Chan Ho Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chan Ho Park
Park with the Orix Buffaloes in 2011
Pitcher
Born: (1973-06-30) June 30, 1973 (age 52) Gongju, South Korea
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: April 8, 1994, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
NPB: April 15, 2011, for the Orix Buffaloes
KBO: April 12, 2012, for the Hanwha Eagles
Last appearance
MLB: October 1, 2010, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
NPB: May 29, 2011, for the Orix Buffaloes
KBO: October 3, 2012, for the Hanwha Eagles
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	124–98
Earned run average	4.36
Strikeouts	1,715
NPB statistics
Win–loss record	1–5
Earned run average	4.29
Strikeouts	21
KBO statistics
Win–loss record	5–10
Earned run average	5.06
Strikeouts	68
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (1994–2001) Texas Rangers (2002–2005) San Diego Padres (2005–2006) New York Mets (2007) Los Angeles Dodgers (2008) Philadelphia Phillies (2009) New York Yankees (2010) Pittsburgh Pirates (2010) Orix Buffaloes (2011) Hanwha Eagles (2012)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (2001)
Medals Men's baseball Representing  South Korea Asian Baseball Championship Silver 2007 Taichung Team Asian Games Gold 1998 Bangkok Team

Chan Ho Park (Hangul: 박찬호; Hanja: 朴贊浩; born June 30, 1973) is a famous South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. He made history as the first South Korean-born player in Major League Baseball (MLB). Park was also the first South Korean player to be chosen for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

He played for several teams in MLB, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. He also played in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes and in South Korea for the Hanwha Eagles. As of 2023, Park holds the record for the most career wins (124) by any Asia-born pitcher in MLB history. He stands about 188 cm (6 feet 2 inches) tall.

Early Life and Baseball Journey in South Korea

Chan Ho Park was born in Gongju, South Korea, on June 30, 1973. He showed great talent in baseball from a young age. In high school, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for three years in a row. He also won MVP honors at four national tournaments.

Park was a key player for the South Korea national baseball team in 1992 and 1993. He helped his team win a silver medal at the Asian Baseball Championship in 1993. He also led his team to a silver medal at the 1993 Summer Universiade.

In 1994, while a student at Hanyang University in Seoul, Park was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers. This was a big step towards his professional career. In 2015, he was honored by lighting the cauldron for the 2015 Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea.

Chan Ho Park's Professional Baseball Career

Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1994–2001)

Park made his first professional appearance for the Dodgers on April 8, 1994. He started as a relief pitcher. He spent most of that season playing for the San Antonio Missions, a minor league team.

In 1995, he played for the Albuquerque Dukes and was one of the top pitchers in his league. He made his first Major League start on October 1. In 1996, his first full season with the Dodgers, he earned his first win on April 6.

Park had a fantastic year in 1997, becoming a full-time starting pitcher. He won 14 games and had a great ERA of 3.38. In 1998, he won 15 games and struck out 191 batters. After the season, he helped the South Korean national team win a gold medal at the Asian Games.

The year 1999 was challenging for Park. He gave up two grand slams in one inning to the same player, Fernando Tatís. This is a very rare event in baseball history. In 2000, Park had his best season, winning 18 games with a 3.27 ERA. He also recorded his first career shutout. In 2001, he was chosen for the 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Moving to the Texas Rangers (2002–2005)

After his time with the Dodgers, Park signed a large contract with the Texas Rangers. However, he faced many injuries during his time there. The Rangers' home stadium also made it harder for pitchers. In 2005, he was traded to the San Diego Padres.

Time with the San Diego Padres (2005–2006)

With the Padres, Park hoped for more success. In 2006, he started as a relief pitcher but soon became a starter. He faced health issues, including intestinal bleeding, but recovered after surgery.

The Padres made it to the playoffs in 2006, and Park joined the team for the postseason. He made his first career playoff appearance on October 3.

Playing for the New York Mets and Houston Astros (2007)

In 2007, Park signed with the New York Mets. After a tough start, he was sent to a minor league team. Later that year, he signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros, but he did not make it to their main roster.

Returning to the Dodgers (2008)

Park with the Dodgers in 2008.

In 2008, Park returned to his original team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched well and was added to the team. On May 17, 2008, he made his first start as a Dodger since 2001. This game was special because all three Dodgers pitchers were of Asian origin.

Park also became one of the few pitchers to start a game against all 30 Major League teams. He moved to the bullpen later in the season and became a setup pitcher.

With the Philadelphia Phillies (2009)

In 2009, Park signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He started as a pitcher but moved to the bullpen after some difficult starts. He played a very important role as a relief pitcher for the Phillies.

Park reached his first World Series with the Phillies, pitching well without giving up any runs. The Phillies, however, lost to the New York Yankees.

New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates (2010)

Park with the New York Yankees in 2010

In 2010, Park signed with the New York Yankees. He later moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates. On October 1, Park set a new record for most wins by an Asian-born pitcher in MLB history, reaching 124 career victories. He passed Hideo Nomo for this amazing achievement.

Playing in Japan and South Korea (2011–2012)

In 2011, Park signed with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. In 2012, he returned to South Korea to play for the Hanwha Eagles. He also made a generous promise to donate his salary to help develop amateur baseball in South Korea.

Park announced his retirement from baseball on November 30, 2012. He finished his MLB career with 124 wins and 98 losses.

World Baseball Classic Appearances

Park proudly represented South Korea in the World Baseball Classic in 2006. He pitched as a closer, shutting down opposing teams. His strong performance helped South Korea finish in third place. Park was also selected to the WBC All-Star team.

Chan Ho Park's Pitching Style

In his best years, Chan Ho Park was known as a power pitcher. His main pitch was a four-seam fastball that could reach speeds of 161 km/h (100 mph). He also used a two-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball, and a changeup.

He had five seasons where he won 10 or more games with the Dodgers. While he got many strikeouts, he sometimes struggled with control, giving up many bases on balls. Later in his career, he learned new pitches like the two-seam fastball from Orel Hershiser and a cutter and sinker from Kevin Brown. These helped him adapt his pitching style.

Chan Ho Park's Personal Life

Park is married to Ri-hye Park, a Korean-Japanese socialite and chef. She has written a best-selling cookbook in South Korea, and the money from it goes to children's charities. Chan Ho and Ri-hye have three daughters.

In 2020, Park made a special appearance as himself in two episodes of the Korean TV show Start-Up. He also played in some golf tournaments on the Korean Tour in 2021.

Images for kids

• 

  Park on the cover of KoreAm, January 2010

See also

In Spanish: Park Chan Ho para niños

• List of Major League Baseball players from South Korea
• List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders