'Immortal .400 Hitter' Former Manager Paik Incheon Passes Away...KBO Official Funeral to Be Held

First Manager of the LG Twins

Led Team to Korean Series Victory in Their Inaugural Season

Paik Incheon, the legendary “immortal .400 hitter” and former manager of Korean professional baseball, passed away on the 15th at the age of 83.

Former manager Paik Incheon, an immortal .400 hitter in Korean professional baseball, passed away on the morning of the 15th at 6:41 AM while receiving treatment for a cerebral hemorrhage at Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan, Chungnam. Yonhap News Agency

Paik passed away at 6:41 a.m. that day while receiving treatment for a cerebral hemorrhage at Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan, Chungnam. The previous morning, he was found in a state of cardiac arrest at his home in Cheonan and was taken to the hospital, where his blood pressure and pulse were restored through cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but he remained in critical condition.

Born in 1942 in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, Paik moved south during the Korean War and learned baseball at Kyungdong Middle and High School. After joining the corporate team Nonghyup in 1961, he went on to play for the Japanese professional baseball team Toei Flyers (now Nippon-Ham Fighters) the following year. He later played for the Taiheiyo Lions, Lotte Orions, and Kintetsu Buffaloes, and in 1975, he claimed the Pacific League batting title with a .319 average.

Returning to Korea in 1982 with the launch of professional baseball, he played as player-manager for MBC Cheongryong, recording a batting average of .412. This remains, to date, the only .400 season in Korean professional baseball, a record that stands more than 40 years later. He went on to play for the Sammi Superstars until 1984, ending a 23-year career that spanned both Korea and Japan.

As a coach, Paik also left a significant legacy. In 1990, he became the first manager of the LG Twins—formed after MBC Cheongryong was acquired—and introduced his “baseball of spirit.” He led the team to victory in the Korean Series in its inaugural year. Subsequently, he managed the Samsung Lions and Lotte Giants and served as a hitting instructor for teams including the Samsung Lions, Hanwha Eagles, and SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers). After his coaching career, he also worked as a baseball commentator.

On the field, he was called a “brave general,” known for emphasizing mental strength and fighting spirit. However, in his later years, he suffered multiple cerebral infarctions and was a victim of fraud, facing both health and financial difficulties.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has decided to hold his funeral as a KBO official funeral, the second in history, in recognition of his contributions to Korean baseball. With Paik's passing, only Park Youngkil, former Lotte manager, remains among the original managers of the six founding professional teams. The wake is set up at Room 2 (Traditional Hall) of the Dankook University Hospital Funeral Hall in Cheonan. The funeral procession will be held at 8 a.m. on the 17th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.