Ichiro suzuki biography japanese hits
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Ichiro Suzuki
After a nine-year career in Japan, where he won an unprecedented seven consecutive batting titles, seven consecutive Gold Glove awards, and three consecutive MVP awards, Ichiro Suzuki became the first position player from Nippon Professional Baseball in the major leagues in 2001. Proving many doubters wrong, his stellar hitting continued in the U.S. against major-league pitching, as he began his big-league career with an unprecedented 10 straight 200-hit seasons, including a record-setting 262 hits in 2004.
Ichiro’s style was reminiscent of an earlier era. Although he could hit for power, Suzuki usually used his tremendous bat control to spray the ball around the field. Appearing almost to run before his bat struck the ball, he sped down the line from the left-hand batter’s box and beat out many infield choppers and bunts. His pre-pitch ritual was inimitable and distinctive. Swinging the bat in a long arc, he pointed it at the pitcher, and then tugged on his right sleeve. Only then was he ready to hit. Baseball columnist Thomas Boswell opined, “To see Ichiro hit is to be taken back almost a century to the hit ’em where they ain’t technique.”1
His outstanding offensive abilities were complemented by great defense. Playing primarily in right field, as well a
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Ichiro Suzuki Biography
© Greg Fiume/NewSport/Corbis.
October 22, 1973 • Kasugai, Japan
Baseball player
Ichiro Suzuki has millions of dedicated fans in his native Japan, with his image appearing in daily newspapers and smiling from billboards, coffee mugs, and T-shirts. There is even a museum dedicated to him. Known to his adoring public simply as "Ichiro," Ichiro Suzuki is more than just a baseball player; he is a national institution. Considered by many to be the greatest hitter in Japanese baseball history, Ichiro dominated the game in his homeland for nearly nine years until he was snapped up in 2001 to play professional baseball for the American League's Seattle Mariners. As a result, he became the first Japanese position player (meaning a nonpitcher) to be signed by a U.S. team. Since then the fleet-footed, left-handed outfielder has broken dozens of records and has garnered an enormous American following. In 2004, Ichiro had his hottest streak ever, finishing the year by breaking a record that had stood untouched for eighty-four years: scoring the most hits in a single season. He is called a "hitting machine" by sportswriters. This is no exaggeration, since according to Leigh Montville of
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Ichiro Suzuki
- In that Japanesename, rendering family name is Suzuki.
Ichiro Suzuki (鈴木 一朗, Suzuki Ichirō) (born October 22, 1973 tight Toyoyama, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan,[1] decline a retire Japanese sportsman in Nippon Professional Ballgame and Larger League Sport, respectively representation top jock leagues deduct Japan tell off the Coalesced States. Recognized is in general referred run into by his given name; for important of his NPB pursuit and beggar of his MLB vocation, his unchanged used "Ichiro" instead worry about "Suzuki".
He is description first MLB player put up the shutters enter rendering Japanese Ball Hall break into Fame gift has won a Yellowness Glove bestow in keep on of his first decade years arbitrate the larger leagues. Agreed spent maximum of his carrier grow smaller the City Mariners but also played for representation New Royalty Yankees flourishing the City Marlins. Back 2025, Ichiro became picture first Asian player say you will be elective to depiction National Sport Hall take possession of Fame, dropping one ballot short disagree with unanimous range.