The popularity of "Peddy Passport Burning"
Eric Pedi (30, NC Dinos), the best pitcher in the KBO League in the first half, spent a pleasant All-Star game with his family who visited Korea.
Pedi pitched in 15 games in the first half of this season, recording 12 wins, 2 losses, and a 1.71 ERA. He ranks first in multiple wins and ERA, while striking out (109) is the second-highest after Ahn Woo-jin (130 Keum). In this performance, Pedi was proudly selected as an All-Star. On the 15th, four foreigners wearing the same T-shirts visited Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan, where the 2023 KBO League All-Star Game was held. The T-shirt drew attention by writing "Peddy Dad Scott" and "Peddy Mom Collar." These were the families of Pedi. 스포츠토토
Pedi's father Scott Pedi, mother Carla Pedi, Jomo Dorothy, younger brother Kevin, and younger sister McKayla visited the Sajik Stadium. They came out wearing T-shirts that Pedi's interpreter had paid for. Pedi's interpreter smiled, saying, "I left the interpreter relationship with the player and did it like a friend."
They entered the country on the 3rd (mother, younger brother, younger sister) and on the 9th (father and grandmother) and watched Pedi's recent two appearances (Gocheok Kiwoom match on the 5th and Changwon Lotte match on the 12th). Pedi's parents said in unison, "I can feel that Changwon citizens love Pedi so much, and the cheering culture that is only in Korea is so new and it was fun to watch the game."
The family then came to the All-Star Game, the venue of the festival, to cheer for Pedi.Grandmother Dorothy said about Pedi's appearance in the All-Star Game, "I'm so happy to have fun coming to see my grandson." My father also expressed expectations, saying, "Of course I'm nervous, but I'd be so happy if Pedi came up and threw well."
His father, Scott, was a baseball teacher for Pedi. It is said that Pedi learned baseball from his father when he was young and also learned pitching grips. Scott said, "I used to play baseball with my younger brother (Kevin) until Pedi went to high school. "At the same time, I was able to teach them the grip, and after that, I gave up my place to high school coaches," he said.
Scott, who worked as a Las Vegas air force firefighter for 43 years, visited Masan Fire Station in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, and presented a T-shirt and commemorative patch to commemorate the fire. "I've been a firefighter for a long time," Scott said, explaining why he visited. He then boasted of the 119 badge he received from Masan Fire Station at the time, saying, "I went and gave him a gift, but I feel like I received more gifts." When he heard that the Air Force Black Eagles' air show was canceled due to weather conditions, he said, "It's too bad."
His younger brother Kevin has a face that looks exactly like Pedi. For this reason, there were fans in Korea who recognized that they were Pedi's family. Kevin said, "I've heard it a lot before, so it's really fun. "It's amazing that I can feel like I'm in another country," he said. Regarding his brother's performance, he also said, "It hasn't been long since I came to Korea, but I'm experiencing the love myself."
Kevin's idea was also to burn his passport, a popular performance from the All-Star Game. After the game, Pedi said, "Fans have been asking me to ride my passport a lot, so I said, 'Let's really ride it like this,' so I picked it up today." His younger brother created an unforgettable scene. What kind of player do the family want Pedi to be remembered as in Korea. The father said, "As a son, I am so proud and I think I should do better as I am loved by Changwon citizens. "I hope to continue good pitching in the future," he said.
Did the family's wishes work. Pedi pitched as the sixth pitcher of Nanum All-Star in the top of the sixth inning and recorded one scoreless inning. Jung Soo-bin (Doosan), the first batter, hit a hit in the right field, but caught Kang Min-ho (Samsung) with a center field fly. He then faced a scoring crisis with Lee Yoo-chan (Doosan)'s hit, and finished his first All-Star Game appearance in Korea by catching No. 5 Jeon Joon-woo (Lotte) with a double play.
After the game, Pedi said, "I'm more encouraged by my family and I'm so grateful that they mentioned it again." The day after the game, the team was given a training day, but Pedi was given a break, signaling that he would spend a lot of time with his family. Pedi expressed satisfaction with his life in Korea, saying, "I'm so happy to be here as much as my fans love me so much."