S. Korean Olympic baseball team to face KBO youngsters in midsummer exhibition

▲ This image provided by the Korea Baseball Organization on Oct. 8, 2020, shows its emblem. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This file photo from April 3, 2021, shows Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, during a Korea Baseball Organization regular season game between the Samsung Lions and the Kiwoom Heroes. (Yonhap)

baseball-Olympics

S. Korean Olympic baseball team to face KBO youngsters in midsummer exhibition

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean Olympic baseball team will take on a team of rising stars in the domestic league for a special exhibition game just before the Tokyo Games.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Wednesday the national team and the KBO All-Star team of under-24 players will square off at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on July 23.

The 24-man Olympic roster will be finalized sometime in June. The Tokyo Olympics, postponed by one year because of the global coronavirus pandemic, will have its opening ceremony on July 23, but the baseball tournament won't begin until five days later.

The KBO set the age limit on the special All-Star team at 24, because it believes many players in that age group were inspired to start playing baseball after watching South Korea win the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

That was also the last Olympics where baseball was contested. South Korea will try to win its second consecutive Olympic gold, 13 years apart, under the same manager from 2008, Kim Kyung-moon.

The KBO's technical committee, which will name the Olympic team, will also put together the U-24 All-Star squad. Players 24 or younger who are named to the Olympic roster will play for that side and will not be considered for the U-24 team.

The KBO added that the Olympic team will face two tuneup games against KBO teams prior to the July 23 exhibition.

The league also announced that the regular All-Star Game will be held at Gocheok Sky Dome on July 24. The KBO canceled the All-Star festivities last year due to the pandemic.

The Dream All-Star Team and the Nanum All-Star Team will have representatives from five KBO clubs each.

Team Dream will be made up of players from: SSG Landers, Samsung Lions, KT Wiz, Doosan Bears and Lotte Giants. Team Nanum will have players from: Kiwoom Heroes, LG Twins, NC Dinos, Hanwha Eagles and Kia Tigers.

Fans will vote in 12 players per side -- starter, middle reliever, closer, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, third baseman, three outfielders and designated hitter. Managers will fill out the rest of the teams.

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