Take Me Out to the Korean Ballgame...

"Take me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowd..."

The cherry blossoms have all fluttered away and it's now time for that other important springtime tradition...baseball!! Last weekend was jam packed with games of all sizes. First we had the SHARP game to attend on post, which allowed Rob and Michael to get some stand-side practice in. Yes, he actually hits it in this next set of photos - and he does it pretty consistently, too!

That got him ready for some real competition. She was fierce!

The next day, he started T-ball. All I can say is they are ridiculously adorable, their hands will eventually grow into their gloves, and they have a looong way to go in remembering where 1st base is. Ha ha ha!

We couldn't leave South Korea without experiencing a Korean Major League Baseball game (at least, that is what everyone kept telling us!), so the next day we headed to the subway for some ball park fun.

Don't they look sooo excited?

We went to Jamsil Stadium, on the south side of Seoul, to see the Doosan Bears play against the visiting team, the KIA Tigers.

We noticed the differences to a state-side game right away, as we exited the subway. There were wall-to-wall food vendors, selling every type of Korean street food you could think of. Want some grilled octopus, kimchi, kimbap, fries, or fried chicken while enjoying the game? You were in luck! And yes, you brought your own food and beverage of choice into the stadium.

We opted for some "safe" fried chicken and beer, but this fully fried squid on a stick was pretty tempting...maybe next time.

I had opted to avoid the lines at the stadium for the outfield seats by purchasing our tickets ahead of time at the Dragon Hill Lodge Discover Seoul desk.  We sat in the navy blue, home team section near 1st Base (circled in blue, here).

We had a great view of the team warm-up...and of the large group of kids and parents playing catch on the field before the game.

The mascot gave some percussive accompaniment on these large drums throughout. Pep Band!

The game got started soon after the South Korean National Anthem was sung. If you've never heard it, it is a beautiful piece. Here's a clip I found online: Aegukga

One random observation I made - the Doosan Bears have the players' names on the back of their shirts in Romanized letters, while the KIA Tigers had the names written in Korean Hangul.

Beyond just watching the actual game, there is the audience experience to consider. The Koreans are not content with a bit of organ music and an occasional crowd wave...ooooh, no. They raise audience participation to a whole new level. The fans for the team at bat chant and sing CONTINUOUSLY for their portion of the inning. Every player at bat has his own theme song and name chants. Here's one example for a player on the Doosan Bears, complete with inflatable clapper choreography:

There is a dedicated cheer meister, as well as stand dancers and cheerleaders, who have their own fanpage. We had a quick visit from the cheer guy - Han Je Gwan - after he had started the cheering with deep, respectful bows to the stands.

On a snack break, I realized we were right next to the 1988 Olympic stadium.

We did manage to snag a Doosan Bear's baseball from the gear shop. The Hangul on the sign proclaims it as the "Bear's House" (pronounced Beh-aw-seu Ha-oo-seu).

And Michael thought he was hot stuff in front of this photo spot in the subway.

After sitting through a good portion of the game, where I enthusiastically chanted along and chomped my way through a box of chicken, my two boys pooped out on me...and this is where I was able to watch the last inning and overtime of the game.

But it was good to have this vantage point when the Bears won the game, 4-3!  :)

In Seoul, and want to catch a game? It's an easy trip on the Seoul Subway Line 2 - Sports Complex Station - Exit 5.