The Korea Baseball Organization finally had its opening day Tuesday in South Korea, but it already appears to be in midseason form.
After the start of the KBO League was pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic, the league wasted no time getting back to baseball with an array of bat flips, emphatic third-strike calls by umpires, rain delays and even a fire delay.
Jeon Jun-Woo provided the bat flip of the day as he jacked a two-run home run to boost the Lotte Giants past KT Wiz, 7-2.
Another quality one came in the game ESPN televised live at 1 a.m. ET, as Chang-min Mo popped a solo shot to help the NC Dinos beat the Samsung Lions, 4-0.
In the midst of the LG Twins’ 8-2 win over the defending champion Doosan Bears, the home plate umpire got in on the highlights with a strike-three call that looked more like he was starting a lawnmower.
A more mundane baseball tradition showed up in the NC Dinos-Samsung Lions game, as it began with a rain delay — as if the season hadn’t waited long enough to start.
In Gwangju, where the Kiwoom Heroes thumped the KIA Tigers 11-2, the game was also delayed in the fourth inning, but because of a nearby fire as the smoke made its way into the stadium.
The first game to get underway featured the Hanwha Eagles topping the SK Wyverns 3-0. Former Tigers reliever Warwick Saupold, an Australia native, tossed a two-hit shutout.
No fans attended the games, but there were some cheerleaders and drummers in attendance for the home teams while fans were shown watching on the video board.
