Chan Ho Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chan Ho Park |
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Park with the Orix Buffaloes in 2011
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| Pitcher | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born: June 30, 1973 Gongju, South Korea |
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| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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| Chan Ho Park | |
| Hangul |
박찬호
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| Hanja |
朴贊浩
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| Revised Romanization | Bak Chanho |
| McCune–Reischauer | Pak Ch'anho |
Chan Ho Park (Hangul: 박찬호; Hanja: 朴贊浩; born June 30, 1973) is a former professional baseball pitcher from South Korea. He made history as the very first player born in South Korea to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was also the first South Korean player to be chosen for the MLB All-Star team.
Park played for several famous teams in MLB, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also played in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes and in South Korea for the Hanwha Eagles. As of 2023, Chan Ho Park holds the record for the most career wins (124) by any pitcher born in Asia. He is 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall and weighed 210 pounds (95 kg) during his playing days.
Contents
- Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
- Professional Baseball Career
- Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1994–2001)
- Time with the Texas Rangers (2002–2005)
- Joining the San Diego Padres (2005–2006)
- Short Stays with the Mets and Astros (2007)
- Returning to the Dodgers (2008)
- Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies (2009)
- With the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates (2010)
- Playing in Japan and South Korea (2011–2012)
- World Baseball Classic Appearances
- Chan Ho Park's Pitching Style
- Personal Life
- See also
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
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 at Gongju High School. He also won MVP honors at four national tournaments for young players.
Park was a key member of 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 competed in the 1993 Summer Universiade, where his team earned another silver medal.
In 1994, while he was a student at Hanyang University in Seoul, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed him as a free agent. This was a big step towards his professional career. In 2015, Park had the honor of lighting the cauldron for the 2015 Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea, alongside Yang Hak-seon.
Professional Baseball Career
Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1994–2001)
Chan Ho Park made his first professional appearance for the Dodgers on April 8, 1994. He pitched as a reliever against the Atlanta Braves. After playing one more game for the Dodgers that season, he spent most of his time with the San Antonio Missions, a minor league team.
In 1995, Park played for the Albuquerque Dukes. He was one of the top pitchers in his league for strikeouts. He made his first Major League start on October 1, 1995.
His first full season with the Dodgers was in 1996. He earned his first win on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs. In 1997, Park became a full-time starting pitcher. He had a great season, winning 14 games.
In 1998, he continued to pitch well, winning 15 games and striking out many batters. After this season, he helped the South Korean national team win a gold medal at the Asian Games.
The year 1999 was memorable for Park. On April 23, he became the only pitcher in baseball history to give up two grand slams in the same inning to the same player, Fernando Tatís. This is considered one of baseball's most unique records.
In 2000, Park had one of his best seasons ever. He won 18 games and had a low earned run average (ERA) of 3.27. He also pitched his first complete game shutout on September 29. Park was chosen to be the Dodgers' opening day starter in 2001. He was also selected for the 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Time with the Texas Rangers (2002–2005)
After the 2001 season, Park became a free agent and signed a large contract with the Texas Rangers. However, during his time with the Rangers, he faced several injuries. In 2005, he was traded to the San Diego Padres.
Joining the San Diego Padres (2005–2006)
In 2005, Park's combined record was 12 wins and 8 losses. In 2006, he started the season as a reliever but soon became a starter. He faced some health challenges during this time. His teammates, including Jake Peavy, offered to help him. Park had a successful surgery and soon after, his wife gave birth to their first child.
The San Diego Padres made it to the playoffs in 2006. On October 3, Park made his first career playoff appearance as a reliever. He also had his best batting average as a player that season.
Short Stays with the Mets and Astros (2007)
In 2007, Park signed with the New York Mets. After some time in the minor leagues, he was called up to pitch one game for the Mets. Later that year, he signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros.
Returning to the Dodgers (2008)
In 2008, Chan Ho Park returned to his original team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched very well during spring training. On May 17, 2008, Park made his first start as a Dodger since 2001. This game was special because all three Dodgers pitchers who played were of Asian origin.
On June 21, 2008, Park made history by becoming one of only a few pitchers to start a game against all 30 Major League teams. He later moved to the bullpen to help the team as a setup pitcher.
Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies (2009)
In 2009, Park signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He started the season as a starting pitcher but later moved to the bullpen. He played an important role in the Phillies' bullpen, helping them reach the World Series. This was Park's first time playing in the World Series. He pitched well, not allowing any runs.
With the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates (2010)
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In 2010, Park signed a contract with the New York Yankees. He later joined the Pittsburgh Pirates. On October 1, Park set a new record for the most wins by an Asian-born pitcher in MLB history, reaching 124 career victories. He passed Hideo Nomo for this achievement.
Playing in Japan and South Korea (2011–2012)
In 2011, Park signed a one-year deal with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. In 2012, he returned to South Korea to play for the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO League.
On December 20, 2011, Park announced that he would donate a large part of his salary to help develop amateur baseball in South Korea. He wanted to support young baseball players in his home country. He retired from baseball on November 30, 2012.
World Baseball Classic Appearances
Between the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Park represented South Korea in the World Baseball Classic. He pitched as a closer in several games, helping his team finish in third place. His performance showed that he could be a very effective reliever. Park was selected to the WBC All-Star team for his excellent pitching.
Chan Ho Park's Pitching Style
In his best years, Chan Ho Park was known as a power pitcher. His main pitch was a fast four-seam fastball that could reach speeds of 100 miles per hour. He also used a two-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball, and a changeup. This mix of pitches helped him have five seasons with 10 or more wins for the Dodgers.
Park was known for getting many strikeouts. However, he sometimes had trouble with control, which meant he would also walk batters. Later in his career, he learned new pitches, like a two-seam fastball from Orel Hershiser and a cutter and sinker from Kevin Brown. By 2008, he was healthy again and combined his experience with his strong fastball to pitch very effectively.
Personal Life
Chan Ho Park married Ri-hye Park on November 29, 2005. She is a talented chef and writer. In 2009, Ri-hye released a popular cookbook in South Korea, and the money from it went to children's charities. Chan Ho Park and his wife have three daughters.
In 2020, Park made a special appearance as himself in two episodes of the Korean TV show Start-Up. In 2021, he also played in two golf tournaments on the Korean Tour.
See also
In Spanish: Park Chan Ho para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players from South Korea
