Chan Ho Park

Park gave up Barry Bonds' record-breaking 71st and 72nd homers on October 5 against the San Francisco Giants.

Park was granted free agency after the season and was signed by the Texas Rangers in December of that year to a five-year, $65 million contract, which was one of the largest contracts for a pitcher at that time.

Chan Ho Park (born June 30, 1973) is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher.

Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history, and the first South Korean player to be named an MLB All-Star.

He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB), the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League.

As of 2023, he has the most career wins of any Asia-born pitcher in history (124), having passed Hideo Nomo for that distinction in 2010.

During his playing days, Park stood 6 ft tall, weighing 210 lb.

Chan Ho Park was born in Gongju, South Korea, on June 30, 1973.

As a high school player in South Korea, he won team Most Valuable Player honors three consecutive seasons at Gongju High School in Gongju, South Korea.

He also was named the MVP at four national prep tournaments.

Park was a member of the 1992 and 1993 South Korea national baseball team.

He posted a 2.76 ERA in helping South Korea earn the silver medal at the Asian Baseball Championship in 1993.

He also competed in 1993 Summer Universiade, and led his team to the silver medal.

Park was a sophomore at Hanyang University, Seoul in 1994 when he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent.

Park made his professional debut for the Dodgers on April 8, 1994, against the Atlanta Braves as a reliever, working one inning (a game in which the Dodgers were no-hit by the Braves' Kent Mercker).

Park played in one additional game for the Dodgers that season and then spent the bulk of the season with the Class AA San Antonio Missions, finishing with a 5–7 record and a 3.55 ERA for the Missions in 20 starts with 100 strikeouts.

With the Albuquerque Dukes in 1995 he was fourth in the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts with 101, and averaged 8.26 strikeouts per 9 innings, the top mark among all Class AAA pitchers.

He was selected by Baseball America as the 2nd best Dodgers prospect after the season with the best fastball in the PCL.

He recorded his first Major League start on October 1 against the San Diego Padres after receiving a September call-up.

In 1996, his first full season with the Dodgers, he went 5–5 with a 3.64 ERA in 48 games (10 starts).

He recorded his first win on April 6 against the Chicago Cubs.

Park had a breakout season in 1997 as he became a full-time starter.

He tied for the team lead in victories, while posting a 14–8 record and a 3.38 ERA in 32 appearances, 29 of them starts.

In 1998, he was 15–9 with a 3.71 ERA in 34 starts and struck out 191 batters in 220.2 innings.

After the season, he led the South Korean national team to the gold medal in the Asian Games, beating Japan in the final match.

In 1999, he struggled in The Rotation with 13–11 with a 5.23 ERA.

On April 23, 1999, he became the only pitcher in the history of baseball to allow two grand slams in the same inning and to the same player, Fernando Tatís of the St. Louis Cardinals.

There are two more pitchers in the history of baseball who allowed two grand slams in the same game — Jack Morris, and more recently, Brandon Backe — but to different hitters in different innings.

He also walked 100 batters in only 194 innings.

On June 5, 1999, Park was involved in an on-field brawl at Dodger Stadium with Anaheim Angels pitcher Tim Belcher.

Park attacked Belcher after being tagged out after a bunt play.

Park said that Belcher had tagged him too hard on the just-concluded play and asked him about the incident.

According to Park, Belcher replied with racist comments causing Park to kick him.

In 2000, he ranked second in strikeouts with 217, second in opposing batting average (.214), and lowest in allowed hits per nine innings.

despite second in allowing bases on balls (124) in the National League.

He finished the season 18–10 with a 3.27 ERA, the best totals of his entire career.

He also tossed his first career complete game shutout on September 29, against the San Diego Padres.

Park was also named the Dodgers opening day starter for the 2001 season and tossed the Dodgers first season opening shutout since 1981.

He was 15–11 with a 3.50 ERA during the season and was selected to appear in the 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, where he pitched one inning, allowed a home run to Cal Ripken Jr.. and was charged with the loss.

In 2015, he and Yang Hak-seon lit the cauldron for the 2015 Summer Universiade held in Gwangju, South Korea.