-hyun is still chic. In response to the reporter’s comment, “There are still fans who recognize him,” Kim Byung-hyun left his characteristic humor, “Please say it’s not him,” and moved on to the next location.