In a moment that confirmed the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Jung Dae-hyun (47), the chief coach of the professional baseball team Samsung Lions, sparked attention by donating his gold medal.

On the 14th, Coach Jung visited the KBO and donated the gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Having joined the SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers) in 2001, Coach Jung was a representative underhand pitcher in the KBO League, alternating between middle relief and closer roles. He appeared in a total of 662 games until he retired with the Lotte Giants after the 2016 season, pitching 726⅓ innings, recording 46 wins, 29 losses, 106 saves, 121 holds, and an earned run average of 2.21.

His contributions in international competitions were also significant. Jung participated in three World Baseball Classics (WBC), as well as the Olympics, Premier12, and Asian Games, representing the national team and leaving a lasting impression on the public, especially as the final pitcher in the 2008 Beijing Olympic final.

In the final against Cuba, he came in as a relief pitcher in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and the bases loaded, trailing 3-2, and induced a ground ball to the shortstop, leading to a 6-4-3 double play that secured the national team's gold medal with a perfect record of 9 wins. It was the greatest moment in Korean baseball history.

Prior to that, in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Coach Jung was the only college student (4th year at Kyunghee University) on a team made up of professional players. He pitched 13⅓ innings in two games, posting an earned run average of 1.35, and made significant contributions to the national team's bronze medal achievement.

Coach Jung noted, "I hope that the opportunity to see the medals filled with the joyous and happy energy of the Beijing Olympics at the Korean Baseball Museum (Hall of Fame) will be available to many baseball fans, wishing for the successful completion of the museum. I expect more baseball people and fans to participate in the donation of artifacts starting with this donation."

The medals donated to the KBO will be exhibited at the Korean Baseball Museum (Hall of Fame), allowing visiting baseball fans to indirectly experience the glory and emotion of that day.

The long-cherished dream of the baseball community, the Korean Baseball Museum (Hall of Fame), is expected to commence construction in the second half of this year and open in December next year. The KBO is making continuous efforts in close collaboration with the city of Busan to ensure that the Korean Baseball Museum (Hall of Fame) becomes a beloved space for baseball fans.

The KBO is continuously accepting donations of historically significant baseball items. The donation targets are artifacts that showcase the development of Korean baseball with historical value, and applications can be made via phone or email to the KBO Policy Support Team's Museum Archive Center.

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