LG veterans cried as much as they wonKelly's last greeting "You're my family"
Jul 20, 2024
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LG prepared for Kelly's farewell ceremony against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 20th. His departure from Kelly has been confirmed, with the decision to sign an alternative foreign player, Eliaser Hernandez.
A day earlier, on the 19th, he asked Kelly about his intention, and as Kelly expressed his determination to take his last mound, a farewell match at LG was made.
But the weather didn't help. Kelly was pitching well with two outs in the third inning. However, the game was suspended for more than an hour as it began to rain, and afterwards, the game was prepared to resume through ground maintenance, but no game was finally declared due to heavy rain again. Kelly's farewell record, which was prepared to take the mound again after waiting for an hour and 40 minutes, was swept away by rainwater.
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After watching a short highlight video prepared by the club with his teammates, Kelly left a farewell message thanking his family for their time at LG through an in-house microphone. And he bowed to the fans and swallowed the disappointment.
Six seasons spent in Korea. And even memories of last year's thrilling victory. Kelly will take off his LG uniform with 73 wins, 46 losses, 989 ⅓ innings, 753 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.25, the best foreign pitcher of all time and a name of 'Ace'.
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-It must have been a complicated feeling for a few days.
▶There have been rumors of replacement whenever there has been a slump over the past few years. I tried not to care. I heard about the replacement at the beginning of the season, and I heard it again this time. I just did my best day by day without thinking about anything else. Above all, I am grateful for the five and a half years spent in Korea. After coming to Korea, Korean fans treated not only me but also my family well and treated me kindly, so I will never forget it. It was nice to have another chance to take the mound before leaving Korea.
-I didn't have to take the mound today, but I decided because.
▶I had a conversation with my wife yesterday, and I decided that it would be better to throw the last game. I didn't know that it was my last time to take the mound against Hanwha, so I decided to do it again in front of Jamsil fans. My teammates, I was so special and grateful to be with them for the past five and a half years. I decided that because I wanted to try it again with my colleagues.
-I think he must have been restless watching the rain fall.
▶I was going to focus. Because I had the idea that the rain would stop and resume. I wanted to finish the inning I didn't finish. The second time it rained again, I felt this was my last. Nevertheless, I think I'm grateful that I pitched two innings well and was with my teammates.
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▶It was very surprising. I don't think I've ever seen a player who played in the KBO League having such an event. It's been a special time for me for five and a half years. In fact, I never thought of holding a farewell ceremony. I tried not to cry, but when the event started, I couldn't stop crying. It rained a lot today, but the fans kept waiting and staying, so I think that moment will remain in the back of my mind. Thank you to the front desk for planning the event.
-My colleagues cried a lot. Can you tell me how you said goodbye to the LG players.
▶I love you and thank you. It might be funny, but my teammates taught me a lot of how to order food, how to order coffee, and how to eat good restaurants. The time spent with them was like family. The players' children and my children are friends. I think those moments will be special. I want to continue to make video calls often and contact you. It's my last time playing as an LG player, but I think we get closer because we can keep in touch.
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▶Of course, it's the Korean Series. It's the most special to me. Game 5 of the Korean Series was such a special game for me, for the fans, for the club.
-How do children and families accept this decision.
▶The first daughter Kami seems to understand. Since we said we were going back to Arizona, they liked to fly. The second son seems to be still young. My first child is attending kindergarten in Korea, and I think I should talk to him after attending for about a week. 'It's time to go back to Arizona.' When I go back, I think I can be sad that I left Korea.
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▶I hope you remember me more as a human Kelly before I am a baseball player. He gave me a lot of support from the moment he signed with LG for the first time. At first, I didn't understand the fan culture well, but after experiencing it, the KBO League fandom was very amazing. I also tried to make sacrifices for the team. Hope to be remembered as the best team player. Above all, please remember me as a player who was good at baseball.
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▶I had mixed feelings today, and what makes me happy is that I can still show a healthy and better appearance. I will have time to think this week, next week, but I think there will be several options. The U.S. and Taiwan have not been decided yet, but let's review several options. I still want to throw on the mound and play baseball. I think I'll play baseball somewhere in the future.
-At the end, he bowed to his fans.
▶In fact, I didn't prepare anything. However, the fans stayed until the end, and I was so grateful that the club prepared such an event.
youll@sportschosun.com
