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Kim Dong-joo

Kim Dong-Joo
Kim Dong-Joo, Beijing 2008.jpg
Kim batting for South Korea in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Third baseman
Born: (1976-02-03) February 3, 1976 (age 41)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
KBO debut
April 11, 1998, for the OB Bears
KBO statistics
(through 2011)
Batting average .310
Home runs 270
RBI 1061
Teams
Olympic medal record
Representing  South Korea
Men’s Baseball
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Sydney Team
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Team

Kim Dong-Joo (Hangul: 김동주, Hanja: 金東柱) (born February 3, 1976 in Seoul, South Korea) is a South Korean third baseman, who plays for the former Doosan Bears in the Korea Baseball Organization. He bats and throws right-handed.

While attending Baemyung High School in Seoul, South Korea, Kim's main position was shortstop, batting leadoff, but he was considered one of the best high school power pitchers as well. In 1992, Kim swept most of the major individual titles (Best Pitcher, Home Run, and RBI) in the Phoenix National Championship, the most prestigious annual high school baseball competition in South Korea, pitching to a 0.80 ERA and batting .600 with 10 RBIs.

Upon graduation from high school in 1994, Kim chose to enter college instead of the KBO Draft, and started his collegiate career at Korea University.

In his freshman year, Kim completely quit pitching to switch focus to hitting. In the 1994 college season, he batted .308 with 2 home runs and 11 RBIs, missing half of the season due to injuries.

During his sophomore year in 1995, Kim batted .373 with 4 home runs and 14 RBIs during the season, and earned MVP honors in the national championship. In that same year, Kim was selected for the South Korea national baseball team, and competed in the 1995 Summer Universiade and Intercontinental Cup, manning right field and shortstop.

In 1996, Kim had a true breakout season as a junior. During the season, Kim batted .402 with 11 home runs and 22 RBIs. He also won the MVP award with the home run (4) and batting (.625) titles in the national championship. Prior to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, many had expected Kim to be chosen as a key member of the South Korean national team for the first Olympic medal in baseball. However, the manager of Korea University's major rival Yonsei University was named as the manager of the South Korean national team for the Olympics, and Kim was surprisingly omitted from the final 24-man roster. Due to the offensive void left by Kim, South Korea had one of the worst international results, ranked the lowest among the eight teams with a 1-6 record.


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