For the 16th year this year, Sun Dong-yeol-bae OK, the national deaf baseball tournament is booming...Unifying Woollim
May 26, 2025
|
Hosted and organized by the Korea Deaf Baseball Softball Federation (Chairman Cho Il-yeon) and sponsored by OK Savings Bank, the 16th Sun Dong-yeol Bae OK National Deaf Baseball Competition (hereinafter referred to as OK National Deaf Baseball Competition)" ended with the victory of Cheongju Dragons at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 24th.
The OK National Deaf Baseball Competition was first held in 2010 after OK Financial Group Chairman Choi Yoon and former national baseball team coach Sun Dong-yeol formed a consensus on revitalizing Deaf Sports. Since 2019, the name of South Korean baseball legend Sun Dong-yeol has been officially included in the name of the tournament, further raising the status and recognition of deaf baseball.
The OK National Deaf Baseball Competition, which marks its 16th anniversary this year, features a total of nine deaf baseball teams from all over the country, with a total of four teams advancing to the finals, including ▲ Goyang Angels ▲ Chungju Sacred Heart School ▲ Daegu Hawk Eyes ▲ Cheongju Dragon Ears.
The final match began with a semifinal match between Goyang Angels and Chungju Sacred Heart School, Daegu Hawk Eyes and Cheongju Dragon Ears, and Cheongju Dragon Ears beat Goyang Angels to win the championship.
At the competition, a celebratory performance by the sign language artist Saori, known as SBS Entertainment 'The Goal-bashing Women', was held to revitalize the scene. In addition, former national baseball team coach Sun Dong-yeol's fan club 'A group that loves Sun Dong-yeol' added meaning to sharing by sponsoring baseballs to all participating teams.
Former national baseball team coach Sun Dong-yeol said, `I heard that Chairman Choi Yoon, whom I have been close to since he was a player, is making a deaf baseball tournament, and I am grateful to KT Wiz for helping me hold the tournament at a professional baseball stadium for four years. I am also respectful and touched to see the deaf players who have the fighting spirit that is second to none. I am glad that the size of the tournament grows year by year and it seems to help expand the base of deaf baseball.'
Choi Yoon, chairman of OK Financial Group, said, `The national deaf baseball tournament is not just a sports game, but a channel of communication where the voices of deaf people are conveyed to the world. We will continue to strive to become a sports festival that delivers hope to everyone who continues to challenge and passion beyond physical constraints.'
OK Financial Group has made various efforts to revitalize baseball for the deaf, starting with providing athletic supplies to the baseball team of Chungju Sacred Heart School in 2009. In 2015, he sponsored the deaf national baseball team to participate in the Asian regional competition 'Asia-Pacific Deaf Competition', and delivered donations to support the construction of an indoor practice range to foster promising deaf baseball players.
OK Financial Group has been sponsoring various sports events along with deaf baseball. It operates the 'OK Savings Bank Etonman Volleyball Team'OK Etonman Rugby Team' and is expanding its sports sponsorship area by signing a sponsorship for the 2023 League of Legends (LOL) team Brion and the World Carom Ducks Federation (UMB) international competition in March this year. In addition, it is actively promoting the development of Korean sports by sponsoring scholarships to promising golf, volleyball, and rugby players.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
