The San Francisco regional media outlet 'SF Gate' spotlighted the explosive popularity of Lee Jung-hoo, known as 'Son of the Wind.'
This outlet reported on the 9th (Korea time) that "Although Lee Jung-hoo has only worn the San Francisco uniform for less than 50 games, passionate fan clubs centered around him are already emerging spontaneously among local fans." He was also captured multiple times by the broadcast cameras during the game against the Cincinnati Reds on the 8th.
The name 'Hooligans' cleverly combines Lee Jung-hoo's name 'Jung Hoo' with the term for soccer fans, 'hooligan.' On that day, 51 fans, symbolizing Lee Jung-hoo's jersey number 51, participated in a group cheer wearing identical white T-shirts and flame wigs, heating up the atmosphere in the stands.
Kyle Smiley, a co-organizer of the fan club, said, "We had been planning the activities of 'Hooligans' since last year, but due to Lee Jung-hoo's left shoulder injury that ended his season, we postponed our activities and officially formed the group this year." He also noted, "During difficult times, the sense of community of being together is important. It has significant meaning because it provides hope and joy in life beyond baseball."
Smiley is leading efforts to secure permanent housing for low-income individuals in San Francisco. He said supporting San Francisco in his daily life, which is often tiring due to work, has become a great source of vitality.
'According to SF Gate, 'Hooligans' goes beyond a simple fan club, showing the spontaneous solidarity of community members. Smiley personally covered the expense of tickets, T-shirts, and wigs for this event, and various general fans supporting Lee Jung-hoo participated. Their appearances received attention in several media outlets, including Major League Baseball's official website 'MLB.com' and NBC Sports Bay Area.
'MLB.com' introduced 'Hooligans' as Lee Jung-hoo's fan club, noting that Lee Jung-hoo caught the viewers' attention as he repeatedly appeared on the broadcast screen whenever he made diving catches or hits during the game. Smiley laughed, saying, "Today alone, I received messages from more than 10 people asking how to join."
The San Francisco team is also operating an official fan zone called 'Jung Hoo Crew' at every home game on the weekends. This project encourages support by selling team T-shirts and admission tickets as a package. Smiley stated, "I wanted to do it my way. There is no intention of competition, and I will keep the possibility of collaboration open," adding, "I hope to be with 500 Hooligans at the next game."
"People are craving hope, fun, and something light and pleasant in the midst of a heavy and dark reality," Smiley revealed, stating, "We are making many efforts to resist the harsh reality, but we must not let go of joy and laughter at the same time. At this moment, Lee Jung-hoo and Hooligans are playing that role."
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