Mariners nation rejoices as Ichiro Suzuki is enshrined into the HOF

Ichiro Suzuki takes his rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame, in one of the proudest moments in Seattle Mariners history.

It was a beautiful occasion on Sunday in Cooperstown, as Ichiro Suzuki became the first ever Japanese-born player to be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. To this day it remains exasperating that he fell one vote short of being a unanimous selection, but regardless he added another special moment to Seattle Mariners history.

Ichiro usually preferred to speak to the media through a Japanese interpreter, but on Sunday he delivered his enshrinement speech in perfect English. As a result, this gave baseball fans everywhere a better opportunity to gauge a feeling for both his humble nature and wonderful sense of humor.

On being enshrined into Cooperstown, Ichiro confessed it wasn’t even on his radar when he first joined the Mariners. He said: “Going into the Baseball Hall of Fame was not my goal. I didn’t even know there was one until I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001. But being here today is like a fantastic dream.”

Ichiro Suzuki is almost perfect

As for the controversy surrounding not being a unanimous selection, Ichiro addressed this perfectly during his speech. He said: “Three-thousand [career] hits or 262 hits in one season are achievements recognized by the writers. Except, oh, one of you. The offer to the one writer to have dinner at my home has now … expired!”

Ichiro’s list of achievements is barely plausible in some respects, for a player who didn’t start plying his trade in North America until he was 27. However, 10 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves and three Silver Slugger Awards later, he completed his baseball journey on Sunday in rousing fashion.

In this respect, Ichiro shared a motivational message for young aspiring baseball players out there, that anything is possible if you work hard. He said: “If you consistently do the little things, there’s no limit to what you can achieve. Look at me. I’m 5-11 and 170 pounds. When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger major leaguers.”

The Aichi, Japan native continued to hammer home about how important it is to remain disciplined and focused, no matter how dire a situation might appear to be. He said: “The first time I ran out on the field, I was in awe of the competition. But I knew if I stuck to my beliefs about preparation, I could overcome the doubts. Even my own.”

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A spectacular introduction to the Majors

Ichiro’s first year in the majors in 2001 is one of lore, with him becoming just the second ever player to be voted both MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. This resulted in a rare glimpse into his more vulnerable side, as he said: “I think you can imagine, there was much doubt when I tried to become the first position player from Japan in MLB. But it was more than just that. There was criticism and negativity. Someone even said to me, ‘Don’t embarrass the nation.’”

The two-time AL batting champion couldn’t have done any different, with him instead regularly embarrassing pitchers all around the league and more than showing he belonged. This is encapsulated by his 262 hits during the 2004 season, which is a record that you can envision standing for a long time to come.

Perhaps the best example of Ichiro’s humble nature and sense of humor came through, when addressing the Hall of Famers in attendance. He said: “As I look over here now and see men like Rod Carew, George Brett and Tony La Russa, I realize I am a rookie again. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly into your great team. I hope I can hold the values of the Hall of Fame. But please, I am 51 years old now. So easy on the hazing!”

The Mariners might not have the most storied history in baseball, but they can take pride in the pivotal impact of their few players who are in the Hall of Fame. Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martínez now have some more company in the Seattle wing in Ichiro Suzuki, and it’s hard to pick a better trio in Major League history.

Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rodgers Photography

What did Sunday’s Hall of Fame ceremony mean to you? Where does Ichiro Suzuki’s induction rank for you among the top moments in Seattle Mariners history? Let us know in the comments section below.