Korean Police Baseball Team

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Police
경찰
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LeagueFutures League
LocationGoyang, Gyeonggi-do
BallparkByeokje Baseball Stadium
FoundedDecember 1, 2005; 18 years ago (2005-12-01)[1]
FoldedAugust 31, 2019; 4 years ago (2019-08-31)[1]
ColorsBlue and white
   
OwnershipSeoul Metropolitan Police Agency
CoachLee Han-jin (pitching coach)[1]
ManagerYoo Seung-an[1]
Uniforms
Home
Away

Korean Police Baseball Team (Korean: 경찰 야구단) was a South Korean amateur baseball team that existed from 2005 to 2019, and competed in the KBO Futures League from 2006 through 2019.[1] Their home stadium was Byeokje Baseball Stadium in Goyang. The team was controlled by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which itself is a division of the National Police Agency.

The Police were not affiliated with any single KBO League team, instead fielding a roster made of players from many of the KBO franchises. Over the Police team's history, however, it had a preponderance of players from the Doosan Bears franchise. Notable KBO League players who at one time served on the Police team included Choi Hyoung-woo, Yang Eui-ji, Min Byung-hun, Jung Soo-bin, Rhee Dae-eun, Son Seung-lak, and Won Jong-hyun.[1]

Structure

Many professional players who were serving compulsory military service[1] played for the Police team,[2] usually for a term of two seasons. Players were considered part of the auxiliary police, and completed their national duty as police officers after they finished recruit training.[3]

The Korea Baseball Organization provided the Police team about 1.5 billion won ($1.3 million) in operating expenses each year.[1]

History

The Police team was the champion of the Northern League division of the Futures League in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

In 2017 the South Korean government announced it was abolishing the auxiliary police by the year 2023; the National Police Agency immediately stopped recruiting athletes and promised to disband its sports teams (including the Police team) by the following year.[3] The Police team was disbanded after the 2019 Futures League season; the team played its final game on July 10, 2019, against the Hanwha Eagles Futures League team.[4]

Altogether, more than 200 players fulfilled their military duties on the Police team during its existence.[1]

Notable former players

Name Years played KBO Team
Byeon Jin-su 2016–2017 Doosan Bears
Cho Young-hun 2008–2009 Samsung Lions
Choi Hyoung-woo 2006–2007 Samsung Lions
Choi Jae-hoon[4] 2009–2011 Doosan Bears
Han Dong-min 2014–2016 SK Wyverns
Hong Sang-sam 2015–2016 Doosan Bears
Hur Kyoung-min 2010–2011 Doosan Bears
Jang Sung-woo 2012–2013 Lotte Giants
Jeon Jun-woo 2015–2016 Lotte Giants
Jung Soo-bin 2017–2018 Doosan Bears
Kim In-tae 2014–2015 Doosan Bears
Kim Kang-ryul 2009–2010 Doosan Bears
Kim Min-woo 2005–2007 Woori Heroes[a]
Kim Tae-gun[4] 2018–2019 NC Dinos
Kook Hae-seong 2009–2012 Doosan Bears
Min Byung-hun 2011–2012 Doosan Bears
Oh Jeong-bok 2012–2013 NC Dinos
Park Kun-woo 2011–2012 Doosan Bears
Rhee Dae-eun 2017–2018 KT Wiz
Son Seung-lak 2008–2009 Woori Heroes[a]
Won Jong-hyun 2015 NC Dinos
Yang Eui-ji[4] 2008–2009 Doosan Bears

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b Before playing with the Police, played with the Hyundai Unicorns, who went defunct after the 2006 season
General
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kim Hyo-Kyung. "Woop-woop! That’s the sound of da Police Team disbanding," Korea JoongAng Daily (July 5, 2019).
  2. ^ KIM HYO-KYUNG, PARK SO-YOUNG. "Military service looms over KBO," Korea JoongAng Daily (April 16, 2019).
  3. ^ a b S. Korea baseball community denounces abrupt recruitment halt at police club," The Korea Times (November 14, 2018).
  4. ^ a b c d Kim Hyo-kyung. "Kim Tae-gun prepares for return to the big leagues," Korea JoongAng Daily (July 5, 2019).

External links


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