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One of Korean baseball’s greatest contributions to the sports world (aside from groin shots and illegal defenses) is their tradition of exaggerated bat flips to celebrate home runs. In the self-important MLB, such a celebration is often seen as a sign of disrespect and will get you beaned the next time you step up to the plate. Even MLB’s video games want more bat flips.
Jung Hoon of the Lotte Giants hit one a long way, and his bat flip wasn’t just a well-timed release to send his instrument of destruction flying — it was an artistic spiking of said instrument in the vague direction of the pitcher (with the added swag-as-hell backwards strut to first), which would certainly draw a beaning in the MLB. Thank goodness for the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), for letting its hitters live and express themselves.
Want more bat flipping goodness? Me, too.
Home Run Bat-Flip of the Day: Lotte's Jung Hoon hit a 2-run shot against SK tonight #KBO pic.twitter.com/jBaM3rkyZa
— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) May 28, 2015
Another angle of Lotte's Jung Hoon's home run (Full video at https://t.co/H634pSRI0I) pic.twitter.com/YUn2qfhceG
— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) May 28, 2015
Until American baseball comes down off its high horse (or its pitchers take a chill pill), we’ll just have to bow down to the masters of the art over in the KBO. If we start a chant, maybe the MLB will hear us. Okay, on three: 1… 2… 3! Bat! Flips! Bat! Flips! Bat — why aren’t you guys chanting with me?
(Via MLB’s Cut4)
