Korea's Daeho Lee: Premier12 and Olympic baseball champion retires after 22 years at the top of the game

Korea's Daeho Lee: Premier12 and Olympic baseball champion retires after 22 years at the top of the game
10/10/2022
"It’s always an honour to represent the country," - Lee said when listing the 2008 Olympic gold medal, the 2015 Premier12 semifinal between Korea and Japan and his retirement day as the three highlights of his career.

Premier12 and Olympic champion Lee Daeho, one of the most formidable hitters in South Korean baseball, played his last game on Saturday in front of hometown fans at Sajik Baseball Stadium. The 40-year-old concluded his professional career that spanned 22 years as a member of KBO's Lotte Giants and also included stints in the NPB and MLB.

With the national team, Lee won the Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008 and helped Korea claim the inaugural Premier12 title in 2015, hitting a clutch single in the semifinal win over Japan to move into the final. The designated hitter was named the Hublot Player of the Game for his heroic role in the win at a sold out Tokyo Dome.

Lee said he considered winning the 2008 Olympic gold medal, the 2015 Premier12 semifinal between Korea and Japan and his retirement day as the three highlights of his career.

“There are so many games that have stayed with me, but I think national team games are on the top of that list. It’s always an honour to represent the country, but at the same time, it can be quite stressful. I hope fans can get behind the players through thick and thin. I think it will help Korean baseball in the long run.” Lee said.

His jersey No. 10 was retired by the Lotte Giants (only the second player ever retired by the franchise) in a farewell ceremony that preceded his final game, where his teammates wore the same jersey number in his honour as they beat the LG Twins 3-2.

From 2001 to 2011, Lee played for the Giants before moving to the NPB for the 2012 season. He played two seasons with the Orix Buffaloes and another two with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. During his stint in Japan, the first baseman was elected to the All-Star Games three times, won two Japan Series and was elected Japan Series MVP once.

He played with the Seattle Mariners in the MLB for the 2016 season before returning to the KBO to play again with the Lotte Giants from 2017 until 2022.

Lee ended his career after 1,971 KBO games with a .309 career batting average, 2,199 hits, 374 home runs and 1,424 RBI, putting him among the historical leaders in home runs and RBIs at the KBO.