It was a brisk October night when Seattle’s “first son,” Ichiro Suzuki, entered the batter’s box. The phenomenal Japanese sensation had tied the 84-year-old record back in the first inning. Now, in the third, in front of a sold-out crowd of over forty-five thousand cheering fans, he had a chance to do the unthinkable. A record set by George Sisler eight decades prior was about to be history. On a full count, Suzuki hit a screaming worm-burner passed a diving shortstop into center field for hit number 258. The hometown Mariner fans gave Mr. Suzuki the standing ovation he surely deserved.
Ichiro Makes History
Before there was Shohei Ohtani and an influx of Asian-born players in Major League Baseball, one man helped pave the way. Ichiro Suzuki took the league by storm as soon as he hit the scene. Suzuki’s historical rookie season was just the beginning for the future Hall of Famer. As a rookie, he posted a .350 Batting Average (which led the American League) with 242 Hits (which is a rookie record), 56 Stolen Bases (which also led the AL), and 127 Runs.
Not only are these numbers astonishing for a rookie and made it an obvious choice for American League Rookie of the Year, but he also became the second player in history to win the AL MVP as well. Suzuki was also the first Japanese position player to win the award, and second overall, behind 1995 winner Hideo Nomo for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This led the league’s best Seattle Mariners to a historic 116-win season!
Three years later, Major League Baseball fans got used to the consistent bat of Suzuki. He would end up with a new record of 262 hits to finish the 2004 season. Though the Mariners finished the season with nearly a hundred losses, the season will still go down in history for one of their beloved players.
Is Ichiro’s Record Unbreakable?
Now that is the real question! There are certain records in sports that are deemed unbreakable. Quick ones that come to mind are Wilt Chamberlain’s single-game points record, Cy Young’s win total, Ricky Henderson’s total stolen bases, or Nolan Ryan’s no-hitters. It may be safe to say that Ichiro’s single-season record may be added to the list!
It took someone 84 years to touch that record! In “Abe Lincoln math”, that is four score and four years prior. The Tony Gwynns of yesteryear are just that, in the past! Guys don’t value base hits and batting average as they once did. We all know that in the ’90s, chicks were digging the long ball, and it stays true today. The emphasis for guys like Luis Arraez, who can just put the ball in play, is no longer an analytical stat that sabermetrics hold to a high standard.
This could be a rare scenario in sports where the record is simply untouchable or unbreakable, given the evolution of the game. Launch angle and home runs are now the king of offensive metrics, and simply putting the ball in play and seeing what happens is a thing of the past.
Final Thoughts
Ichiro Suzuki paved the way for a wave of Japanese and Asian players to enter Major League Baseball. Ohtani himself idolized Ichi’s work and was inspired by him to become the Japanese Babe Ruth. There are only a select few who are known by only one name, such as Seal, Madonna, Oprah, Prince, and Ichiro.
I remember as a child going to a Tigers vs. Mariners game in Detroit, and the amount of Asian press in attendance watching every movement of their beloved superstar was absolutely incredible. He has continued to be an ambassador for the game of baseball. Writing this article makes me miss the old days of situational baseball, without a player striking out 200 times and having thirty home runs. Just saying!
