“Ryu Hyun-jin!”

On the 31st of last month, at Changwon NC Park, where the Korea Baseball Organization game between the Hanwha Eagles and NC Dinos was held, Hanwha pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin (38) finished his pre-game training and was showered with autograph requests from fans on his way to the visiting team's clubhouse.

After Ryu Hyun-jin finished fan service by carefully signing everything from baseballs to uniforms, another fan appeared behind him. The same team's foreign pitcher Cody Ponce (31) shouted loudly in Korean, “Ryu Hyun-jin!” to halt Ryu Hyun-jin.

Ponce held Ryu Hyun-jin's uniform from his Toronto Blue Jays days. Surprised to see his own uniform from his time in Toronto, Ryu Hyun-jin was taken aback, and Ponce got his autograph on the back of the jersey, which had the number 99 and RYU printed on it.

Ponce has expressed deep respect for Ryu Hyun-jin, who has had a 10-season career in Major League Baseball since joining Hanwha. In early April, Ponce also noted, “I ask Ryu Hyun-jin for autographs every day, but sometimes he can be a little stingy about it. My goal is to get many of his autographs. I don't think he needs my autograph. I need Ryu Hyun-jin's autograph,” revealing his special admiration for him.

As news broke that Ponce was obtaining Ryu Hyun-jin's uniform from his Toronto days through an open market, it became a hot topic among fans. On the 31st at Changwon NC Park, a fan handed Ponce Ryu Hyun-jin's home jersey from his Toronto days. Receiving the unexpected gift, Ponce excitedly ran to Ryu Hyun-jin to get his autograph, his face lit up with a smile that seemed to stretch from ear to ear.

However, the uniform did not fit Ponce's large frame, and he decided to give it to his brother. Instead, Ponce planned to get the actual jersey worn by Ryu Hyun-jin. Ryu Hyun-jin also indicated that if Ponce joins him next year, he would gift him his Toronto jersey that he left in the U.S.

On the 17th of last month, Ponce set a tie record for the most strikeouts in a single game in Korea Baseball Organization history with 18 strikeouts, going 8 innings with 2 hits allowed, 1 walk, and no runs against SSG in a doubleheader’s first game. In 1991, Hanhwa's Seon Dong-Yeol recorded 18 strikeouts over 13 innings. Based on 9 innings of regular play, it surpassed Ryu Hyun-jin's 17 strikeouts in 2010, setting a new record. It seemed like a record that wouldn't easily be broken in modern baseball, yet Ponce, who is dominating the KBO as the best pitcher this year, took it as a goal and boldly performed.

While it may have been regretful that his 15-year-old record was broken, Ryu Hyun-jin sincerely congratulated Ponce. At the moment the new record was established, Ryu Hyun-jin clapped above his head in the dugout to show his respect and remarked, “I wasn’t upset at all. I was truly happy. If it had been a player from another team, I might have felt differently, but since a player from our team broke the record in front of me, I was really happy.”

Regarding Ponce's continuous admiration, Ryu Hyun-jin expressed gratitude: “I appreciate it. It's natural to feel thankful when a player who has never met me before says something like that. So our starters seem to have become a bit closer.” Ponce also reiterated his respect, stating, “Ryu Hyun-jin is a player who reached over 10 years of service time in Major League Baseball. Just by being on the team, he naturally becomes a leader that everyone follows.”

[OSEN]