View source for Lee Jong-beom

{{short description|South Korean baseball player and coach (born 1970)}}
{{for|the South Korean webcomic artist|Lee Jong-beom (artist)}}
{{family name hatnote|Lee||lang=Korean}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Lee Jong-beom
|image=Lee Jong-Beom from acrofan.jpg
|position=[[Shortstop]], [[Outfielder]]
|team = 
|number = 
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1970|8|15}}
| birth_place = [[Gwangju]], [[South Korea]]
|debutleague=[[Korea Baseball Organization|KBO]]
|debutyear=1993
|debutdate=April 10
|debutteam=[[Haitai Tigers]]
| debut2league  = [[Nippon Professional Baseball|NPB]]
| debut2date    = 
| debut2year    = 1998
| debut2team    = [[Chunichi Dragons]]
|final2league=KBO
|final2date=May 26
|final2year=2012
|final2team=[[Kia Tigers]]
| finalleague   = NPB
| finaldate     = 
| finalyear     = 2001
| finalteam     = Chunichi Dragons
|statleague=KBO
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.297
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value=1,797
|stat3label=[[Home run]]s
|stat3value=194
|stat4label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat4value=730
|stat5label=[[Stolen base]]s
|stat5value= 510
| stat2league  = NPB
| stat2year    = 
| stat21label  = Batting average
| stat21value  = .261
| stat22label  = Hits
| stat22value  = 286
| stat23label  = Home runs
| stat23value  = 27
| stat24label  = Runs batted in
| stat24value  = 99
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Haitai Tigers]] ([[1993 in baseball|1993]]&ndash;[[1997 in baseball|1997]])
* [[Chunichi Dragons]] ([[1998 in baseball|1998]]&ndash;[[2001 in baseball|2001]])
* [[Kia Tigers]] ([[2001 in baseball|2001]]–{{baseball year|2012}})
'''As coach'''
* [[Hanwha Eagles]] ({{baseball year|2013}}–{{baseball year|2014}})
|highlights=
;KBO
* [[KBO League Most Valuable Player Award|KBO MVP]] (1994)
* 6× [[KBO League Golden Glove Award|KBO Golden Glove]] (1993–1994, 1996–1997, 2002–2003)
* 13× [[KBO League|KBO]] All-Star (1993–1997, 2002–2009)
* KBO batting champion (1994)
* 4× [[Korean Series]] champion (1993, 1996–1997, 2009)
* 2× Korean Series MVP (1993, 1997)
*[[Kia Tigers#Retired numbers|Kia Tigers No. 7 retired]]
;International
* [[World Baseball Classic#All-WBC teams|All-World Baseball Classic Team]] ([[2006 World Baseball Classic|2006]])
}}
{{Infobox Korean name/auto
|hangul = %이종범
|hanja  = 李鍾範
}}

'''Lee Jong-beom''' ({{Korean|hangul=이종범}}; born August 15, 1970) is a former [[South Korea]]n professional [[baseball]] player who played for the [[Kia Tigers]] (formerly the Haitai Tigers) in the [[KBO League]] and the [[Chunichi Dragons]] in Japan from 1998 to 2001. He is nicknamed "'''Son of the Wind'''" (바람의 아들) for his speed.<ref name=Yonhap2020 /> (He was also known as "Baseball Genius"<ref name=KJAD /> and the "Korean [[Ichiro Suzuki|Ichiro]]".){{cn|date=December 2022}} Lee is widely considered one of the best [[five-tool player]]s in Korean baseball history, and the best all-around KBO player of the 1990s.<ref name=Yonhap2020>{{cite news|author=Yoo Jee-ho |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200703011500315 |title=2nd-generation KBO star wants to see more sons of ex-players thrive |agency=Yonhap News Agency |date=July 4, 2020}}</ref>

Lee was the 1994 [[KBO League Most Valuable Player Award|KBO League MVP]], a 13-time KBO All Star, and a six-time winner of the [[KBO League Golden Glove Award]]. He holds the single-season stolen base record in the KBO, with 84, and once hit .393 in a season, second-best all-time. Lee also won the [[Korean Series Most Valuable Player Award]] twice (his Tigers won four [[Korean Series]] championships). Lee's number 7 was retired by the Kia Tigers in 2012.

He started his career at [[shortstop]], where he played through 1997, and mainly played [[outfielder]] in later years.

== Career ==
[[File:KBO Retired Kia 07.svg|thumb|left|95px|Lee Jong-Beom's number 7 was retired by the [[Kia Tigers]] in 2012.]]
Lee graduated from [[Gwangju Jeil High School]], where he excelled in baseball,<ref name=NYTimes>{{cite news|last=Keh |first=Andrew |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/03/sports/baseball/for-south-korean-baseball-players-a-few-kinds-of-school-spirit.html?referringSource=articleShare |title=School Spirit May Be Metaphysical for South Korean Baseball Players |work=The New York Times |date=Oct 2, 2015}}</ref> leading his team to the [[High school baseball in South Korea|Cheongryonggi]] championship as a senior.<ref name=KJAD>{{cite news|author1=Chang Hye-soo |author2=Limb Jae-un |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2559942&ref=mobile |title=Kia Tigers outfielder invigorated after last season’s slump, pay cut |work=Korea JoongAng Daily |date=April 25, 2005}}</ref>

He burst onto the KBO scene as a rookie shortstop in 1993, leading the league in runs, stealing 73 bases, being named to the All-Star team, winning a [[KBO League Golden Glove Award|Golden Glove Award]], and leading the Tigers to the [[Korean Series]] championship. During the Series, Lee hit .313 (9 hits in 29 at-bats) with three steals, and was given the [[Korean Series Most Valuable Player Award]].

His sophomore season was just as impressive, as he hit .393 (second all-time in the KBO to [[Baek In-chun]], who hit .412 in 1982), led the league in hits and runs, and stole a league-record 84 bases.<ref name=KJAD /> That year he won the [[KBO League Most Valuable Player Award]] and his second Golden Glove.

Lee played only a half-season's worth of games in 1995 due to commitments for military service, which is mandatory for all male South Korean citizens over 18.<ref>{{cite news|author1=KIM HYO-KYUNG |author2=PARK SO-YOUNG |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3061916 |title=Military service looms over KBO |work=Korea JoongAng Daily |date=April 16, 2019}}</ref>

In 1996, Lee led the league in runs and again won a Golden Glove. The Tigers prevailed in the Korean Series, with Lee again receiving the series MVP award.

Lee had a "30-70 season" in 1997, in which he hit 30 home runs and stole more than 70 bases (73 in total).<ref>{{cite news|title=Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo takes lessons learned from legendary father to MLB|agency=Yonhap|date=Dec 16, 2023|url=https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231216000030|quote=Lee owns three of the 10 highest steals totals in league history, having swiped 73 bags in 1993 and 64 in 1997.}}</ref> He led the league in runs, picked up another Golden Glove, and his Tigers again won the KBO championship.

Lee moved to the [[NPB]] in 1998, playing for the [[Chunichi Dragons]] from 1998 to 2001. Over four seasons in the NPB, Lee hit a disappointing .261 with a total of 27 home runs, 99 RBI, and 53 stolen bases (he was also [[hit by a pitch]] and broke his elbow in 1998).<ref name=KJAD /> While in the NPB, Lee shifted from shortstop to the outfield.

After a slow start in Japan in 2001, Lee returned to the KBO and the Tigers. He returned to form in 2002–2004, winning two more Golden Glove awards, leading the league in doubles in 2003, and in runs in 2004. Despite this, he voluntarily took a pay cut after the 2004 season.<ref name=KJAD />

Playing for the bronze medal-winning Korean team in the [[2006 World Baseball Classic]], Lee had six doubles and hit .400, and was named as an outfielder to the All WBC Team (alongside [[Ken Griffey Jr.]] and [[Ichiro Suzuki]]).

In April 2012, prior to opening day, Lee announced his retirement from baseball; at that point, he was the KBO's oldest active player.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/culturesports/2012/04/02/0702000000AEN20120402002300315.HTML |title=Lee Jong-beom, oldest active baseball player, announces retirement|agency=[[Yonhap]]|date=April 2, 2012|lang=English}}</ref>

Over his KBO career, he accumulated 510 stolen bases (second all-time to [[Jeon Jun-ho]]),<ref>{{cite news|last=Hyun-kyung |first=Kang |url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/sports/2020/03/662_233411.html |title=KT Wiz outfielder seeks to become all-time leader in stolen base |work=The Korea Times |date=2017-07-21}}</ref> winning four Gold Gloves as a shortstop and two as an outfielder, and never missing a single All Star Game during his professional career in Korea.

== Post-playing career ==
Lee served as a coach for the [[Hanwha Eagles]] in 2013–2014.

In 2016, he appeared on ''[[King of Mask Singer]]'' as Fly a Cute Little Chick.

== Personal life ==
Lee is married to Jeong Jeong-min and they have a son and a daughter.<ref name=KJAD /> Their son [[Jung-hoo Lee]] is an [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] player for the [[San Francisco Giants]], and won the [[KBO League Rookie of the Year Award]] in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Power rankings, top players, key storylines and more: Everything you need for KBO opening day|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29124646/power-rankings-top-players-key-storylines-more-everything-need-kbo-opening-day|date=2020-05-04|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-07}}</ref> Their son-in-law is pitcher [[Woo-suk Go]].<ref>{{cite news|title=아들이냐 사위냐… '바람의 아들' 행복한 고민|url=https://www.chosun.com/sports/baseball/2024/01/08/WA7HMZFUFBE4PPPAB6SMSCBTOQ/|work=[[The Chosun Ilbo]]|date=January 8, 2024|language=ko}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of KBO career stolen bases leaders]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://archive.today/20130629145124/http://www.koreabaseball.com/Record/RetirePitcher.aspx?pcode=93607 Retired player information] from [[Korea Baseball Organization]]
{{baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br= |fangraphs= |cube= |brm=lee---003jon}}

{{South Korea roster 2006 World Baseball Classic}}
{{2006 World Baseball Classic All WBC Team}}
{{KBO League MVP}}
{{Korean Series MVP}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Jong-Beom}}
[[Category:Hanwha Eagles coaches]]
[[Category:2006 World Baseball Classic players]]
[[Category:Kia Tigers players]]
[[Category:Chunichi Dragons players]]
[[Category:Haitai Tigers players]]
[[Category:South Korean expatriate baseball players in Japan]]
[[Category:Korean Series MVPs]]
[[Category:KBO League Most Valuable Player Award winners]]
[[Category:KBO League outfielders]]
[[Category:KBO League shortstops]]
[[Category:Konkuk University alumni]]
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists in baseball]]
[[Category:Asian Games baseball players for South Korea]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Gwangju]]
[[Category:South Korean baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 1990 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games gold medalists for South Korea]]
[[Category:KBO League players with retired numbers]]
[[Category:World Baseball Classic players of South Korea]]