Ichiro Suzuki, one of the greatest hitters in baseball history and the first Japanese-born player elected to the Hall of Fame, was officially inducted Sunday in Cooperstown.

Suzuki played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Seattle Mariners, finishing with 3,089 hits, a .311 career batting average, and 509 stolen bases. Known for his precision hitting and speed, Ichiro set the single-season record with 262 hits in 2004 and became the first player since 1900 to record 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons (2001–2010).

His rookie year was historic: in 2001, Ichiro won both American League MVP and Rookie of the Year, leading the Mariners to 116 wins, tied for the MLB record. He was a 10-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, cementing his reputation as both an offensive and defensive force.

Before arriving in MLB, Suzuki starred in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, collecting 1,278 hits over nine seasons. Combined with his MLB totals, his 4,367 career hits surpass Pete Rose’s MLB record of 4,256.

Ichiro’s groundbreaking career paved the way for future Japanese position players, and his induction was celebrated by thousands of fans, many from Seattle, honoring a global legend whose precision, discipline, and style reshaped modern baseball.