It’s a pretty warm friendship.
Kim Byung-wook (28), an outfielder in the KBO, and Son Dong-hyun (22), a relief pitcher in KT, are teammates in the Sangmu baseball team. They enlisted side by side in March 2021. Although Lim is much older and senior, and they play different positions, they quickly became close. They have maintained a close friendship even after discharge.
Kiwoom and KT faced off against each other at KT Wiz Park in Suwon on Sept. 9-11, and they had another episode. Lim Byung-wook said, “(Son) Dong-hyun keeps pampering me. On the first day (Sept. 9), he asked for an autographed ball, so I got it myself.” “I called him and told him to come to the third base (away team) side, but he said he’d meet me in the center. I met him and said something. I said, ‘I’ll buy you a cup of coffee,’ and moved on.”
Son didn’t take kindly to the offer. “He said he’d buy me coffee the next day, but I didn’t hear from him, so on the last day of training, I asked him, ‘Where’s the coffee?'” said Lim Byung-wook. “He was so nice, and he knew it was all a joke.”
Son Dong-hyun also shared an anecdote. It was the 23rd of last month against Suwon Kiwoom. In the seventh inning, Son Dong-hyun pitched in relief. The runner on second base was Lim Byung-wook. “I was relaxing my arm and my brother said, ‘I’m going to third base.’ I thought he was joking because we’re close, but he actually stole the base on the first pitch.” “Of course, it’s my fault, but how could I do that to a comrade-in-arms?” he said.
On the 9th, he timidly took revenge against Suwon Kiwoom. In the top of the ninth inning, with runners on first and second, Lee Jung-hoo singled to right, and Lim Byung-wook, who was pinch-hitting, sprinted home. KT right fielder Jeong Joon-young made an accurate throw to first base and threw Lim out at home. “I thanked my brother, and we exchanged blows,” Son Dong-hyun laughed.스포츠토토
“When I stole third base, Dong-hyun said, ‘I think you did something wrong,’ so I said, ‘Maybe, I’ll think about it.’ At home plate, he said, ‘Thank you,’ so I said, ‘Let’s talk face-to-face,'” he smiled, adding, “We’re really close enough to have a conversation like this.”
In the three-game series, Lim went 4-for-9 with one home run and four RBIs. Son Dong-hyun also pitched 1⅔ innings in relief on the ninth, giving up two hits, one walk and striking out one.