‘Korean baseball legend’ Choo Shin-soo achieves 2,000 hits in total between Korea and the United States

Korean professional baseball legend Choo Shin-soo (42, SSG) set a record of 2,000 hits in his hometown of Busan.

In a game against the Lotte Giants held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on the 24th, Choo Shin-soo hit a timely hit with an RBI toward center field with the team leading 3-2 in the top of the second inning with one out and runners on first and second base.

With this hit, Choo Shin-soo recorded 329 hits in the KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) League total, and achieved 2,000 hits in the Korea-U.S. total, including 1,671 hits previously recorded in the U.S. Major League.

Choo Shin-soo, who announced his retirement at the end of this season, has not been able to play since the game against Lotte on the 23rd of last month due to a finger injury. He appeared in the game again before Kiwoom on the 11th of last month, but showed a poor performance as he had difficulty hitting. After recording 2 hits against KT on the 13th and 1 hit on the 14th, there has been no hit for 5 games.

However, before the game that day, SSG coach Lee Soong-yong said, “It seems like Choo Shin-soo’s hitting sense is gradually recovering,” and “I expect today to be his 2,000th hit in Korea-U.S. history.” Choo Shin-soo was struck out by Lotte starter Lee In-bok in his first at-bat in the first inning, but succeeded in achieving a record by hitting a clean, timely hit in a scoring opportunity in the top of the second inning.

Choo Shin-soo, who graduated from Busan High School and moved to the United States by signing a contract with the Seattle Mariners in 2001, debuted in the big league in 2005 after a long career in the minor league. Afterwards, he began to unleash his potential with the Cleveland Indians and became a top player in the major leagues. He played for Cleveland, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Texas Rangers until 2020, recording a career batting average of 0.275, 218 home runs, 782 RBI, and 157 stolen bases in 1,652 major league games. He is the undisputed legend of Korean baseball, holding the record for the most games played, hits, home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases by a Korean big leaguer.

Choo Shin-soo, who came to the Korean stage by signing with SSG in 2021, has been active in the KBO for his 4th season and has played in a total of 372 games to this day, and recorded his 329th hit in his KBO career in his second at-bat on this day. SSG coach Lee Soong-yong, who had predicted Choo Shin-soo’s record-breaking performance, gave Choo Shin-soo a congratulatory bouquet after the attack ended in the top of the second inning.