WINNER‘s Lee Seung Hoon is facing criticism for his controversial first pitch.
On August 28, Lee Seung Hoon took the mound as the ceremonial first pitcher at the Lotte Giants vs. Hanwha Eagles game at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan. Being a Busan native, he energized the crowd by saying, “Lotte’s winner is here. Shout for victory, Giants!”
However, the excitement quickly turned into disappointment. Instead of throwing the pitch right away, Lee Seung Hoon performed part of the choreography from his solo album’s title track “MY TYPE,” which was released last month.
Catcher Son Seong Bin got into position twice, waiting for the pitch, but Lee Seung Hoon continued dancing, raising suspicions that this impromptu performance wasn’t planned.
Eventually, Son Seong Bin had to move near the netting behind the dugout to catch the pitch, which angered many fans. Adding to the frustration, Lotte‘s starting pitcher Charlie Barnes had to readjust the mound before pitching, possibly due to the lengthy performance.
The game was a crucial mid-season match against Hanwha, making Lotte fans especially upset. To make matters worse, Lotte lost 7-0, leaving fans disappointed.
After Lee Seung Hoon posted a video of his first pitch on social media, it was met with a mix of reactions.
Critical comments included, “Why are you dancing on the mound? It’s disruptive,” “Never throw the first pitch at Sajik again. There are rules against disruptive pitches, and this was way over the top. The players are the stars of the field,” and “What do you think the first pitch is for?”
But there were also supportive voices saying, “Why blame the first pitcher for the loss?” and “It was fun to watch. A cheerful first pitch.”
Source: [1]