Ichiro Suzuki: Emotion and Gratitude in the Retirement of his Number
SEATTLE – Ichiro Suzuki, visibly emotional, shared his feelings about the retirement of his number 51 by the Seattle Mariners. The ceremony, held on Sunday, was a special moment for the baseball legend. Suzuki, recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, thanked the words of praise from Mariners manager Dan Wilson and team president John Stanton. Stanton announced that Suzuki will have his own statue at T-Mobile Park, joining figures like Dave Niehaus, Ken Griffey Jr., and Edgar Martinez.Suzuki joins Griffey and Martinez as the only Seattle players with their numbers retired. The former player expressed his amazement at the sight of Mariners fans filling the stands during the ceremony. He recalled the experience in Cooperstown, but highlighted the special connection with the Seattle fans. Ichiro, who joined the Mariners in 2001, was the only player along with Fred Lynn (1975) to win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season. Throughout his 19-year career, Suzuki was a two-time American League batting champion, a 10-time All-Star, and a Gold Glove winner. He batted .311 with 117 home runs, 780 RBIs, and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees, and Miami. Suzuki accumulated 3,089 hits in his career, including 14 seasons with Seattle. After playing with the Yankees and Miami, he returned to the Mariners for his final two seasons, retiring in 2019.It’s something you couldn’t even dream or think of, and it really happened.
Ichiro Suzuki
Suzuki’s statue at T-Mobile Park, which will immortalize him in his iconic batting stance, will be unveiled in 2026. Suzuki currently works for the Mariners as a special assistant to Stanton. He often trains with the players during pre-game warmups, as he did on Sunday. Suzuki highlighted the importance of positivity in the team, noting that this quality is transmitted from player to player, strengthening the team’s atmosphere.I am very proud to be a Seattle Mariner. Like him, I realized that there’s no place like home.
Ichiro Suzuki
