Ichiro, who spent parts of 19 seasons in the major leagues, delivered a riveting speech in Cooperstown on Sunday, even nailing an impression of Rick Rizzs.

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.

Ichiro Suzuki visited Cooperstown long before his Hall of Fame call—honoring legends and connecting with baseball’s roots.

Tampa Bay All-Star pitcher Drew Rasmussen grew up in Washington state, and was a huge fan of Ichiro Suzuki and the Seattle Mariners as a kid. He talked about Ichiro on Sunday, the day he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown,

All-Star right fielder and Seattle Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025. But even as Ichiro was awarded the honor alongside CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, it was his speech that stole the show.

Former Mariner Ichiro Suzuki makes humorous reference to the voter who snubbed him during his Hall of Fame speech

The author of 4,367 hits over 28 seasons across Japan and America didn’t use an interpreter as he had during a media session on Saturday. He delivered his speech in English, and he was talking at one point about the Mariners, then the Yankees and then the next team on his 19-season major-league journey.