Ichiro Inducted into HOF
Image via leaguefits
This summer, the National Baseball Hall of Fame will add three additional plaques.
Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Billy Wagner all received the sport's greatest distinction on Tuesday and are on their way to Cooperstown.
Ichiro is the first Japanese-born player to earn Hall of Fame recognition. He earned 99.7% of the vote, falling one vote short of being only the second player to be elected unanimously. Players must receive at least 75% of the vote to be admitted.
Ichiro entered the majors in 2001 as a highly rated Japanese talent, hitting.353 over nine seasons in his native country, where he won three MVP awards and was a seven-time All-Star. He joined the Seattle Mariners at the age of 28 and instantly lived up to the promise, winning the AL MVP and leading the Mariners to a record 116 victories that season.
From 2001 to 2010, Ichiro was selected an All-Star in each season and won the Gold Glove Award every year. During that time, he won three Silver Slugger Awards and two hitting crowns, while maintaining a.331 average and.806 OPS. In 2004, he established the all-time single-season record with 262 hits, and he is the first player in MLB history to have ten consecutive 200-plus hit seasons. He also stole more than 500 bases, making him one of just seven players to have 3,000 hits and 500 stolen bases.