Chapter 0
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 0
Chapter Title: Prologue
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“Coach. Thank you for the interview.”
“Coming all this way just to cover us—I’m the one who should be grateful.”
“By the way, who’s that handsome player over there? He looks pretty well-built too. But he’s not on the roster.”
The reporter pointed at a boy while speaking. Just as the reporter said, the boy was tall and stately, with a solid, athletic build that screamed varsity athlete, thick eyebrows, large eyes without double eyelids, and a sharp nose. The only flaw, if you could call it that, was that his eyes seemed lifeless.
There was no spark of life in the boy’s gaze.
“Ah... that guy? Name’s Ji Maeng-ho, one of our school’s candidates. He’s a sophomore, but I brought him along as the batting practice pitcher. He was a real standout in middle school, but for some reason, he just can’t find his footing in high school. Figured a taste of the big stage might help him grow when we get back.”
“Hahaha. You’ve got a big heart, Coach. Experiencing a stage like this will do wonders for a player—even if he’s just the batting practice pitcher. What’s his velocity like?”
“Hits around 130 kph, but he’s a shortstop. Great arm, which is why he’s on batting practice duty.”
“Ah... I see. Well, here’s hoping Korean baseball brings home a victory from St. Louis. Thanks for your time.”
“You take care too, reporter. Hey! Ji Maeng-ho! Come escort the reporter out!”
“Yes!”
At the coach’s call, a sturdy 186 cm boy came running. His bold facial features blended together perfectly—he had the kind of face that would draw crowds of female fans once he went pro.
“Reporter, I’ll walk you out.”
“Oh, no need to trouble yourself... but if you insist.”
“Yeah, I’ve got nothing else going on anyway.”
As he stepped outside the stadium with the boy, they came upon statues of the St. Louis Cardinals’ legendary players. Feeling sorry for the young batting practice pitcher, the reporter decided to offer some encouragement.
“Maeng-ho, right?”
“Yes.”
“Keep working hard, Maeng-ho, and you could become a player like those guys. Ah, this statue’s Stan Musial. Amazing talent and character—loved by the team and fans alike. Hope you turn into a player like that someday.”
“I’m an infielder, though? And Stan Musial was a lefty batter.”
“Haha. What about that one, then?”
The reporter pointed to another statue in response. The name inscribed on it was Rogers Hornsby. A player who shone from the dead-ball era through the live-ball era, he boasted three .400 seasons and a career OPS over 1.000—the greatest second baseman in Major League history.
“Rogers Hornsby? Who’s he?”
“Well, a young player like you might not know. Rogers Hornsby was Major League Baseball’s top second baseman—two Triple Crowns and three .400 seasons. A legend. And a right-handed hitter to boot. Probably the best righty in MLB history.”
“Wow, what a player. I wanna be like him.”
“Just don’t copy his personality. He was a great ballplayer, but total scum off the field. Racist, domestic abuser, alcoholic, gambling addict, drug user, womanizer—the worst kind of human.”
“Makes sense. Someone dumped trash around his statue.”
The boy approached Rogers Hornsby’s statue. Sure enough, just as he’d said, there was a rotting, moldy wooden bat lying there abandoned.
“Who throws trash in a place like this?”
The boy casually picked up the garbage-like wooden bat. And then...
“Uwaaaak!”
An Asian boy’s scream echoed through Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals.