Ichi-Roast? Suzuki Brought The Laughs to His Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Ichiro’s Hilarious Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

If you’re looking for someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be the perfect choice. Blending witty humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the limelight at his ceremony in Cooperstown on Sunday.

Despite morning showers and overcast skies delaying the ceremonies by an hour, the weather improved, giving way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun shone its brightest during Suzuki’s acceptance speech.

The outfielder was accompanied by pitcher CC Sabathia, also inducted in his first year of eligibility, as well as closer Billy Wagner, who made it in during his final attempt on the writers’ ballot. Suzuki missed being a unanimous selection by just one vote and humorously pointed out the unidentified sports writer who didn’t vote for him. “Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,” Suzuki quipped, eliciting roaring laughter. southmall skating “By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,” he added, emphasizing “expired” for effect.

A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, known as Cobra for his prowess during 20 major league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen top up meaning in games. Tragically, Parker passed away on June 28, just a month before his induction.

Approximately 30,000 fans packed the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, with sun umbrellas and Japanese flags scattered everywhere. Suzuki’s No. 51 was a common sight, as thousands of Seattle Mariners supporters journeyed from the Pacific Northwest, chanting “Ichiro” throughout the day. A sign reading “Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend” in both English and Japanese captured the admiration for Suzuki on his big day.

With 52 returning Hall of Famers in attendance, Suzuki honored his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his loyal fans by delivering an 18-minute speech in English. His humor, which took many by surprise, delighted the crowd. He made a playful jab at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career, saying, “Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,” prompting laughter from the audience.

He jokingly mentioned preparing for spring training each year with his arm “already in shape,” just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs exclaim, “`Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!'” Suzuki even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty. dota 2 kuala lumpur 2023 “People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits. Not bad, huh?” he said, prompting even more laughter. He expressed gratitude to his late agent Tony Anastasio for “getting me to America and teaching me to love wine.”

However, he also took the opportunity to delve deeper into what made him extraordinary. “Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing, and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,” he explained. “When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you’re winning by 10 or losing by 10.”

“Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional, and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved these numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day, consistently for all 19 seasons.” Now, he has reached the pinnacle of his career, overcoming doubters, including one who warned him: “`Don’t embarrass the nation.'” He has certainly made his homeland proud.

“Going into America’s Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn’t even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream,” he remarked.

Sabathia expressed gratitude for “the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).” He honored Parker and shared insights about the representation of Black culture in today’s game. “It’s an extra honor to be a part of Dave’s Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the ’80s and early ‘90s, when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV, and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform.”

“Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we’re starting to turn that around. I don’t want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don’t want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.”

Wagner encouraged young players to view obstacles as “stepping stones, not roadblocks.” He shared, “I wasn’t the biggest player. I wasn’t supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in.”

Suzuki received an impressive 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, while Sabathia was selected on 342 ballots (86.8%), and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), surpassing the required 296 votes for 75% tp777 slot.

After making his MLB debut in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. He was a two-time AL batting champion, 10-time All-Star, and 10-time Gold Glove winner, finishing with a batting average of .311, 117 home runs, 780 RBIs, and 509 stolen bases throughout his time with Seattle, the New York Yankees, and Miami.

Regarded as one of the best contact hitters in history, Suzuki racked up 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and an impressive 3,089 in MLB, shattering the single-season record with 262 hits in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 hits exceeds Pete Rose’s major league record of 4,256.

Sabathia, who finished second to Suzuki in the 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star, capturing the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009, with a career record of 251-161, a 3.74 ERA, and 3,093 strikeouts—third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton—over 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee, and the New York Yankees.

A seven-time All-Star, Wagner finished his career with a record of 47-40, a 2.31 ERA, and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston, and Atlanta.

During Hall of Fame weekend, Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored. Hamilton, the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons, received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who dedicated his entire career to The Washington Post, was bestowed with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award filipino brand of service excellence logo.

What was your favorite moment from Ichiro’s induction ceremony?