Ichiro Suzuki makes history as the 1st Asian MLB Hall of Famer

Ichiro Suzuki was officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 27, becoming the first Asian-born player ever to receive the sport’s highest honor.

The 51-year-old Aichi native, whose electrifying career began in Japan before transforming Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners, received near-unanimous support from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and was celebrated in Cooperstown for his record-breaking achievements on both sides of the Pacific.

Suzuki’s legendary MLB career includes more than 3,000 hits, 10 Gold Glove Awards and 10 All-Star selections. In 2004, he set the American League single-season record with 262 hits. When his professional hits in Japan are combined with his MLB total, Suzuki’s 4,367 hits are recognized as the most by any player in the history of top-tier professional baseball. He is also the only MLB player to reach both 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases.

During the induction ceremony, Suzuki delivered a speech that blended humor with reflection, telling the crowd, “For the third time, I am a rookie,” referencing his journeys in Japan, MLB and now the Hall of Fame. He spoke of the inspiration he drew from his first visit to Cooperstown and credited his fans and mentors for his long-standing success. The Mariners plan to retire Suzuki’s No. 51 jersey in August in honor of his achievements.