Chan Ho Park Walks the Plank

In recently MLB news, washed-up Korean MLB pitcher Chan Ho Park has been claimed off of waivers from the New York Yankees and will now join the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Not really big news in the baseball world, just another case of a well-beyond-his-prime, should-have-retired-sooner player being dropped from a championship contender (surprised he lasted this long, honestly) and hitting rock bottom, doomed to soon retire in baseball hell.

What it means for me in Korea is that Pittsburgh is back on the map! It's been over four years since the Steelers won Super Bowl XL, and Hines Ward was named MVP of the big game. Back in 2006 (from what I have heard, since I wasn't here at the time) Mr. Ward returned to his birthplace, instantly to become a national hero in the minds of millions and millions of Koreans who probably still think a 'touchdown' is some sort of aerobic exercise. Nevermind the fact that a young Hines was more or less run out of the country at a young age because of cultural unacceptance of mixed-race children on the peninsula. The good news is that that sort of thing is a lot better now. The bad news is that just like anything else that flares up in this country, the legend of Hines Ward has disappeared from minds just as quickly it was built up. Pittsburgh is no longer the sports mecca that it once was in Korea. In fact, most people haven't heard of it at all.

But we're back! Being from Pittsburgh, myself, I'm proud to welcome Mr. Park to the Pirates' losing tradition (17 years and counting, folks!). Not just because a 35 year-old who is known better for being the first Korean player in MLB history than for his recent accomplishments is likely still to be one of the better players on our less-than-major league roster, but more because it means that Pittsburgh will once again be one of four or five US cities that the average Korean citizen can name (along with New York, LA, Washington, and (unfortunately) Cleveland).

So as a proud Pittsburgh native whose been socially conditioned over the years to 'bleed black and gold,' it will be good to hear the name of my hometown fly around every now and again. At the very least, it will mean that some of those people walking around town with the gold 'P' on their foreheads (MLB caps are a very popular fashion accessory here, and the Pirates' cap is among the most popular for it's simplicity) will have some idea what they're supporting. And for Mr. Chan Ho Park, it means that even though he'll be on a roster about as talented as that of any of his KBO brothers, he'll know that he can still face big-league competition on a regular basis.

Good work, and welcome back to the Korean consciousness, Pittsburgh!

You're still #1 in my eyes...