Samsung Lions Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Samsung Lions

삼성 라이온즈

Team logo	Cap insignia

Information

League

KBO League (1982–present)

Location

Daegu

Ballpark

Daegu Samsung Lions Park (2016–present)
Pohang Baseball Stadium (2012–present)

Year established

1982; 43 years ago

League championships

2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Korean Series championships

1985, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Former ballparks

Daegu Baseball Stadium (1982–2015)

Colors

Blue, white and grey

Retired numbers

10, 22, 36

Ownership

Cheil Worldwide
(Samsung's subsidiary)

Manager

Park Jin-man

Uniforms

The Samsung Lions (Hangul: 삼성 라이온즈) are a professional baseball team from South Korea. They were started in 1982 and are based in the city of Daegu. The team is part of the KBO League, which is the top baseball league in South Korea. Their home games are played at Daegu Samsung Lions Park.

The Samsung Lions have won the Korean Championship eight times. They have also been the runner-up eleven times. They were the first team to win four Korean Series titles in a row, from 2011 to 2014. They also won the regular season league title five years in a row, from 2011 to 2015.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the team was linked to the culture of their home region, Yeongnam. This led to a big rivalry with the Kia Tigers team, which is from the Honam region.

Team History and Achievements
Team Identity and Rivalries
Key Players and Awards
Retired Numbers
Team Managers
See also

Team History and Achievements

The Samsung Lions were one of the first six teams in the KBO League when it began in 1982. They won their first championship in 1985. That year, they had an amazing record of 77 wins and 32 losses. This is still the best winning percentage in KBO League history for a single season. In 1985, the Lions won both halves of the season, so no final championship series was needed. They were simply declared the champions.

The Lions continued their success, winning championships in 2002, 2005, and 2006. In 2010, Ryu Jung-il became the new manager. He led the team to another league title in 2011. That same year, the Samsung Lions also won the Asian Series championship. This made them the first team to win the league, the Korean Series, and the Asian Series all in one year!

In 2012, a very famous player, Lee Seung-yuop, came back to the team from Japan. With his help, the Samsung Lions won their sixth championship. They then won two more championships in 2013 and 2014. This brought their total to eight Korean Series titles. In 2016, the team moved into their new and modern stadium, Daegu Samsung Lions Park.

Team Identity and Rivalries

The Samsung Lions are strongly connected to their home city of Daegu and the Yeongnam region. The team became a big symbol of local pride for the people there. Their growth in the KBO League also showed the economic strength of the region.

The Lions have a strong rivalry with the Kia Tigers from Gwangju. This rivalry is often seen as a reflection of the different cultures and histories of their regions. The Lions represent the Yeongnam region, while the Tigers are from the Honam region.

Matches between these two teams were very exciting and intense, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Fans were very passionate about their teams. For example, in 1986, during the Korean Series between the Lions and the Haitai Tigers (now Kia Tigers), there were some serious fan incidents. After some games in Daegu, Lions fans threw bottles onto the field. Police even had to use tear gas to control the crowds.

In 1987, the teams met again. Even though there was no violence that year, the memories of the previous year's events made the games feel very important.

Key Players and Awards

Over the years, many talented players have played for the Samsung Lions. Some have even won the league's most important awards.

KBO League MVP Winners

1983: Lee Man-soo (catcher)
1987: Jang Hyo-jo (outfielder)
1993: Kim Seong-rae (infielder)
1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003: Lee Seung-yuop (infielder)
2004: Bae Young-soo (pitcher)

Player Batting Records

Many Lions players have been top hitters in the league.

Jang Hyo-jo led the league in batting average four times (1983, 1985, 1986, 1987).
Lee Man-soo led in batting average once (1984).
Yang Joon-hyuk led in batting average three times (1993, 1996, 1998).

Player Home Run Records

The Lions have also had many powerful home run hitters.

Lee Man-soo led the league in home runs three times (1983, 1984, 1985).
Kim Seong-rae led in home runs twice (1987, 1993).
Lee Seung-yuop led in home runs five times (1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003). He even hit 56 home runs in 2003!
Other players like Shim Jeong-soo (2007) and Choi Hyoung-woo (2011) also led the league in home runs.

Retired Numbers

The Samsung Lions have honored three of their greatest players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team will ever wear these numbers again.

Number 22 was retired for Lee Man-soo. He was a catcher and a powerful hitter who played for the Lions from 1982 to 1997. He won the KBO League MVP award in 1983.
Number 10 was retired for Yang Joon-hyuk. He was a left-handed batter who played for the team for many years. Yang led the league in batting average four times. He also held many career batting records.
Number 36 was retired for Lee Seung-yuop. He played 15 seasons with the club and is the all-time KBO League leader in home runs with 467. He also holds records for runs scored and RBIs.