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| Baseball resumes in South Korea, bringing innings to a world starved for sports | Baseball resumes in South Korea, bringing innings to a world starved for sports |
| (30 days later) | |
| SEOUL — At least the game sounded the same. | SEOUL — At least the game sounded the same. |
| The leathery pop of a strike into the catcher’s mitt was no different than before. A solid hit to center field still had that satisfying clap. | The leathery pop of a strike into the catcher’s mitt was no different than before. A solid hit to center field still had that satisfying clap. |
| But little else was familiar Tuesday as South Korea’s professional baseball league began play in the sports-starved season of covid-19. There were no fans — although there were cheerleaders, all wearing masks, dancing to 25,000 empty seats in Seoul’s Jamsil stadium. | But little else was familiar Tuesday as South Korea’s professional baseball league began play in the sports-starved season of covid-19. There were no fans — although there were cheerleaders, all wearing masks, dancing to 25,000 empty seats in Seoul’s Jamsil stadium. |
| Baseball is back in South Korea — just no spitting, please | Baseball is back in South Korea — just no spitting, please |
| At one Opening Day game, KT Wiz hosting the Lotte Giants, the first “pitch” was not thrown at all. It was walked to home plate by a 9-year-old boy inside a plastic balloon decorated with the seams of a baseball. It was quickly dubbed the first “socially distant first pitch.” | At one Opening Day game, KT Wiz hosting the Lotte Giants, the first “pitch” was not thrown at all. It was walked to home plate by a 9-year-old boy inside a plastic balloon decorated with the seams of a baseball. It was quickly dubbed the first “socially distant first pitch.” |
| The coronavirus pandemic has brought silence to sports stadiums around the world, including Major League Baseball in the United States. Fans eager for a sports fix have dredged up past games to re-watch or tried their best to entertain themselves with oddities such as play-by-play announcers narrating real life, such as pedestrians crossing a street. | The coronavirus pandemic has brought silence to sports stadiums around the world, including Major League Baseball in the United States. Fans eager for a sports fix have dredged up past games to re-watch or tried their best to entertain themselves with oddities such as play-by-play announcers narrating real life, such as pedestrians crossing a street. |
| So South Korea’s decision to play ball is receiving some unusual transpacific attention. ESPN plans to broadcast Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) games six days a week. Last month, Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball association said the start of the Japanese season will not take place until at least June. | So South Korea’s decision to play ball is receiving some unusual transpacific attention. ESPN plans to broadcast Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) games six days a week. Last month, Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball association said the start of the Japanese season will not take place until at least June. |
| Baseball in South Korea is also a symbol of its aggressive health policies — including widespread testing and coronavirus contact tracing — that have managed to flatten the covid-19 curve without resorting to full-scale lockdowns. South Korea reported zero domestic cases of the coronavirus for a second consecutive day on Tuesday. | Baseball in South Korea is also a symbol of its aggressive health policies — including widespread testing and coronavirus contact tracing — that have managed to flatten the covid-19 curve without resorting to full-scale lockdowns. South Korea reported zero domestic cases of the coronavirus for a second consecutive day on Tuesday. |
| Still, nothing in South Korea’s baseball is untouched by the virus. The season started five weeks late. Players are subject to a regime of daily temperature checks — including when waking in the morning and before leaving for the stadium. | Still, nothing in South Korea’s baseball is untouched by the virus. The season started five weeks late. Players are subject to a regime of daily temperature checks — including when waking in the morning and before leaving for the stadium. |
| The Nat’s Eric Thames recalls fond memories of days in the KBO | The Nat’s Eric Thames recalls fond memories of days in the KBO |
| A great catch or home run will not be followed with high-fives or handshakes. Such physical contact among players is strictly banned (except to tag a player out). No spitting is allowed in games. | A great catch or home run will not be followed with high-fives or handshakes. Such physical contact among players is strictly banned (except to tag a player out). No spitting is allowed in games. |
| Umpires and coaches are required to wear face masks and sanitary gloves in the stadium. If the league sees a coronavirus outbreak among the players, the KBO could suspend the season, depending on the size of the outbreak. | Umpires and coaches are required to wear face masks and sanitary gloves in the stadium. If the league sees a coronavirus outbreak among the players, the KBO could suspend the season, depending on the size of the outbreak. |
| “I reaffirmed how the covid-19 prevention measures are meticulously followed at the baseball stadium,” said Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon during a visit to Jamsil stadium days before the start of the new season. | “I reaffirmed how the covid-19 prevention measures are meticulously followed at the baseball stadium,” said Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon during a visit to Jamsil stadium days before the start of the new season. |
| He voiced hopes for an “early return of the audience” and suggested their gradual admittance depended on the coronavirus situation in the country. | He voiced hopes for an “early return of the audience” and suggested their gradual admittance depended on the coronavirus situation in the country. |
| “I hope the start of professional baseball could revitalize the stagnant economy and present people with confidence and energy,” Park added. | “I hope the start of professional baseball could revitalize the stagnant economy and present people with confidence and energy,” Park added. |
| For the moment, however, there’s a whole lot of silence at the games. | For the moment, however, there’s a whole lot of silence at the games. |
| Korean baseball stadiums are usually filled with incessant chants and fan singalongs that go hand-in-hand with cheerleaders trying to spur the mood. At Tuesday’s Opening Day games, videos of fans watching the action on live stream were shown on the scoreboard. | Korean baseball stadiums are usually filled with incessant chants and fan singalongs that go hand-in-hand with cheerleaders trying to spur the mood. At Tuesday’s Opening Day games, videos of fans watching the action on live stream were shown on the scoreboard. |
| KBO Commissioner Chung Un-chan marked the opening of the new season by crediting it to “medical workers at the forefront of covid-19 control” and “people of our country who thoroughly followed infection-control guidelines.” | KBO Commissioner Chung Un-chan marked the opening of the new season by crediting it to “medical workers at the forefront of covid-19 control” and “people of our country who thoroughly followed infection-control guidelines.” |
| More sports will make a return in South Korea amid the virus slowdown. The K League will begin soccer matches Friday. Next week: Women’s professional golf gets underway. | More sports will make a return in South Korea amid the virus slowdown. The K League will begin soccer matches Friday. Next week: Women’s professional golf gets underway. |
| Masks are here to stay — and a way to express yourself | Masks are here to stay — and a way to express yourself |
| Poll: Americans oppose reopening most businesses | Poll: Americans oppose reopening most businesses |
| Baseball is bracing for an economic hit. Only question is how bad. | Baseball is bracing for an economic hit. Only question is how bad. |
| Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world |
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