Hong Sung-Heon
Encyclopedia
Hong Sung-Heun (born February 28, 1977 in Hoengseong County
, Gangwon-do
, South Korea) is a South Korean designated hitter
and first baseman
for the Lotte Giants
in the Korean Baseball Organization
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Hong was a catcher, and had been regularly called up to the South Korea national baseball team as a starting catcher until he was converted to a designated hitter in 2007.
, Japan.
In July 1998, Hong participated in the 1998 Baseball World Cup
. South Korea eventually claimed the silver medal two times in a row, and as a starting catcher he led the team attack alongside cleanup hitter
Choi Hee-Seop
and Park Han-Yi
.
In November 1998, Hong was called up to the South Korean national team for the 1998 Asian Games
, which included professional players for the first time ever.
He was the only amateur catcher on the roster.
in the first round of the KBO
Draft after graduating from Kyung Hee University in 1999. In his first season, he batted a respectable .258 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI, and earned the starting position behind the plate in the Bears. Hong ended up earning KBO Rookie of the Year Award honors, becoming the first Bear since Yoon Suk-Hwan in 1984 to win the award.
In 2000, his batting average
rose to .290, leading the league in batting average until the All-Star break. In September, Hong was selected as a member of the South Korea national baseball team that won their first olympic medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney, Australia. In the tourney, he batted .240 with a home run and 3 RBI, sharing a starting position behind the plate with Park Kyung-Oan
of the Hyundai Unicorns.
In 2004, Hong led the KBO league in hits
(165), appearing in 133 all regular season games as a starting catcher. He was third in batting average
(.329) and fifth in RBI
(86), smacking 14 home run
s and stealing 10 base
s, and won his second Golden Glove Award as a catcher
.
During the 2005 season, due to his hamstring injury and defensive deficiencies, Hong began to split his time between catching and designating hitting. After the season, he announced that he would not give up his catching position in the Bears, and his intention came into conflict with the team's manager Kim Kyung-Moon
.
In the beginning of the 2007 season, he was sidelined with hamstring injury, and the Bears' backup catcher Chae Sang-Byung
filled Hong's void behind the plate. Hong came back as the starting catcher for the Bears in the middle of the season. His offense, however, did not perform at the level expected, as he spent the majority of the season platooning with Chae Sang-Byung, and amid much controversy the manager Kim eventually named Chae the starter for the end of the season.
In 2008, as a full-time designated hitter, Hong finished runner-up in batting average
with .331 and fourth in hits
(140). After the season, he won his third Golden Glove Award as a designated hitter.
after the 2008 season and signed a four year deal with the Lotte Giants
on November 27, 2008.
In 2009, Hong was runner-up in batting average
again with a career-high .371, only .001 behind league-leader Park Yong-Taik of the LG Twins
. On December 11, 2009, He won his fourth the Golden Glove Award in Designated hitter nomination for two consecutive years.
In 2010, Hong was runner-up in batting average
, hits
, RBI, Slugging percentage, OPS
, third in On-base percentage and fourth in Homeruns. On July 24, 2010, He became All-star Game MVP. He also became the most voted All-star game player of KBO history. On December 11, 2010, He won his fifth the Golden Glove Award in Designated hitter nomination for three consecutive years.
Hoengseong County
Hoengseong County is a county in Gangwon Province, South Korea.The roots of Codonopsis lanceolata , a bonnet bellflower species, play an important role in local agriculture....
, Gangwon-do
Gangwon-do (South Korea)
Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
, South Korea) is a South Korean designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
and first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
for the Lotte Giants
Lotte Giants
The Lotte Giants are a professional baseball team based in Busan, Korea, and one of the original franchises of the Korea Baseball Organization league. The Lotte Giants are owned by the Japanese-South Korean Lotte conglomerate....
in the Korean Baseball Organization
Korean Baseball Organization
Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight...
. He bats and throws right-handed.
Hong was a catcher, and had been regularly called up to the South Korea national baseball team as a starting catcher until he was converted to a designated hitter in 2007.
Amateur career
In June 1998, as a senior at Kyung Hee University, Hong got his first call-up to the South Korea national baseball team for the 4-Nation Friendly Baseball Championship in KobeKobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Japan.
In July 1998, Hong participated in the 1998 Baseball World Cup
1998 Baseball World Cup
The 1998 Baseball World Cup took place in Italy from July 21 to August 2.Participating countries were split in two groups, with the first four of each group qualifying for the finals...
. South Korea eventually claimed the silver medal two times in a row, and as a starting catcher he led the team attack alongside cleanup hitter
Cleanup hitter
In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Although the third man up is generally the hitter with the highest batting average, cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best power hitter; their job is to "clean up the...
Choi Hee-Seop
Hee-Seop Choi
Hee-Seop Choi is a professional baseball player who has played in the MLB for the Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a first baseman who bats and throws left-handed. Choi currently plays for the Kia Tigers in the South Korean pro baseball league.-Amateur career:Choi...
and Park Han-Yi
Park Han-Yi
Park Han-Yi is an outfielder who plays for the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization...
.
In November 1998, Hong was called up to the South Korean national team for the 1998 Asian Games
Baseball at the 1998 Asian Games
Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand beginning on December 7, 1998.-Level A:-Level B:-Medal round:-References:*...
, which included professional players for the first time ever.
He was the only amateur catcher on the roster.
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Baseball World Cup 1998 Baseball World Cup The 1998 Baseball World Cup took place in Italy from July 21 to August 2.Participating countries were split in two groups, with the first four of each group qualifying for the finals... |
 |
.229 BA (8-for-35), 7 RBI | |
| 1998 | Asian Games Baseball at the Asian Games Baseball has been an event at the Asian Games, since the Games in Hiroshima, Japan in 1994.-Medal table:-Medalists:-External links:*... |
 |
.143 BA (1-for-7), 1 R | |
Doosan Bears
Hong was drafted by the Doosan BearsDoosan Bears
The Doosan Bears are a professional baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. They are a member of the Korean Baseball Organization....
in the first round of the KBO
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
Draft after graduating from Kyung Hee University in 1999. In his first season, he batted a respectable .258 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI, and earned the starting position behind the plate in the Bears. Hong ended up earning KBO Rookie of the Year Award honors, becoming the first Bear since Yoon Suk-Hwan in 1984 to win the award.
In 2000, his batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
rose to .290, leading the league in batting average until the All-Star break. In September, Hong was selected as a member of the South Korea national baseball team that won their first olympic medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney, Australia. In the tourney, he batted .240 with a home run and 3 RBI, sharing a starting position behind the plate with Park Kyung-Oan
Park Kyung-Oan
Park Kyung-Wan is a South Korean baseball catcher who currently plays for SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization and Olympic bronze medalist.-1998-2002:...
of the Hyundai Unicorns.
In 2004, Hong led the KBO league in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(165), appearing in 133 all regular season games as a starting catcher. He was third in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(.329) and fifth in RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(86), smacking 14 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and stealing 10 base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, and won his second Golden Glove Award as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
.
During the 2005 season, due to his hamstring injury and defensive deficiencies, Hong began to split his time between catching and designating hitting. After the season, he announced that he would not give up his catching position in the Bears, and his intention came into conflict with the team's manager Kim Kyung-Moon
Kim Kyung-Moon
Kim Kyung-Moon is the manager of the NC Dinos, and a former catcher in the Korea Baseball Organization.-Playing career:...
.
In the beginning of the 2007 season, he was sidelined with hamstring injury, and the Bears' backup catcher Chae Sang-Byung
Chae Sang-Byung
Chae Sang-Byung is a South Korean catcher who plays for the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization.-Amateur career :Chae attended Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea...
filled Hong's void behind the plate. Hong came back as the starting catcher for the Bears in the middle of the season. His offense, however, did not perform at the level expected, as he spent the majority of the season platooning with Chae Sang-Byung, and amid much controversy the manager Kim eventually named Chae the starter for the end of the season.
In 2008, as a full-time designated hitter, Hong finished runner-up in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with .331 and fourth in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(140). After the season, he won his third Golden Glove Award as a designated hitter.
Lotte Giants
Hong became a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
after the 2008 season and signed a four year deal with the Lotte Giants
Lotte Giants
The Lotte Giants are a professional baseball team based in Busan, Korea, and one of the original franchises of the Korea Baseball Organization league. The Lotte Giants are owned by the Japanese-South Korean Lotte conglomerate....
on November 27, 2008.
In 2009, Hong was runner-up in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
again with a career-high .371, only .001 behind league-leader Park Yong-Taik of the LG Twins
LG Twins
LG Twins Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team based in Seoul, South Korea. The club was known as the MBC Blue Dragons owned by the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation until , when they were taken over by the LG Group...
. On December 11, 2009, He won his fourth the Golden Glove Award in Designated hitter nomination for two consecutive years.
In 2010, Hong was runner-up in batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, RBI, Slugging percentage, OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
, third in On-base percentage and fourth in Homeruns. On July 24, 2010, He became All-star Game MVP. He also became the most voted All-star game player of KBO history. On December 11, 2010, He won his fifth the Golden Glove Award in Designated hitter nomination for three consecutive years.
Awards and honors
- 2001 Golden Glove Award (Catcher)
- 2004 Golden Glove Award (Catcher)
- 2008 Golden Glove Award (Designated hitter)
- 2009 Golden Glove Award (Designated hitter)
- 2010 Golden Glove Award (Designated hitter)
Notable international careers
| Year | Venue | Competition | Team | Individual Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Asian Baseball Championship Asian Baseball Championship The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer... |
|
.125 BA (1-for-8), 1 R | |
| 2000 | Olympic Games Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games... |
 |
.240 BA (6-for-25), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R | |
| 2002 | Asian Games Baseball at the 2002 Asian Games Baseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea beginning on October 2, 2002. Five East and Southeast Asian nations participated in the tournament... |
|
.240 BA (4-for-15), 2 RBI, 2 R | |
| 2006 | World Baseball Classic 2006 World Baseball Classic ---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:... |
|
.500 BA (2-for-4), 1 RBI | |
External links
- Career statistics and player information from the KBO official website
- databaseolympics