Jang Hyo-Jo
Encyclopedia
Jang Hyo-Jo (July 6, 1956 – September 7, 2011) was a South Korea
n outfielder
in the Korean professional baseball league who played for the Samsung Lions
and Lotte Giants
. Jang batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Daegu
.
Jang is widely regarded as one of the best KBO
hitters for average of all time. He still holds several records as of 2011, including the highest career batting average (.331) and most career batting titles with 4.
in Seoul
. Upon graduation from Hanyang University in February 1979, he joined the POSCO
baseball club in the Korean amateur league. In September 1982, Jang competed in the 1982 Amateur World Series
as a member of the South Korean national baseball team and helped his team to win its first world championship as a starting right fielder
. After the competition, Jang announced his interest to join the KBO Draft, and he was eventually drafted by the Samsung Lions
in the third round of the 1983 KBO Draft.
In his first pro season (1983), Jang won the batting title with a .369 batting average, being the first KBO
player to win the batting title as a rookie. He posted career-highs in home runs (18) and stolen bases (25) as well. However, he lost the Rookie of the Year award to Park Jong-Hoon of the OB Bears, which has been considered one of the most controversial KBO elections of all time.
In 1985, Jang won his second batting title with a .373 batting average and led the Lions to its first KBO championship. He became his third batting champion with .329 in 1986 and won his fourth title with a career-best .387 batting average in 1987.
After the 1988 season, Jang was traded with Kim Si-Jin
to the Lotte Giants
for Choi Dong-Won
and Kim Yong-Chul.
In 1991, Jang was runner-up in batting average with .347 and first in on-base percentage with .452. In 1992, his last pro season, Jang earned his first Korean Series
ring but he dipped down to batting a career-low .265, with 0 home runs and 25 runs batted in. After the 1992 season with the Giants, Jang announced his retirement.
In a ten-season career, Jang batted .331 with 78 home runs and 437 RBI in 961 games and ended with a .430 on-base percentage. He had 1009 career hits in 3050 at-bats. Jang also topped the KBO in on-base percentage in six seasons and won five straight Golden Gloves from 1983 to 1987 for defensive excellence.
Jang was named manager
of the Lions' second tier team in 2010.
at a hospital in Busan
on September 7, 2011.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in the Korean professional baseball league who played for the Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
and Lotte Giants
Lotte Giants
The Lotte Giants are a professional baseball team based in Busan, Korea, and one of the original franchises of the Korea Baseball Organization league. The Lotte Giants are owned by the Japanese-South Korean Lotte conglomerate....
. Jang batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Daegu
Daegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
.
Jang is widely regarded as one of the best KBO
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
hitters for average of all time. He still holds several records as of 2011, including the highest career batting average (.331) and most career batting titles with 4.
Playing career
Jang played college baseball at Hanyang UniversityHanyang University
Hanyang University is one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea. In particular, Hanyang's School of Engineering is one of the oldest engineering schools in Korea. The main campus is Hanyang University at Seoul, located in the Seoul, with its branch campus, the ERICA campus , located...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Upon graduation from Hanyang University in February 1979, he joined the POSCO
POSCO
POSCO is a multinational steel-making company headquartered in Pohang, South Korea. It is the world's third-largest steelmaker by market value and the most profitable Asia-based steelmaker....
baseball club in the Korean amateur league. In September 1982, Jang competed in the 1982 Amateur World Series
1982 Amateur World Series
The 1982 Amateur World Series was held in South Korea from September 4 to September 14.-Standings:-Awards:The IBAF announced the following awards at the completion of the tournament.-References:*...
as a member of the South Korean national baseball team and helped his team to win its first world championship as a starting right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
. After the competition, Jang announced his interest to join the KBO Draft, and he was eventually drafted by the Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions
Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium...
in the third round of the 1983 KBO Draft.
In his first pro season (1983), Jang won the batting title with a .369 batting average, being the first KBO
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. KBO should not be confused with the Korea Professional Baseball League. KBO was founded in 1981 and has been governing two leagues, Korea Professional Baseball and Futures League since...
player to win the batting title as a rookie. He posted career-highs in home runs (18) and stolen bases (25) as well. However, he lost the Rookie of the Year award to Park Jong-Hoon of the OB Bears, which has been considered one of the most controversial KBO elections of all time.
In 1985, Jang won his second batting title with a .373 batting average and led the Lions to its first KBO championship. He became his third batting champion with .329 in 1986 and won his fourth title with a career-best .387 batting average in 1987.
After the 1988 season, Jang was traded with Kim Si-Jin
Kim Si-Jin
Kim Si-Jin is a retired pitcher in the Korea Baseball Organization, and the current manager of the Heroes in the KBO.-Amateur career:...
to the Lotte Giants
Lotte Giants
The Lotte Giants are a professional baseball team based in Busan, Korea, and one of the original franchises of the Korea Baseball Organization league. The Lotte Giants are owned by the Japanese-South Korean Lotte conglomerate....
for Choi Dong-Won
Choi Dong-Won
Choi Dong-Won was a South Korean pitcher in the Korean professional baseball league who played for the Lotte Giants and Samsung Lions. Choi batted and threw right-handed...
and Kim Yong-Chul.
In 1991, Jang was runner-up in batting average with .347 and first in on-base percentage with .452. In 1992, his last pro season, Jang earned his first Korean Series
Korean Series
The Korean Series is the championship series of the Korea Baseball Organization. It has been held since the KBO's first season in and is the final series of in the post-season play-offs. From , the winner of the Korean Series goes on to play in the Asia Series....
ring but he dipped down to batting a career-low .265, with 0 home runs and 25 runs batted in. After the 1992 season with the Giants, Jang announced his retirement.
In a ten-season career, Jang batted .331 with 78 home runs and 437 RBI in 961 games and ended with a .430 on-base percentage. He had 1009 career hits in 3050 at-bats. Jang also topped the KBO in on-base percentage in six seasons and won five straight Golden Gloves from 1983 to 1987 for defensive excellence.
Coaching career
Following his playing career, Jang coached for the Lotte Giants in 1994 and the Samsung Lions in 2000.Jang was named manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Lions' second tier team in 2010.
Death
Jang died of liver cancerHepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
at a hospital in Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
on September 7, 2011.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from KBO official website