Chungcheongnam-do

They say there is a deciding moment in everyone's life. The first Korean player in the Major League, Mr. Park Chan-ho recorded his first win against the Chicago Cups in 1996 and his 100th win against the Kansas City in 2005. His current wins are 113. Park Chan-go(33 years old), the pitcher of San Diego Padres, must have had a deciding moment in his life, too. When did 'the deciding moment' happen to him, who shed light of hope to the Koreans deeply frustrated with the foreign currency crisis several years ago?
“I played in the Juvenile Tournament among Korea, the United States, and Japan held in Los Angeles when I was a senior at the Gongju High School,” said the major leaguer. “After the tournament, my team watched a match of the Dodgers. Looking at the players on the mound and field and the audience cheering in the seats, I felt as if I were watching a movie and was deeply moved by the scenes. And I promised myself to stand on the mound myself someday.”

A country boy that worked hard for his dream
“My life is explored and made by myself.” It's the words that you can see on the first page of his homepage and makes you understand what must have driven him to the current status.
Born and raised in Gongju, Chungnam, he was much taller than his peers and ran very fast. His grades were good, but he was more fascinated by the uniforms of the school baseball team.
“My parents objected the idea of me becoming a baseball player very fiercely only to fail to break my iron-strong determination to become one. Later they patted me on the back and encouraged them as my ardent fans.”
During the time after his graduation from the Gongju High School and before entering Hanyang University, a bad luck came to him in the form of elbow injury. But he never sat around moping about his bad luck. With the injury getting better, he resumed his personal training with a vengeance. His training continued even after 11 at night when all the other players went to sleep.
“It was the time when I realized the common truth that happiness and misfortune are the both sides of a coin,” he recalls. “I truly believe that even the most miserable person in the world will no longer be miserable if he or she tries to find happiness in his or her misfortune.”

Back in the Korean League uniform
He visits Korea after every season in America. The broadcasting stations and newspapers are busy with covering his schedule in Korea every November. The events he never fails to participate in every year include taking part in the opening ceremony of Park Chan-ho National Baseball Tournament for Children held in his hometown, Gongju, and granting scholarships to young baseball players.
“This year I climbed Mt. Bukhan,” said the major leaguer. “On the top of the mountain, I looked back on my year and at myself in reality. I saw big and small happiness, big and small pain, and big and small touching moments. With all those, I believe my future will remain beautiful despite hardship and pain as long as I keep having my dreams.”
He also said the final stage of his baseball career will happen in Korea as a member of the national team and a Korean team. He adds “I can tell you that I will always keep trying not giving up hope for tomorrow and having a faith that I will do better next season.” It's no wonder that people, too, have great expectations for his tomorrow.