Latest news with #BaseballHallofFameInductionCeremony
The Star
28-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Baseball-Japan's Suzuki paved way for generation of players
Jul 27, 2025; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame inductee Ichiro Suzuki makes his acceptance speech during the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images (Reuters) -Ichiro Suzuki, a remarkable hitter with dazzling speed and arm strength, not only broke stereotypes during a career played across two continents but also blazed a trail for a generation of Japanese-born players in Major League Baseball. Suzuki, who proved his abilities despite starting his MLB journey at a relatively advanced age, became the first Japanese-born player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Cooperstown, New York, on Sunday. Arriving from the Orix BlueWave of the Pacific League in Nippon Professional Baseball as a 27-year-old major league rookie with the Seattle Mariners, Ichiro wasted no time showing that his talent and determination translated on MLB diamonds. The slender Ichiro, with an unorthodox high leg kick to time his swing in the batter's box, turned routine ground balls into short infield singles with his speed down the line and made baserunners cautious with his strong arm in right field. Suzuki announced himself with an electric 2001 season in which he hit .350 to win the batting title with a rookie record 242 hits while swiping a league-leading 56 bases in sweeping Rookie of the Year and American League MVP honors. The batting title/stolen base double had last been achieved in 1949 by fabled trailblazer Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color barrier as MLB's first African American player. Suzuki, who had won seven batting titles in a row and three straight Pacific League MVP awards in Japan, was just getting warmed up in the majors and quickly became a household name in Seattle. Following a strict daily practice routine and stretching regimen, Suzuki was a model of high level consistency during a 19-year MLB career that also included stops with the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. He went on to post a record 10 consecutive seasons of at least 200 hits, reaching his zenith in 2004 when he stroked 262 hits to break an 84-year-old major league record set by George Sisler as he claimed another batting title with a .372 average. By the time he retired, Suzuki was a 10-times MLB All-Star who held the record for the most hits by a professional baseball player, including his time in Japan, with 4,367. Including his 1,278 hits for Orix in Japan, the claim has been made that with his major league hits total, Ichiro has surpassed the late Pete Rose, who is MLB's career hits leader with 4,256. "He's a guy who comes around once in a lifetime," Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, who was a teammate of Suzuki's when the Japanese outfielder played with the Yankees from 2012 to 2014, once said. "No one's ever seen anybody like him. And to be quite honest, we probably won't see anybody like him again." Suzuki, who during his career smashed the perception that only Japanese pitchers were good enough to excel in MLB, not only inspired a generation of players but also prompted clubs to more aggressively scout and sign hitters from Japan. His rise to stardom while playing in MLB opened the door for fellow Japanese hitters like Hideki Matsuyama while current Los Angeles Dodgers two-way standout Shohei Ohtani has also referenced him as an inspiration. "Growing up, Ichiro was for me the way that I think some kids, some people, look at me today," Ohtani told GQ magazine in 2023. "Like I'm a different species. Larger than life. He was a superstar in Japan. He had this charisma about him." (Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Straits Times
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Japan's Suzuki paved way for generation of players
Jul 27, 2025; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame inductee Ichiro Suzuki makes his acceptance speech during the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Ichiro Suzuki, a remarkable hitter with dazzling speed and arm strength, not only broke stereotypes during a career played across two continents but also blazed a trail for a generation of Japanese-born players in Major League Baseball. Suzuki, who proved his abilities despite starting his MLB journey at a relatively advanced age, became the first Japanese-born player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Cooperstown, New York, on Sunday. Arriving from the Orix BlueWave of the Pacific League in Nippon Professional Baseball as a 27-year-old major league rookie with the Seattle Mariners, Ichiro wasted no time showing that his talent and determination translated on MLB diamonds. The slender Ichiro, with an unorthodox high leg kick to time his swing in the batter's box, turned routine ground balls into short infield singles with his speed down the line and made baserunners cautious with his strong arm in right field. Suzuki announced himself with an electric 2001 season in which he hit .350 to win the batting title with a rookie record 242 hits while swiping a league-leading 56 bases in sweeping Rookie of the Year and American League MVP honors. The batting title/stolen base double had last been achieved in 1949 by fabled trailblazer Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color barrier as MLB's first African American player. Suzuki, who had won seven batting titles in a row and three straight Pacific League MVP awards in Japan, was just getting warmed up in the majors and quickly became a household name in Seattle. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' to de-escalate border row Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Singapore Ong Beng Seng set to plead guilty on Aug 4 in case linked to ex-transport minister Iswaran Asia Gunman kills 5 security guards near Bangkok's Chatuchak market before taking own life Singapore COE quota up 2.6% to 18,701 for August to October Business Resilient economy versus uncertain outlook splits views on Singapore's monetary policy Singapore HPB looking for vaping, smoking counselling services for up to 175 secondary school students Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose Following a strict daily practice routine and stretching regimen, Suzuki was a model of high level consistency during a 19-year MLB career that also included stops with the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. He went on to post a record 10 consecutive seasons of at least 200 hits, reaching his zenith in 2004 when he stroked 262 hits to break an 84-year-old major league record set by George Sisler as he claimed another batting title with a .372 average. By the time he retired, Suzuki was a 10-times MLB All-Star who held the record for the most hits by a professional baseball player, including his time in Japan, with 4,367. Including his 1,278 hits for Orix in Japan, the claim has been made that with his major league hits total, Ichiro has surpassed the late Pete Rose, who is MLB's career hits leader with 4,256. "He's a guy who comes around once in a lifetime," Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, who was a teammate of Suzuki's when the Japanese outfielder played with the Yankees from 2012 to 2014, once said. "No one's ever seen anybody like him. And to be quite honest, we probably won't see anybody like him again." Suzuki, who during his career smashed the perception that only Japanese pitchers were good enough to excel in MLB, not only inspired a generation of players but also prompted clubs to more aggressively scout and sign hitters from Japan. His rise to stardom while playing in MLB opened the door for fellow Japanese hitters like Hideki Matsuyama while current Los Angeles Dodgers two-way standout Shohei Ohtani has also referenced him as an inspiration. "Growing up, Ichiro was for me the way that I think some kids, some people, look at me today," Ohtani told GQ magazine in 2023. "Like I'm a different species. Larger than life. He was a superstar in Japan. He had this charisma about him." REUTERS
New York Post
28-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
CC Sabathia hoping to inspire next Black Ace through Hall of Fame
COOPERSTOWN — Throughout the lead-up to his Hall of Fame induction, CC Sabathia made several references to the Black Aces, the group of black pitchers who have won 20 games in a season in the majors. He did it again on Sunday — showing concern over the lack of black starting pitchers in the majors. 'I don't want to be the final member of the Black Aces,' Sabathia said during his speech. 'I don't want to be the final black pitcher to be giving a Hall of Fame speech.' Advertisement It's one of the reasons Sabathia is working with the nonprofit organization The Players Alliance and commissioner Rob Manfred in an effort to grow the game in minority communities. 3 Hall of Fame inductee CC Sabathia makes his acceptance speech during the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images He pointed to fellow inductee Dave Parker as one of the reasons he took up the sport, noting there were fewer examples of black players now. Advertisement 'In the [1980s] and early '90s, when I first started watching baseball, me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV,'' Sabathia said. 'There was always someone who looked like me in a baseball uniform.' That's no longer the case, especially on the mound. Sabathia pointed to having met Jim 'Mudcat' Grant when he was 17. 3 CC Sabathia poses for a photo with his plaque after the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. AP Advertisement Grant played in Cleveland and won 21 games with Minnesota in 1965. 'Mudcat explained to me what a Black Ace was and how difficult it is to stay a starting pitcher in the major leagues,'' Sabathia said. 'I feel compelled to pay it forward and keep that going.' Sabathia had his 20-win season in 2010 and David Price was the most recent addition, in 2012. 3 CC Sabathia delivers in the first during the Tampa Bay Rays game against the New York Yankees Monday, Sept. 13, 2010. Advertisement And Sabathia remains concerned about the future, as he, Bob Gibson and Ferguson Jenkins are the only black starting pitchers in the Hall of Fame. 'When I sit here and think about it now, who's next?' Sabathia said after his speech. 'Who's the next black starting pitcher to win 20 games? Will there be another? Will there be another guy give a Hall of Fame speech? It's on me and my generation to find the next kid.'
Asahi Shimbun
27-07-2025
- Sport
- Asahi Shimbun
MLB/ ‘I'm a rookie again': Ichiro Suzuki leads class of five into Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame inductee Ichiro Suzuki makes his Baseball Hall of Fame acceptance speech during the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, NY, on July 27. (Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images) COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.--On an overcast Sunday in this charming village, thousands of fans from the Far East to the East Coast, from Texas to the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest, gathered to usher five icons of the game into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And they heard heartfelt tales from -- and about -- the inductees: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, as well as Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who were honored posthumously. Despite the star power of the group, the man of the hour was Suzuki, 51, who became the first baseball player to be elected to two Halls of Fame, following his selection into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in January. He had a nine-year career in Japan before he was posted for availability to MLB teams after the 2000 season and signed by the Seattle Mariners to launch a splendid second career. "For the third time, I am a rookie," said Suzuki, who delivered his speech in English after using an interpreter most of his career. "In 1992, I was drafted out of high school (in Japan). In 2001, I became a rookie again at 27 when the Seattle Mariners signed me. "I realize I'm a rookie again ... I am 51 years old, so easy on the hazing." Suzuki mixed a sharp sense of humor with a serious tone in discussing what made him a Hall of Famer: preparation, taking responsibility for his game and feeling a sense of duty to give his all for fans. He cared for his own equipment, unwilling to blame an equipment manager if his glove weren't perfectly laced or his spikes not ready to run the bases. His arm was always in shape when he reported to spring training. "If you consistently do the little things, there's no limit to what you can achieve," said Suzuki, who won two American League batting titles and both the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP in 2001. Suzuki said he never envisioned playing in the United States until he saw Hideo Nomo pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers on television in Japan. "My eyes suddenly opened to the idea of challenging myself by going somewhere I never imagined," he said to a crowd that included fans from Japan. "I'm grateful to the Seattle Mariners for believing I could become the first position player from Japan." Fans of Sabathia had a much shorter distance to travel, whether from his first MLB home in Cleveland, his brief one in Milwaukee or his final one with the New York Yankees. Sabathia's speech was a love letter to the women in his life, including to his grandmother, who allowed him to take the grapefruits that fell off her tree in the yard and throw them at a chair -- his strike zone. To his mother, who used to put on the gear to catch his pitches, took him to Athletics games at the Oakland Coliseum and talked pitch selection with him when he got to the majors. And to his wife, whom he met as a high school junior and has been with since. And he talked with passion about the places he played. "I was born and raised in Vallejo," the Northern California native said. "But Cleveland is where I grew up." It was in New York that Sabathia burnished his Hall of Fame resume, leading the majors in wins in 2009 and 2010, and he called signing with the Yankees "the best decision we ever made." Suzuki and Sabathia, 45, were elected in their first years of eligibility. Wagner, the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year in 1999 with the Houston Astros, entered the Hall of Fame on his 10th and final ballot. Wagner was born a right-hander who learned to throw left-handed after a childhood injury to his right arm. He told his underdog story, from being a small kid from Virginia who went from a "5-foot-nothing, 100-pound nothing to the Hall of Fame." It was perseverance and passion that got him from Division III Ferrum College to Cooperstown, he said. "I refused to give up," said an emotional Wagner, 54. "I refused to listen to the outside critics. ... Perseverance isn't just a trait. It's a path to greatness." Parker and Allen, both seven-time All-Stars and recipients of Most Valuable Player awards, were selected for induction by the Classic Era Committee. Parker passed away on June 28 at age 74, six months after learning of his long-awaited entry into the hall. Allen was 78 at his death in 2020. David Parker II, Parker's son, and Allen's widow, Willa, reflected in their speeches just what baseball meant to their loved ones and what this day would have meant to them. The younger Parker took the crowd through the journey of his father's career, through the six major league cities in which he played. He became a legend in Pittsburgh, where he won two batting titles and his first World Series, learning from cornerstones of the franchise -- Roberto Clemente, Al Oliver and Dock Ellis -- about being a major leaguer. And as he proceeded in his career through his hometown of Cincinnati, through Oakland, Milwaukee, Anaheim and Toronto, Parker transitioned to "Pops," helping to guide the next generation, including fellow Hall of Fame members Barry Larkin, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. "He cherished his role as a spiritual father to these young men," David Parker II said. As Parker struggled with his health in his final months, he wrote a poem that summed up his thoughts about his career and his induction, read by his son to the crowd filled with fans in "Parker 39" jerseys. The poem hilariously started, "Here I am. 39. About damn time." Allen, famous for swinging a 42-inch bat, was described by his widow as a heavyweight as a player, a man and a friend in the warm stories she told of him. He was a man of "principle, compassion and determination," Willa Allen said. That determination was evident as a child, when a teacher in his small-town Pennsylvania school asked her pupils what they wanted to be when they grew up. He confidently told the class he wanted to be a Major League Baseball player. That was before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. The other kids laughed. "He didn't laugh. He believed it," Willa Allen said. "Now look at him." Looking ahead to 2026, there likely won't be any first-year eligible players selected. Carlos Beltran, who was named on 70.3 percent of ballots in 2025, and Andruw Jones, selected on 66.2 percent, could hear their names called next year. Both are members of the 400-home run club, and Jones won 10 Gold Glove awards.
