Ichiro in Hall of Fame Can Inspire More Baseball Superstars

Japan Forward

4 days ago

Ichiro Suzuki has been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. He is the first Japanese player voted into the sacred mecca for baseball fans.
Known to fans simply as "Ichiro," the baseball star achieved many milestones during his MLB career. For example? He had 200 hits for 10 consecutive years and 262 hits, another MLB record, in 2004. Ichiro left a lasting impression on fans across the United States with his exceptional skills at running, batting and defense.
During his nearly 20-minute speech in English on July 27 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Ichiro said, "It feels like a wonderful dream to be here."
The only time Ichiro spoke in Japanese was when he paid tribute to the pitcher Hideo Nomo, a trailblazing figure in the 1990s and Japan's first MLB player since 1965. Nomo's success paved the way for other Japanese players to move to the United States. He said simply, "Thank you, Nomo-san." Ichiro smiles as he holds a relief depiction of himself at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York (©Kyodo)
Ichiro also became the first Asian player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Nomo and Hideki Matsui were both nominated, but they did not garner enough votes and have already lost their eligibility. In fact, Ichiro only fell one vote short of being a unanimous choice.
Looking to the future, Shohei Ohtani, who is taking the US by storm as a two-way player, looks to be a Hall of Fame shoo-in. When that happens, Ohtani will likely express his gratitude to Ichiro and Matsui, the latter his forerunner as a power hitter from Japan.
Further on, perhaps someday in the future, a Japanese boy inspired by Ohtani's success will thrive in the major leagues. And after a marvelous career, perhaps that future star will eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame and give a speech at this same Cooperstown institution in which he thanks Ohtani.
Hopefully, we will be able to witness a chain of dramas like that.
Ichiro's speech was filled with valuable comments and suggestions for such dreamers.
In order to make your dream your goal, you must be honest in thinking about what is important to achieve it.
If you stick to your beliefs, you can overcome doubts, even your own.
I kept my equipment close at hand and took care of it every day as I didn't want to risk making an error because my glove strings came loose, or fail to steal a base because I hadn't cleaned my cleats.
There's no limit to what you can achieve if you do small things one after the next.
Consistency is the foundation of success. Former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, seen in a May 2010 file photo, amassed more hits during his first 10 MLB seasons than any player in history. (©Sankei)
Not everyone can become a major league superstar. Nevertheless, each of us can continue to make small efforts towards making our dreams a reality and achieving the goals we have set for ourselves.
Wouldn't it be great if each of us came to believe that he or she is walking the same path as Ichiro? And our dreams and goals don't necessarily have to be about baseball or sports.
It would be a waste to just consider Ichiro's induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a reason for celebration. We should also take it as an opportunity to motivate ourselves.
(Read the editorial in Japanese .)
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun