Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 252

#251. A Grudge of 50 Years

Let’s imagine something.

Imagine a group of people pooling their strength and giving their all to achieve a certain goal.

As time passes, generations change, and people who inherit that will continue to challenge, but failures are repeated for over 100 years.

At this point, one can’t even begin to imagine the sense of defeat and deprivation that would take root in those people’s hearts.

However, such things occasionally happen in the world of baseball.

The Chicago Cubs, who failed to lift the World Series trophy for over 100 years after winning consecutive championships in 1907 and 1908, were finally able to resolve that grudge exactly 108 years later in 2016.

They were able to reclaim the championship trophy only after surpassing a century.

In a slightly better situation, there are the Boston Red Sox, who reached the top spot after 86 years since their 1918 victory, and the Cleveland Guardians, who have been waiting for the championship trophy for 82 years since their 1948 victory.

However,

even the desperate grudges of those teams’ fans cannot compare to those of this team’s fans.

A team that has never advanced to the World Series in 52 years since its founding in 1977, the only team among all existing major league clubs that has never set foot on the World Series stage.

Always scraping the bottom ranks, an icon of misfortune that was repeatedly held back by the Yankees during its fleeting golden age, never escaping the championship series.

For such Seattle Mariners fans, even the complaints of Cubs, Red Sox, or Guardians fans can’t help but feel insignificant.

Because the team they support has never even been to the World Series in the first place.

“Roy, are you all ready to go?”

“Yes, Grandpa. I’m ready.”

“Good, then shall we get going?”

A Seattle Mariners jersey with the team name imprinted in navy blue on a white background.

A grandfather and grandson, wearing jerseys with the number 1 and the name Han Su-hyeok, held hands tightly and left the house.

He vividly remembers visiting the ballpark with his grandfather’s hand in his as a ten-year-old back in 1977, but he has already aged and has a grandson who is as big as he was back then.

Thomas Morgan, a long-time Seattle fan who recently turned 60, put his grandson in the back seat and set off for the ballpark.

When he first started watching baseball, the team didn’t have its own stadium and had to use the same dome stadium as the American football and basketball teams.

As time passed, a dedicated stadium was established, and he grew older, had children, took his child’s hand and visited the ballpark, and that child grew up, got married, had children, and the time came to teach his grandson baseball.

That time is a whopping 52 years.

During that long time, the team he supports has never set foot on the World Series stage, and he is getting older day by day.

“Grandpa.”

“Yes, Roy?”

“I’m happy you’re taking me to the baseball game.”

“Hmm.”

The eight-year-old grandson has already grown into a wonderful child who can express gratitude for other people’s kindness.

Thomas’s heart was filled with complicated emotions as he took such a child to the ballpark for the first time.

In fact, he had a big argument with his son last night over this issue.

‘I’m against Roy watching baseball, Father.’

‘Why? You used to love going to baseball games with me when you were young, didn’t you?’

‘Yes, that’s right. But… damn it, I’m just against it. I don’t want to pass on that pain to my son again.’

‘Pain?’

‘Seattle is cursed. The basketball team was disbanded [referring to the Seattle SuperSonics’ relocation to Oklahoma City], and the American football team is always struggling at the bottom. But it’s still better than baseball. A team that hasn’t even made it to the finals once in over 50 years… I can’t stop you if you insist on taking Roy, but I’m still against it. I don’t want to pass on this pain.’

The son who used to hold his hand and go to the ballpark no longer watches baseball. No, it’s been a long time since he quit sports altogether.

Thomas, who had been visiting the ballpark alone from some point on, watching TV broadcasts sitting on an empty sofa, decided to visit the ballpark with his grandson as soon as he turned eight.

He understands his son’s opposition, but he thought this year would be different.

No, it was a certainty.

A certainty he had never felt in the past, even when this team had players like Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Suzuki Ichiro, and Alex Rodriguez.

It was all thanks to the existence of Han Su-hyeok.

A flawless pitcher who still has a 0 ERA [Earned Run Average, a measure of pitching performance] despite having his record broken due to a defensive error, and the strongest hitter who is hitting over 40% and hitting nearly one home run every two games.

Thomas thought.

He wanted to see the emergence of such a great player with his grandson without fail.

And he believed.

That he would definitely put his team on the World Series stage.

That someday, when his grandson grows up and becomes an adult, they can look back on this time together and smile.

“Grandpa.”

“Yes.”

“But this uniform… Han? What kind of player is this?”

At his grandson’s question, Thomas grinned and replied.

“You’ll find out soon enough, Roy.”

* * *

After winning the first game against the Philadelphia Phillies thanks to Han Su-hyeok’s two home runs and a complete game victory with 2 runs allowed and 0 earned runs in 9 innings, Seattle suffered consecutive losses in the following second and third games.

People who wanted to belittle Seattle claimed that it was all due to internal strife within the team, but most baseball fans knew that Seattle was simply unlucky.

Well-hit balls by hitters, including Han Su-hyeok, went straight to the infielders, and the pitchers had difficulty maintaining their balance.

It was a common occurrence that could happen during the season.

Having finished the three-game series against the Phillies with 1 win and 2 losses, the Seattle Mariners were still in first place in the American League West Division with a record of 27 wins and 16 losses, a winning percentage of 0.627.

And finally, the Mariners players, who had been on a long road trip, returned home.

Home fans who hadn’t been able to visit the ballpark for a long time rushed out into the streets.

Seattle fans, who consistently showed loyalty despite the team’s underperforming results every year, were showing even more enthusiasm than usual that day.

“Damn it! Sell me a ticket! The website is down, and they say there are no tickets at the stadium! Are you kidding me?”

“I’ll pay you any amount, just sell me a ticket! Where did all the scalpers go?”

“I saw those damn bastards going into the stadium because they wanted to watch the game themselves.”

“What kind of unprofessional bastards are these? Scalpers not selling tickets and watching the game? How does that make sense?”

Breaking through the atmosphere that seemed like a riot was about to break out, Min Ye-rin entered the stadium.

At least in T-Mobile Park, the Mariners’ home stadium, Min Ye-rin was the VIP of VIPs.

Although Han Su-hyeok had never mentioned his relationship with Min Ye-rin, she was undoubtedly one of the most important people to him.

From the Mariners’ perspective, who wanted to keep Han Su-hyeok for as long as possible, they had no choice but to pour all their efforts into her.

Giving her an entire VIP skybox, assigning a dedicated staff member to protect her as soon as she entered the stadium, and pretending not to see her even if she climbed the safety net.

However, Min Ye-rin has never used that skybox even once.

The infield seat on the first base side, right above the home team’s dugout, where she can see Han Su-hyeok up close, is her designated seat.

Sitting in that seat again today, she sighed deeply and looked out at the field.

Lately, she’s been feeling strangely down.

The work Han Su-hyeok asked her to do is still not progressing, and her relationship with him is not progressing at all.

She wishes there was a catalyst, but it’s hard to even have a meal together because of the grueling league schedule.

‘Sigh…….’

Forcibly suppressing her frustrated feelings, she turned her gaze to the electronic display board.

The team that Seattle, who had returned home after a long time, was facing was none other than the Chicago Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs, who had been the target of all sorts of ridicule and jokes, such as saying that any Cubs player with a championship ring must be a thief,

that a pitching machine recorded a no-hitter on the Cubs’ batting practice day,

and that you can naturally go on a diet if you only eat food on the days the Cubs win, have become a strong team that consistently performs well every year after escaping the curse that had lasted for 108 years.

Min Ye-rin was reminded of a certain team she had left behind in Korea.

The Busan Titans, who are still far short of 108 years at only 38 years, but are very similar in many ways.

‘That team is doing quite well this year too… I wonder…….’

Thinking about the Titans made her feel slightly better.

No, it wasn’t so much that she felt better, but rather that she just chuckled in disbelief, but it helped at least a little.

As Min Ye-rin was engrossed in finding common ground between the Chicago Cubs and the Busan Titans, at that moment.

“Excuse me for a moment, miss. Sorry.”

“Yes? Ah, ah, yes.”

A white-haired man who looked a little tired and a little boy who looked like his grandson sat down next to Min Ye-rin.

Looking at them reminded her of going to Warriors games with her dad a long time ago.

At one point, she resented her dad for that.

Why did it have to be the Warriors, why did he introduce her to a team that barely survived by selling players like a miser?

But that’s all in the past.

With the arrival of a new owner and the joining of Han Su-hyeok, supporting the Warriors has become one of the best things in Min Ye-rin’s life.

‘I hope he feels the same way…….’

Every child learns baseball through an adult.

Hoping that the little boy with the brown hair that suited him so well would remember this time in the distant future, Min Ye-rin turned her gaze back to the field.

“Wowwwww!”

“Alright! Let’s go! Mariners!”

“I barely got in! Show us a great game!”

With the huge cheers of the crowd, the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago Cubs began.

* * *

“Whoaaaaaa!”

“Damn it! Take me! Take my car and house if you need them!”

“You’re the best! Seattle loves you!”

In the bottom of the first inning, the Seattle Mariners’ first attack,

Roy Morgan, a child who was startled by the sudden cheers and screams of the crowd, asked his grandfather, who was visiting the ballpark for the first time.

“Grandpa, did they score a point just now?”

“No, just now the first batter hit a ball that the third baseman caught and threw to first base, right? That’s called a ground ball out [when the batter hits the ball on the ground and is thrown out at first base].”

“Yes, I know. I studied baseball before I came.”

“Oh, that’s great. But why?”

“No, people suddenly started screaming like crazy. I was wondering if I missed something.”

Thomas couldn’t help but smile brightly at the question from his grandson, who was so calm and smart that it was hard to believe he was only eight years old.

“You didn’t miss anything. You’re watching very well. The reason these people are excited is… well, it’s because of that player over there.”

“Player?”

Roy’s gaze followed the tip of his grandfather’s finger.

There, an Asian player who was obviously physically imposing but didn’t look clumsy at all was practicing his swing.

“You mean that person over there?”

“That’s right. The main character of the uniform we’re wearing is that friend. Han Su-hyeok. He came from Korea. You remember, right? I showed you pictures when Grandpa went to Korea?”

“Yes, I remember. You said you’d take me there later too.”

“That’s right. Anyway, that player is… well, let me explain it this way. He’s the best pitcher and the best hitter at the same time.”

“Ah! I know what that is. He’s a pitcher and a fielder at the same time… a two-way player!”

“Excellent. Yes, that’s right. That player is currently playing as both a pitcher and a hitter, and he’s recording the best stats in the league in both fields. Thanks to that, Seattle is currently in first place. Look at the batting average on that electronic display board. Can you see it says 0.427? In simple terms, it means that he gets a hit more than 4 out of 10 times he swings the bat.”

“I heard that you can become a star in baseball if you hit 30%, but 40%? Wow, that’s amazing…….”

“Yes, and what’s even more amazing is that most of them are long hits. Now, so… ah, wait a minute, I’m sorry, Roy. I have an important call, so I have to step away for a moment. Damn it, why now… um, don’t go anywhere else and stay right here, okay?”

“Don’t worry, Grandpa. Go ahead.”

“Okay, then… hmm, I don’t feel safe…….”

As Thomas was looking perplexed, unable to do anything, Min Ye-rin, who had been listening to the conversation quietly from the side, suddenly interjected.

“Go ahead. I’ll watch the child for you.”

“Hmm? Are you… Ah! Right, you’re the one who got caught climbing the safety net last time……?”

“That’s right, hehe. I’ll make sure Roy? Is that his name, right? I’ll keep Roy from going anywhere, so don’t worry and go ahead.”

“Oh! Okay, I can trust you if it’s you. Then I’ll be back soon, so please take care of him for a moment.”

“Of course.”

Thomas, who recognized Min Ye-rin, left in a hurry with a relieved expression.

Min Ye-rin spoke to the child who was left alone.

“Hello, I’m Min Ye-rin. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, but is this your first time at the ballpark?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Good, if there’s anything you don’t understand while watching the game, you can ask me anything. Especially about that player over there, Han Su-hyeok, I know more about him than anyone else on this planet, so keep that in mind.”

“Really? You know such a great player well?”

“Ahem, of course. So, where should I start this story? Wait, are you hungry? Should I buy you something to eat? The hot dogs here are quite tas… Kyaaak!”

Min Ye-rin, who had been chattering non-stop with a pleased expression, suddenly jumped up from her seat and screamed.

It wasn’t just her. Everyone around Roy was screaming like crazy.

“Go! Go! Go!”

“Alright! That’s it! That’s it! Go! Please!”

Roy’s blue eyes moved diligently, following the gazes of the people.

And finally, he realized what people were looking at so intently.

A white baseball flying as if to cut across the green grass and blue sky.

The baseball, which had soared to an incredible height, was flying far away, drawing a parabola.

And the moment that ball fell on the top of the left field stands.

“Kyaaaaak! Oppaaaaa!” [A Korean term of endearment, often used by female fans towards male celebrities or athletes]

The pretty lady who had been kind to him until just now ran down and started climbing the safety net.

Roy thought she looked like Spider-Man.

And then, his grandfather, who had finished his call as quickly as possible, returned to Roy’s side.

“I’m back, Roy. You were watching well. That lady from before is… um, she’s hanging over there. Haha, that’s nice to see. I used to do that often when I was young…….”

“Grandpa, did you see that just now?”

“That? Ah, of course. I told you, he’s the best player. How was it? Are you glad you came to the ballpark?”

“Um, I don’t know yet, but… that home run just now was really… really cool. It was like a white Iron Man. I felt like I wanted to fly like that too.”

“Oh, you’ve finally tasted the flavor of baseball.”

“Yes, Grandpa. Thank you again. For bringing me to the ballpark.”

On the day Han Su-hyeok hit his twentieth home run, a new Seattle Mariners fan was added.

Unlike the grandfather who had to wait until he was old to see his team advance to the World Series, a young fan who will soon be cheering for a team competing on the best stage.