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Watching the Doosan vs. LG Game at Seoul’s Jamsil Baseball Stadium

July 30, 2023 317 Views

In Seoul’s Jamsil, there is a sports complex where you can find various stadiums, including the Olympic Main Stadium and Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

Notably, Jamsil Baseball Stadium serves as the home stadium for both the “Doosan Bears” and the “LG Twins,” both based in Seoul. It is said to be unique in the world for two teams from the same city to share a home stadium. While there have been instances where the home stadium was temporarily shared due to issues like remodeling, it is rare to find a case where two teams share a stadium from the start to finish, even in other countries.

“Getting to Jamsil Baseball Stadium through the Sports Complex Station”

Jamsil Baseball Stadium can be easily visited through Subway Line 2’s “Sports Complex Station.” If you exit through Exit 3 of the Sports Complex Station, you can head towards the Central Ticket Office.

Throughout the baseball stadium, you’ll find various shops selling baseball-related items, memorabilia, and souvenirs.

“The Rivalry Match at Jamsil Stadium on July 29, 2023”

I visited to watch a game as a group on July 29, 2023. Coincidentally, it was a rivalry match between the two teams that use Jamsil Stadium as their home ground. It was a home game for the “Doosan Bears,” and they were facing off against the “LG Twins.”

Actually, on this day, I visited with a group of high school students from the U.S. who were on a scholarship program dispatched by the U.S. Department of State, along with Korean university student supporters. There was an issue from the very beginning with purchasing tickets. For groups of over 50, you are supposed to reserve group tickets separately two weeks in advance. However, due to a mistake on the part of the Doosan Bears organization or someone else’s error, we received incorrect guidance via the website, stating that we could purchase tickets one week in advance. As a result, we couldn’t sit in the seats we originally wanted.

“Watching the Game from LG Twins’ Side on This Day”

Originally, I intended to watch the game from the Doosan Bears’ cheering section, but unintentionally, I ended up watching the game from the LG Twins’ side. Due to a mistake at the Doosan Bears ticket sales booth, the 60 people who could have become Doosan Bears fans ended up being LG fans.

“A Game of Nail-biting Showdowns”

The game was a fierce contest, being a rivalry match and both teams were holding the first and third positions at the time (Doosan Bears were 3rd, LG Twins were 1st).

In the 5th inning, LG Twins scored four runs first, but immediately in the same inning, Doosan Bears followed suit with three runs. After that, in the 6th inning, they tied the game by scoring one run, and in the 8th inning, they added two more runs, turning the game around.

When it seemed like Doosan would finish the game without any trouble in the 9th inning, for some strange reason, the game didn’t go as planned. They made two consecutive errors, ultimately allowing LG to tie the game. As the game went into extra innings, LG Twins gained momentum and added one more run in the 10th inning, securing the game, while Doosan couldn’t score any additional runs.

If the game had been one-sided, it might have been disappointing for those watching in person. However, since the game was full of tense moments, the atmosphere in the stadium couldn’t help but become more heated. The U.S. students who came to watch the game together also enjoyed experiencing the different cheering culture of Korean baseball compared to Major League Baseball in the U.S.

The weather was incredibly hot, and as the game progressed in such a close manner, it must have been a tough time for the players. However, from the perspective of someone watching the game, it was very enjoyable to witness such an intense match.

“Impressive Cheers and Atmosphere at the Game”

When watching a baseball game on TV, I had no idea, but being at the stadium in person made all the difference. Although it was hard to tell how the game was going due to the small size of the baseball, the cheers, support, and enthusiasm that you could feel at the stadium were beyond what could be conveyed through TV. Sometimes, when feeling a bit down, I think that if I were to visit a baseball stadium, my melancholy mood would quickly disappear. The experience of watching the game in person was even better than I had imagined.

“Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium”

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