This column was published on JAPAN Forward’s SportsLook on January 17.

[ODDS and EVENS] Ichiro Suzuki Gets Lifetime Honor with Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame Induction

Winner of a combined nine batting titles in NPB and MLB, Ichiro Suzuki was selected for induction into the Japanese Hall of Fame on 92.5% of the ballots.

By Ed Odeven

In his first year of eligibility, Ichiro Suzuki was selected for induction into the Japanese Baseball of Fame on Thursday, January 16.

It was a fitting tribute to Ichiro’s legendary career in NPB (1992-2000) before he became the first Japanese non-pitcher (aka position player) to appear in a Major League Baseball game in 2001.

Ichiro is only the seventh player to be chosen for induction into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot.

The others: Victor Starffin, Sadaharu Oh, Hideo Nomo, Kimiyasu Kudo, with Tomoaki Kanemoto and Hideki Matsui sharing the distinction most recently in 2018.

Indeed, this is the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. But this is also the Year of Ichiro in celebration of his one-of-a-kind career (1992-2019).

He was a magician with a bat in his hands, an incredible base runner and a remarkable defensive outfielder.

A Special Month for Ichiro Suzuki

In January 2025, Ichiro’s confirmation as an inductee into a pair of Baseball Halls of Fame will happen. On Tuesday, January 21 (Wednesday JST), the Baseball Writers’ Association of America will release the results of its members’ 2025 National Baseball Hall of Fame balloting. To be eligible for induction into the hallowed institution, an individual must appear on 75% of that year’s ballots.

I expect Ichiro to be a unanimous selection.

This is the first year Ichiro’s name appears on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. To be eligible in 2025, a player’s last MLB appearance had to have been in 2019.

And who can ever forget his emotional two-game farewell in March 2019 playing for the Seattle Mariners at Tokyo Dome?

A Fitting Tribute to Ichiro Suzuki

Reacting to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame announcement, Oh paid tribute to Ichiro’s incredible ability as a hitter.

“At long last Ichiro is in the Hall of Fame,” Oh, chairman of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. “His genius at putting the bat on the ball was, I think, superhuman. His legacy in the game will never fade.”

Oh is absolutely correct as Ichiro’s legacy in baseball can never be wiped away.

Consider the fact that he amassed 4,367 combined hits in NPB and MLB (including 3,089 in the majors), more than any player over the course of his career in either league or both leagues. Pete Rose, who died in 2024, is MLB’s all-time hit leader with 4,256.

In 2004, Ichiro set MLB’s single-season hit record (262), breaking a mark that had stood since St Louis Browns star George Sisler smashed 257 hits in 1920.

Continue reading the full column on SportsLook.