
Ichiro is the first Asian athlete inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
The Japanese ballplayer is on his way to Cooperstown this summer
Ichiro Suzuki received an almost unanimous vote to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Alan C. Heison / Shutterstock.com
Words by Quin Scott
Ichiro Suzuki was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday, with a nearly unanimous vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, receiving 393 out of 394 votes. (Just one vote shy! Who voted no, and what were they thinking?!) This honor adds one more achievement to an already accomplished career. He’s the first Asian player elected to the Hall of Fame, joining pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner in the Hall of Fame class of 2025. Suzuki’s stats and awards certainly speak to his greatness, but it extends well beyond that. His aura is undeniably Hall of Fame level.
Yes, Suzuki racked up hits in his native Japan and then for 19 years in the United States. He played for Orix BlueWave in the Nippon Baseball League from 1992-2000, joined the Seattle Mariners in 2001, was traded to the New York Yankees in 2012, signed with the Miami Marlins in 2015, and returned to the Mariners in 2018 before retiring in 2019. His 4,367 total hits over that time would make him the all-time world hit leader (he has a dizzying resume of stats and accomplishments). But it was more so how he got those hits that folks remember.
As a kid playing Little League baseball in the Seattle area when Suzuki joined the Mariners, I can tell you that everyone mimicked his signature bat-out, sleeve-tug routine. And many of us—especially us skinny Asian left-handed hitters—attempted his unique swing in which he simultaneously swung and began his run towards first base. He made it look much, much easier than it is. In any era, Suzuki’s elegance would have stood out, but it was particularly notable in early 2000s MLB, which was dominated by steroids and bulky home run hitters.
And Suzuki could have been one of them; he was known to put on remarkable power displays in batting practice. He chose to do things his way, racking up hits instead. But what he withheld was part of his mythos. He generally maintained a stoic persona, only offering glimpses of the kooky sense of humor that endeared him to his teammates and opponents. He didn’t owe us anything, and he did what he wanted. He stretched. He took meticulous care of his bats. He met Michael Jordan wearing a Tom and Jerry sweater. He also cleared the way for more AA+PI and Asian players to dominate in the United States. While not the first Japanese player to play in the MLB, Suzuki’s massive success was a clear step forward.
Suzuki’s hitting prowess was complemented by his outstanding performance in the outfield. His speed helped him cover loads of ground, and he could throw lasers to get any unfortunate runner out who dared to underestimate his arm. And he was underestimated quite a lot. Many in the MLB didn’t know what to make of him when he arrived, and weren’t sure he’d handle the power of the major league game. They thought he’d need to assimilate, in other words, to the MLB’s level and style of baseball.
He never assimilated. In one infamous story, Mariners manager Lou Piniella became frustrated with Suzuki’s style of hitting, pushing short singles off to left field. In response, Suzuki casually goes up and hits a home run to right field on the next play. “Are you happy now?” Suzuki asked Piniella.
The man was smart enough to know what people wanted, and also confident enough to do what he wanted instead. In that way, he feels less like a great athlete and more like an artist, staying true to his own vision, and trusting that the audience would catch up. He left behind a masterpiece of a career.
Published on January 23, 2025
Words by Quin Scott
Quin Scott is a writer, painter, and educator in the Pacific Northwest. They like reading, running, and making jokes with their friends.