It was Korean Heritage Night at AT&T Park, hence the Korean head gear and inflatable sticks.
Truth be told, I was hoping for a little more than Korean drums to showcase "Korean heritage"... but oh well. At least we got to bang those blow up sticks really really loud.
(My alternative to blackout boxes and blurs. Because not everyone likes being tagged on the WWW. ^^)
연고전 makes me wish I spent some undergrad time in Korea.
From Wiki...
The rivalry of Korea University and Yonsei University, the top two private institutions in the nation, is nationally renowned. These private universities are proud of and renowned for their spirit, traditions, and the gold balance of academics and athletics. So intense is the rivalry between them that the crimson-attired supporters of Korea University identify the league as the “Ko-Yon Games,” while Yonsei members in blue transpose the two syllables as "Yon-Ko". Five events: (baseball, basketball, hockey, rugby union, and soccer) are held every year.
The Yonsei University side...
The Korea University side...
These kids have a TON of energy. I can't recall a single moment that didn't feature the entire crowd in cheer, song, or dance. Check it out!
Talk about dedication! Sox Fans may have some competition... as far as cheerleading goes.
Here they are cheering on (Busan) Lotte Giants' player Kang Min Ho before, during, and after his RBI double.
Yes, each and every player gets his very own cheer! (My favorite was Garcia's song, which I unfortunately didn't catch on camera. If you're really interested, you can hear part of it here.)
The fans also have team songs... talk about good marketing! Name your team after your company and get people to sing it over and over and over. I provided some lyrics so you can sing along to the first part of the video. : )
Annie and I checked out our first ever Korean baseball game at Jamsil Stadium last week. It was hot. It was muggy. It was sweaty. It was loud. It was fuuuuunnnn!
Tickets are pretty easy to come by right before the game. We purchased 일반 (general) seats for about $7 (the most expensive VIP tickets are around $25) which meant it was a free for all - first come, first seated.
In the stadium, food is pretty much limited to KFC, Burger King, and a few convenience store snacks. Although, there are tons of street vendors outside selling kimbap, and you can also bring in your own food. (No bag checks here.)
Alternatively, you can wait for the peanut boy ajumma to make her rounds.
Although I originally intended to cheer for the home team (the Doosan Bears), we ended up sitting near 3rd base, and came to realize it was the visiting team's section, who were even louder than the Doosan fans!
I saw more MLB caps (particularly Dodgers, Braves, Red Sox, and Yankees) than Korean baseball gear on fans, but after a few innings, the Lotte section started passing out orange plastic bags. Apparently, Lotte fans blow them up and tie them to their heads.
Regardless of whether you're a sports fan or not, a trip to the ballpark is certainly an interesting part of the Korean experience. : )
The Doosan Bears and LG Twins play at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. To get to Jamsil Stadium, take Line 2 to 종합운동장역, Exit 5. Olympic Stadium is also within view from the baseball stadium if you want a photo op. : )
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