At the age of 64, the 'legendary' coach is going to Busan. He responded to junior coach Kim Tae-hyung's plea for help.
Kim Kwang-soo has been appointed as the bench coach to lead the Lotte Giants in the 2024 season.
You can't help but be surprised. It's been seven years since he stepped away from the baseball field. He's a legendary head coach who stood by the side of Kim In-sung, Kim Sung-geun, and Kim Kyung-moon.
Born in 1959, Kim was a member of the original 1982 baseball team. During his playing days, he was considered one of the best defensive center fielders alongside Kim Jae-bak. At the plate, he was the epitome of a classic second baseman, with good initiative and a knack for bunting and team batting. He was nicknamed "Flying Squirrel" because he was fast enough to steal 50 bases in 1991, a year before his retirement.
Eight years older than Kim Tae-hyung. He was a defense coach for OB (now Doosan) in 1995, the same year Kim took off his mask to celebrate his first Korean Series title. Along with managers Kim In-sung and Kim Kyung-moon, he led Doosan through its first heyday. He then joined the national team at the Beijing Olympics as head coach and defensive coach, assisting Kim Kyung-moon to a gold medal. He then worked with the Goyang Wonders and Hanwha Eagles, assisting Kim Sung-geun and Kim In-sung at the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
He last coached Hanwha in 2017. Since then, he has served as an advisor to the independent baseball team Shinhan University 바카라사이트 Phoenix and as the chairman of the Baseball Legends of the Ninety-Nine since last year, before joining Lotte as a bench coach.
He is expected to have good chemistry with head coach Kim Tae-hyung, who is also a longtime friend. Kim In-sung, Kim Kyung-moon, and Kim Sung-geun are synonymous with imperial leadership that takes control of the team. Kim Kwang-soo leads his players with motherly tenderness, complementing their charisma.
Busan is also a foreign land for Kim Tae-hyung. Aside from his three-year stint with the SK Wyverns, Kim is a Doosan One Club man, both as a player and coach. He recognized the need for a lifeguard to help him and sent out the call himself.
Lotte is a young team. Not only is the roster young, but the main coaching staff is also young, with the exception of head coach Kim Min-jae. The coaching staff is filled with coaches born in the 1980s, including Kim Joo-chan, Go Young-min, and Yoo Jae-shin. The addition of Kim Kwang-soo will add depth to the bench.