June 4th, Friday afternoon.
Lee Jun-hyuk left the office earlier than usual.
Today was the day of a slightly special date with Catherine.
A match between the greatest rivals of the era, held at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan!
The New York Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox.
“Do you, by any chance, like baseball?”
Last night, when Catherine had carefully asked over the phone, Lee Jun-hyuk had answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“Yes, I like it very much.”
It was the truth.
In his previous life, he would order chicken and beer every weekend and watch Major League games, and when the Korean Series was on, he’d find a way to get tickets and watch in person no matter what.
He loved the mix of cheers and excitement, the thrill of victory and the regret of defeat that filled the air there. Of course, he knew next to nothing about Major League baseball in this era.
He had only heard the name of the legendary home run king, Babe Ruth.
“Really? Then of course you know Babe Ruth!”
There was a girlish excitement in Catherine’s voice.
“He transferred to the Yankees this year! He just moved from Boston not long ago. My grandfather got us two excellent seats—would you like to go together?”
Sitting in the taxi on the way to the Polo Grounds, Lee Jun-hyuk gazed out at the bustling scenery.
“Babe Ruth…!”
As a baseball fan in his previous life, he had never even imagined that he’d get to see a living legend in person.
The taxi stopped near the stadium.
The massive stadium appeared before his eyes.
The Polo Grounds.
Because the Yankee Stadium had yet to be built,
The Yankees were renting the home stadium of their rivals, the New York Giants.
“Over here, Mr. Lee Jun-hyuk!”
Catherine was waving at him in front of the entrance.
Wearing a sky-blue dress, she stood out among the crowd of fans heading toward the stadium, shining like a gem.
“I’m not late, am I?”
“No, you’re right on time.”
Catherine beamed as she suddenly grabbed Lee Jun-hyuk’s arm. The soft touch made his heart settle comfortably.
“The seats are really good. We’re on the first base side, so we’ll be able to see the players up close.”
The moment they passed through the entrance, a familiar scent struck his memory.
The savory aroma of roasted peanuts,
The bitter, yeasty smell of beer, and the fresh scent of grass. It was shockingly similar to the smell of Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium a hundred years later.
Though the times changed and the world transformed, the scent of the ballpark seemed to remain the same.
“Peanuts! Fresh and savory peanuts!”
“Ice-cold beer!”
“Today’s program! Check the lineup!”
Even the vendors’ friendly cries sounded much the same now as they did back then.
“Would you like a hot dog?”
Catherine asked.
“You can’t skip hot dogs at the ballpark, after all.”
“Great. And don’t forget the beer.”
Lee Jun-hyuk replied with a smile.
Although it was the Prohibition Era, the ballpark was a sort of extraterritorial zone.
Using the government-sanctioned excuse of ‘Nearing Beer (462 869「),’ with an alcohol content of 0.5% or less, in reality, they sold much stronger beer in secret.
Even the police who came for raids would sit in the stands and drink beer, so it was an open secret that no one cared about.
They queued up and bought warm hot dogs and frothy beer. When Lee Jun-hyuk reached for his wallet, Catherine stopped his hand.
“Today, you’re my guest.”
“But I can’t impose on you…”
“After what you went through yesterday, at least let me treat you to this much. You lost $100,000, didn’t you…?”
Catherine said, carefully.
“It’s alright. Really.”
Lee Jun-hyuk smiled sincerely.
“Sending Bancroft, my nemesis and a villain, to prison is an even bigger payoff for me.”
They found their seats.
First base side, third-level stands—the best spot with a panoramic view of the entire field.
Lee Jun-hyuk took a slow look around the stadium.
The outfield fence was closer than he’d thought, and the left and right were unusually asymmetrical—a unique structure.
It was rough but had an intense charm, unlike the sleek, modern domed stadiums he’d seen in his previous life.
“Do you know the rules of baseball?”
“Yes.”
Lee Jun-hyuk replied confidently.
“The Yankees have been on fire lately.”
Catherine said excitedly, looking at the program.
“Ever since Babe Ruth joined, the team’s completely changed.”
“That’s right!”
At that moment, the players began to come out onto the field.
The warm-up started, and the crisp sound of balls hitting leather gloves rang out pleasantly across the stadium.
Soon, a player walked out from the dugout.
A huge frame, a round face, and a waddling walk like a duck.
“Babe Ruth!”
As soon as he appeared, the crowd erupted into cheers.
Without realizing it, Lee Jun-hyuk leaned forward.
A legendary figure he’d only seen in black-and-white film. A man who had only existed in history books was now alive and moving before his very eyes.
Babe Ruth swung his massive bat lightly a few times. Even though it was just a practice swing, he could feel the tremendous power as it cut through the air.
“He’s truly incredible.”
Lee Jun-hyuk marveled.
“He’s already hit 15 home runs this year. At this rate, he’ll easily beat last year’s record.”
“What was his record last year?”
“29, the highest in the entire American League.”
“He’ll hit more than 50 home runs this year.”
Lee Jun-hyuk thought to himself.
He would change the entire history of Major League, and the immortal record would be set this very year.
But he didn’t say that out loud.
“Boston fans must be furious for giving up their best player.”
“Of course! They sold off the team’s heart and future.”
Catherine shook her head.
“And all for just $100,000.”
“$100,000?”
Lee Jun-hyuk’s face showed his surprise.
Ironically, it was the exact amount he’d been scammed out of by Fonzi.
“Yes. I heard the terms were $100,000 in cash and a $300,000 loan.”
Catherine explained.
“Boston’s owner, Harry Frazee, wanted to invest in a Broadway musical… It seems theater was more important to him than the baseball team.”
Lee Jun-hyuk gave a wry smile.
“I lost $100,000 and got rid of my enemy, but Boston sold their future for the same amount.”
The game began.
The National Anthem played, and everyone in the stands rose.
Lee Jun-hyuk took off his hat and placed his hand over his chest.
After the anthem ended, the umpire shouted “Play Ball!” and the game finally started.
Top of the first, Boston was at bat. The Boston batter swung at the Yankees pitcher’s throw.
With a dry crack, the ball rolled toward second base. An ordinary ground out.
As Lee Jun-hyuk watched, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
It was clearly different from the baseball he knew in his previous life.
The pitching speed was noticeably slower, and the breaking balls were simple in angle. The batters’ swings were crude by modern standards.
But there was a purer, more primal passion in it all.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
Catherine glanced at his face.
“Yes, very much. The energy of a living ballpark is really something.”
Bottom of the second, Babe Ruth finally stepped up to bat.
The entire stadium was rumbling with a roar of cheers.
Yankees fans hailed their hero, while the visiting Boston fans rained merciless jeers down on the traitor.
“Traitor!”
“Judas!”
“Pig sold for money!”
The booing got ugly, but Babe Ruth didn’t seem to mind at all.
Instead, he waved at the stands with a grin.
“Look at that confidence.”
Catherine said admiringly.
“To be able to smile while being insulted like that—he’s truly extraordinary.”
The Boston pitcher went into his wind-up.
The first pitch came in. Way outside the strike zone.
The second pitch. This time, it was straight down the middle.
“Crack!”
A clear, ringing sound, completely different from before, echoed through the stadium.
The ball shot off like a bullet, soaring higher and higher.
The left fielder chased desperately, but the ball arched over his head and disappeared.
“Home run!”
The ball cleared the fence.
The crowd erupted with wild cheers, and Babe Ruth enjoyed the ovation as he rounded the bases slowly.
“Wow!”
Catherine jumped to her feet, clapping.
“That’s amazing! I can’t believe it!”
Lee Jun-hyuk also stood up and applauded.
To witness the birth of a legend in person was a special experience that transcended eras.
When Babe Ruth stepped on home plate, his teammates rushed out to greet him. He took off his cap and saluted the crowd like a star actor finishing a great play.
“For Boston to have sold a player like that…”
Catherine clicked her tongue.
“They’ll regret it for a long, long time.”
“For the next eighty-six years, they’ll kick themselves every night. Under the name ‘Curse of the Bambino.'”
Lee Jun-hyuk thought to himself.
By the third inning, a beer vendor was making his way down the narrow aisle.
“Beer! Ice-cold beer!”
“Over here.”
Lee Jun-hyuk raised his hand and bought two cups.
“Mr. Lee Jun-hyuk.”
Catherine suddenly spoke in a serious voice.
“About yesterday… Are you really alright? Even if it was your personal money…”
“Yes, I’m really fine.”
Lee Jun-hyuk answered with a smile.
“One hundred thousand dollars is definitely a lot of money, but it’s an amount I can earn again. And with that money, I sent the devil named Bancroft to prison. That alone made it a worthwhile investment.”
“Was he really that terrible?”
“Yes. He tormented not just me, but countless powerless people as well.