A Transpacific Contest: The University of Chicago Baseball Team’s 1925 Visit to Gyeongseong
In October 1925, the city of Gyeongseong (modern-day Seoul) buzzed with anticipation for a unique sporting event: a baseball match between a team from the University of Chicago and a representative squad assembled from the region. News of the American team’s impending arrival first appeared in the Dong-A Ilbo on October 8th, announcing their scheduled arrival around October 20th at the invitation of the Gyeongseong Japanese Korean Athletic Association.
The visit wasn’t entirely novel; the article noted this was the University of Chicago team’s second trip to Joseon (Korea). Their planned schedule included games against the Kyunghee Club and the Railway Bureau baseball team on October 22nd and 23rd, both teams comprised of Japanese players, at the newly established Gyeongseong Stadium.
The upcoming contest quickly garnered important attention within the Korean sporting community. A follow-up article in the Dong-A Ilbo on October 26th highlighted the potential impact of the games. The author argued that the relatively limited progress of baseball in Joseon stemmed from a lack of exposure to higher levels of competition. The arrival of the University of Chicago team, representing what was considered the birthplace of baseball and boasting players experienced in the Japanese baseball leagues, was seen as a crucial prospect for development.
The Joseon Sports association, despite facing “considerable material loss,” organized a Gyeongseong County team to face the American visitors on October 28th at 3 pm. Intense readiness followed, with players practicing diligently at the Whimoon High School ground the day before the match, focused on strategy and gaining experience against a formidable opponent. The Dong-A Ilbo even posed the question of who would emerge as the “warrior of Seoul-gun” capable of challenging the Chicago team.
Prior to the game, Seo Sang-guk, the former captain of Gyeongseong County, offered a realistic assessment in an interview. He acknowledged the skill disparity, noting the lack of a comparable pitcher on the Korean side. However, he framed the match not as a pursuit of victory, but as a demonstration of sportsmanship.
The game itself, reported in the Dong-A ilbo the following day, resulted in a decisive 11-2 victory for the University of Chicago team, attributed to their strong hitting and solid defense. The match drew a large crowd, described as “spectators from the mountains and seas.”
While the Gyeongseong County team suffered defeat,the event was viewed as a positive experience for the Joseon baseball world. The article concludes by suggesting that this 1925 contest, attracting the attention of 200,000 citizens, may have laid a foundational stone for the professional baseball leagues that now captivate over 12 million fans in Korea today.
