‘Immortal .412 Hitter’ Baek In-chun’s Funeral Held; Family and Baseball Figures Bid Farewell

A funeral service was held on August 17, 2026, at Dankook University Hospital in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, for the late Baek In-chun, a legendary figure in Korean and Japanese professional baseball. The service marked the second KBO-sanctioned funeral for a baseball figure, with attendees including KBO President Huh Koo-youn, Secretary-General Park Geun-chan, former Police Baseball Team manager Yoo Seung-an, and Baek's family.

Baek In-chun had a distinguished career, playing 19 seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball from 1963 to 1981, where he won the Pacific League batting title in 1975 with a .319 average. Upon the establishment of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in 1982, he began his professional career in Korea as a player-manager for MBC. His rookie season in 1982 saw him achieve a remarkable .412 batting average, a record that remains unbroken to this day.

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When we were playing baseball, we weren't even allowed to step on the shadows of our seniors. He had that much charisma and was so strong that ordinary players couldn't even make eye contact.

Following his playing career, Baek transitioned to management, serving as a player-coach for the Sammi Superstars (1983-84), manager for LG Twins (1990-91), Samsung Lions (1996-97), and concluding his managerial career with the Lotte Giants (2003-04). Former Cheonan Mayor Park Sang-don recalled visiting Baek, who lived in Cheonan, remembering him as an idol to young people and expressing sadness at seeing the diminished circumstances of the once-prominent baseball figure.

Yoo Seung-an, a junior colleague and former player under Baek, described him as a figure of immense charisma, so imposing that younger players were intimidated. Yoo noted that he only became close with Baek after both had retired, having been too fearful to speak with him during their time together on the MBC Blue Dragons. Baek In-chun passed away on August 15 at the age of 89 while receiving treatment for a cerebral infarction at Dankook University Hospital.

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I remember visiting him directly after hearing he was living in Cheonan during my time as mayor. He was like an idol to the youth back then. Seeing the humble state of a baseball figure who once dominated an era, I felt very sorry.