SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean millionaire who founded the country’s first independent baseball club has joined an American team as a knuckleball pitcher.

The Goyang Wonders said yesterday that 37-year-old Hur Min is joining the Rockland Boulders, a team in the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, also known as the Can-Am League.

The oddball entrepreneur and baseball fan was trained to throw a knuckleball for the past eight years but has not played organised baseball before. Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Niekro has been one of his teachers.

Hur throws a knuckleball at 90 kph (56 mph), the Wonders said.

“I’m happy to show the Wonders players and others who haven’t had a chance that you’ll see a fruit of your effort if you don’t give up and keep trying,” Hur said in a statement. “I’ll continue to take up challenges for a higher stage.”

In 2011, Hur founded the Goyang Wonders, the first independent baseball team in South Korea, where there is no minor league. He told a Korean reporter in 2011 that he “seriously considered” buying the Los Angeles Dodgers when it was put up for sale.

Hur made it big when his company’s online game, Dungeon & Fighter, became popular in China. He said in a 2011 interview that his assets are close to 1 trillion won US($899 million).

Hur held a CEO position at online commerce firm Wemakeprice until last month.