Korea's sole .400 hitter, former manager Baek In-chun, dies at 84

Baek In-chun, the legendary figure in Korean professional baseball renowned as the only player to achieve a .400 batting average, passed away at the age of 84. He died on August 15 at 6:41 AM after his condition worsened due to a cerebral infarction. Initially reported as deceased by some media outlets after being rushed to a hospital in Cheonan the previous morning, Baek was transferred to Dankook University Hospital for ongoing treatment. Despite a day-long battle in the emergency room with a respirator, he ultimately succumbed to his condition.

Born in Wuxi, China, in 1942, Baek had a distinguished career that began in Korean high school and university leagues before moving to industrial league baseball. He debuted in Japanese professional baseball (NPB) in 1963, playing over 1,500 games and winning the Pacific League batting title in 1975. Upon the launch of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in 1982, Baek joined MBC Cheongryong as their first player-manager. That same year, at the age of 40, he achieved his historic .412 batting average, a record that remains unbroken in Korean baseball history.

Following his groundbreaking season, Baek continued his involvement in baseball as a manager for LG Twins (1990-1991), Samsung Lions (1996-1997), and Lotte Giants (2002-2003). He also served as a hitting instructor for Samsung, Hanwha Eagles, and SK Wyverns (now SSG Landers). In the early 2000s, he transitioned to broadcasting as a commentator.

The KBO has announced that Baek will be honored with the second-ever KBO funeral service, a testament to his significant contributions to the sport. The first KBO funeral was held for the late Lee Yong-il, former acting commissioner of the KBO, in September of the previous year.