Ichiro Suzuki became the first Asian to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday (22 January) – just one vote shy of unanimous selection.
Already starting a witch hunt for which member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America didn’t vote for the Japanese legend, Suzuki won 393 of 394 total votes.
Revered by the current crop of Japanese stars like Shohei Ohtani, Suzuki missed out on joining New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera as the only unanimous picks in history. He and another Yankee great, his former team-mate Derek Jeter, are the only players to fall one vote shy.
The Seattle Mariners, who Suzuki made his MLB debut with back in 2001, announced they will retire his No. 51 on 9 August. He will be the team’s third player to have his jersey retired after Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez.
“Looking back, so much happened,” Suzuki said at a press conference in Seattle. “Not only the good but also the bad. I took one step at a time to get to where I am today and I can’t express in words how I feel at the moment.
“I think it’s good that I fell one vote short – same as Jeter. Because nobody is perfect. Pursuing the perfect version of yourself is what life is all about.
“Imperfection is good. It’s what drives you in life.”
Suzuki amassed 4,367 hits in the majors and Nippon Professional Baseball combined, 3,089 of which he had in the US – despite not playing in MLB until he was 27. He was a 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder, two-time batting champion and hit .311 for his career with the Mariners, Yankees and Marlins.
Suzuki won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in his first year stateside. In 2004, he set a major league record with 262 hits in a single season.
The 51-year-old was joined in the Hall by former Yankee team-mate CC Sabathia, who also became a first-ballot selection, and star closer Billy Wagner who gained entry in his 10th and final appearance on the ballot.
