Kia Tigers

KIA 타이거즈

Team logo	Cap insignia

League

KBO League (1982–present)

Location

Gwangju, South Korea

Ballpark

Gwangju-Kia Champions Field
(2014–present)
Wolmyeong Stadium
(second home)
Kia Challengers Field
(2012–present)

Year established

1982; 35 years ago

Nickname(s)

Tigers

League championships

(6): 1988, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2009

Korean Series championships

(10): 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2009

Former name(s)

Haitai Tigers (1982–2001)

Former ballparks

Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium (1982–2013) (first home)
Jeonnam Stadium (2006–2011) (second home)

Colors

Red, black and white

Retired numbers

7, 18

Ownership

Kia Motors

Manager

Kim Ki-tae

General Manager

Seo Young-jong

Uniforms

Hyundai Motor Group sports

Football (Men's)	Football (Women's)	Baseball

Volleyball (Men's)	Volleyball (Women's)	Basketball

Archery (Men's)	Archery (Women's)	Rugby

Motorsport

Kia Tigers (Korean: 기아 타이거즈) is a Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982 and based in the southwestern city of Gwangju. The Tigers are a member team of the KBO League and the most successful team in Korean baseball having won the national championship, the Korean Series, ten times, with a perfect 10-0 series record and a 40-12-2 game record.

After the success of the 1980s and 1990s, the fortunes of the team began to turn, resulting in them finishing bottom of the league for the first time in 2005, and again in 2007. In 2009, However, Kia Tigers won the 2009 KBO season and 2009 Korean Series.

They were previously known as the Haitai Tigers (해태 타이거즈). Their home stadium is Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju.

Haitai Tigers was third professional baseball team to be created in South Korea, next to OB Bears and MBC Chungyong, founded on January 30 of 1982 with 14 players. Kim Dong-yeob, the first manager of the team was fired after just one month, and Jo Chang-soo took over his position and led the team to 38 wins 42 losses. Due to the lack of position players, many players in the league both pitched and batted. Kim Sung-han of the Tigers set a record of ten wins and highest RBI the first year.

Haitai Tigers hired Kim Eung-ryong as manager, who studied baseball in the United States, eventually led the team to its first victory in 1983. The Tigers won the Korean Series with four wins and one tie-game against the MBC Chungyong (currently LG Twins). Although the team did not make it to the playoffs for the next two years, it set the foundation for the golden years to come by signing in future megastars Lee Soon-chul, Sun Dong-yeol and Kim Sung-han. Bang Soo-won pitched the first no-hit-no-run game in Korean baseball history in 1984 against the Sammi Superstars.

...
Wikipedia