Some Fans Oppose Keisho Shirakawa's Participation
"Sports Are Just Sports," Counterarguments
Doosan to Start Choi Won-jun on 15th, Shirakawa on 16th
There was an online controversy after news spread that the Doosan Bears professional baseball team was likely to start a Japanese foreign pitcher in the Liberation Day game. Some fans protested against starting a Japanese pitcher on Liberation Day. The situation was resolved as a misunderstanding when Doosan Bears clarified that a different pitcher would start.
On the 14th, the official social media accounts of the Doosan Bears were flooded with comments from netizens opposing the participation of Doosan's Japanese foreign pitcher, Shirakawa Keisho (23), in the game scheduled for Liberation Day on the 15th. The Doosan Bears were set to play against the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul that day. Considering the starting pitcher rotation, it was expected that Shirakawa would likely take the mound on Liberation Day, the 15th.
As this information became known, some fans posted comments on Doosan Bears' SNS such as "I don't want to see a Japanese starting pitcher on Liberation Day," "Shirakawa hasn't done anything wrong, but given the national sentiment, it's really uncomfortable," and "If he plays, everyone will be criticized," demanding an alternative starting pitcher.
In response, there were also counterarguments stating "Sports are just sports." These comments included "Ban American players during the Shinmiyangyo (U.S. expedition to Korea)," "Do those who complain about Japan on Liberation Day always display the Taegeukgi on national holidays?" and "This is discrimination."
The controversy over Shirakawa's starting appearance spread to various online communities, with dozens of related posts uploaded.
Eventually, the Doosan Bears announced that Shirakawa would not start on Liberation Day, ending the controversy as a misunderstanding. According to Yonhap News, Doosan manager Lee Seung-yeop said on the 14th before the home game against the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, "We finalized the starting rotation for this week after consulting with the pitching coach and the starting staff," adding, "Choi Won-jun will start on the 15th, and Shirakawa will pitch on the 16th." The Doosan Bears stated that the starting lineup was decided in advance based on player condition and was unrelated to the controversy.
Meanwhile, Shirakawa, who comes from the Japanese independent league, is playing in the Korean professional baseball league under a six-week contract as a short-term replacement foreign player, having previously played for SSG. Including his time with the SSG Landers, Shirakawa has appeared in 10 KBO League games this season, recording 3 wins and 4 losses.
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