The first leg of the first round group stage of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) between Korea and Australia held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 9th. In the bottom of the 7th inning, when Korea turned 4-5, Kang Baek-ho (kt) took the place of Choi Jeong (SSG) at bat. Kang Baek-ho hit a big ball into the middle left against Warwick Saupold (registered name Warwick Saupold at the time of playing in the KBO League), who had also played in the KBO League. It was a double that saved the fire of pursuit.
But then there was the problem. Kang Baek-ho, who settled on second base, gave a lively celebration of joy toward the third base seat where his teammates were. It was an intentional gesture to revive the team atmosphere that had subsided after he suffered a reverse. At that moment, Australian second baseman Robbie Glendining tagged Kang Baek-ho and requested a video review. As a result of video analysis, Kang Baek-ho’s feet during the ceremony were off the base. Kang Baek-ho was tagged out, and the situation that would have been 1 company and 2nd base changed to 2 companies and no runners. It was a first-of-a-kind ceremony tagout.메이저놀이터
Glendining was also the main character who scored a come-from-behind 3-run against pitcher Kim Won-joong, who changed Korea, in the beginning of the 7th inning. He is the player who hit 22 home runs in Double-A in the minor leagues last year. In an official interview after the game, Glendining said, “I once tagged out when a runner fell off the base. I was thinking maybe this might happen again,” he said. He knew what the screen would show, so he could adamantly ask the coaching staff to review the video.”
Dave Nielsen, coach of the Australian national team, said, “Actually, I missed that moment.” It was a great moment by a great player.”
On the ground, the defender must keep an eye on the runner’s movements. The runner must stay on the base all the way. Glendining kept the basics of defense, and Kang Baek-ho forgot the basics of running. It can be said that the difference in ‘basic’ separated the joys and sorrows between Australia and Korea, which faced each other with all their might. Glendining said, “I was able to do it because I continued the spirit of not giving up even though the game was tight, like the home run I hit today.”
Australia’s ‘spirit of not giving up’ drove Korea to the brink of being eliminated in the first round of the WBC three times in a row following 2013 and 2017.