(AP photo)The new baseball season began in South Korea today with the crack of the bat and the sound of the ball smacking into the catcher’s mitt echoing around empty stadiums. After a weeks-long delay because of the coronavirus pandemic, umpires wore protective masks and cheerleaders danced beneath rows of unoccupied seats as professional baseball got back on the field. The country’s professional soccer leagues will kick off Friday, also without spectators in the stadiums. As one of the world’s first major professional sports competitions to return to action amid the pandemic, the Korea Baseball Organization has employed various preventive measures aimed at creating safe playing environments. Players and coaches will go through fever screenings before entering stadiums, while umpires and first- and third-base coaches must wear masks during games.

Source: The Standard May 05, 2020 10:41 UTC