By Yoon Chul
Staff Reporter
Former Lotte Giants catcher Lim Soo-hyuk died after 10 years in a vegetative state, Sunday at the age of 40.
He suffered a heart attack on April 18, 2000 while running from first to second base in a game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. He did not immediately receive emergency treatment after his collapse, a factor that likely worsened his condition. The medical team took a few minutes to begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which should have been done immediately.
"He had been healthy but was moved to the hospital two days ago when he suddenly ran a high fever," said Lim's father, who had cared for his son at home, according to Yonhap. "After suffering from (the fever) coupled with trouble breathing, he passed away today."
At the time, Korea Baseball Organization stadiums did now have proper first-aid services available in case of emergencies. The incident brought the issue of player safety to the forefront in the Korean sports world.
Lim made his debut in the KBO in 1994 and played for seven seasons until his heart attack. After the incident, the KBO and its teams developed new guidelines for emergency readiness, however, those measures still do not match those in place in Major League Baseball (MLB) or Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan.
The former Korean international catcher was expected to develop into a great professional baseball player. The 1.85 meter player was a good hitter, with a strong arm to throw out runners attempting to steal. He did not have a great rookie campaign but developed into a good player as a sophomore. In 1996, he hit .311 with 11 home runs and 76 RBIs. For his career, Lim hit .266 with 47 home runs, 257 RBIs in 488 games over seven seasons.