Ichiro Suzuki Headlines the 2024 Hall of Fame Class
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Ichiro Suzuki made history by becoming the first Japan-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, leading the five new members of this prestigious institution. After a delay caused by the rain, the speeches were carried out without a hitch, with the weather improving as the ceremony progressed. Alongside Suzuki, pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, and hitters Dick Allen and Dave Parker, both posthumously inducted, were honored.Suzuki, known for his preference for speaking in Japanese with the help of an interpreter, surprised the audience by delivering his comments in English, showing his more playful and humorous side. The now Hall of Famer thanked the writers for their support, although with one exception. Suzuki recalled the moment when the Hall of Fame vote was announced, where he invited the writer who didn’t vote for him to dinner to learn his reasons. However, the offer is no longer valid. Suzuki’s dedication to detail and his unparalleled work ethic have been constants throughout his career, and continued to be central to his message, interspersing jokes.For the third time, I am a rookie.
Ichiro Suzuki
After becoming a star in Japanese baseball, batting .353 for nine seasons for the Orix BlueWave, Suzuki dazzled on the MLB scene as a Seattle Mariners rookie at age 27, hitting .350 and winning the Rookie of the Year and American League MVP awards. The “Ichiro!” cheers echoed through the crowd as he posed with his plaque alongside Commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame President Jane Forbes Clark. Despite his late start in MLB, Suzuki accumulated 3,089 hits in the United States and 4,367 including his time in Japan. Suzuki also highlighted his 10 Gold Gloves. Sabathia, for his part, shared an emotional moment when recalling the support of his friends and family, especially that of his wife, Amber. Parker, who passed away on June 28, was represented by his son, Dave Parker II, who read a moving poem written by his father. Wagner, with 422 saves in his career, gave a moving and funny speech about his career. Willa Allen, widow of Dick Allen, paid tribute to her husband, remembering his love for baseball and his dedication to his teammates.If you consistently do the small things, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Look at me. I’m 5-11 and weigh 170 pounds. When I arrived in the United States, many people said I was too skinny to compete with the big leaguers.
Ichiro Suzuki
