Ichiro Suzuki delivers witty, colorful Hall of Fame speech in English

COOPERSTOWN — There were so many Seattle Mariners fans among the big crowd on induction day for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Perhaps they weren’t expecting comedy from the person they really came to see, or even English.

But Ichiro Suzuki was delivering the hits again, quips that had everyone in attendance laughing at Clark Sports Center on Sunday, the day he became the first player from Japan to be inducted into the Hall.

The author of 4,367 hits in 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.

“And to the Miami Marlins, I appreciate David Samson and Mike Hill for coming today,” Ichiro said of the club’s former executives. “Honestly, when you called to offer me a contract for 2015, I had never heard of your team.”

Big laughs emerged from those in attendance.

Somehow, one writer found a way not to vote for Ichiro to make it as a first-ballot Hall of Famer despite 3,089 hits in his MLB career, including a record 262 in 2004. So he finished at 99.7%.

“Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are achievements recognized by the writers,” Ichiro said. “Well, all but one of you.”

He previously had offered to have dinner with that unknown writer.

“And by the way,” he told the crowd, “the offer for that writer to have dinner at my home has now expired.”

Big laughs. And applause.

Ichiro put up big numbers as a contact hitter from the moment he left Japan and signed with the Mariners for the 2001 season. The 5-11 outfielder began with 10 straight 200-hit seasons, 10 straight Gold Gloves and 10 straight All-Star selections.

“I think that you can imagine there was much doubt when I decided to become the first position player from Japan in MLB,” Ichiro said. “But it was more than just doubt. There was criticism and negativity. Someone even said, ‘Don’t embarrass the nation.’  ”

CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner also were inducted. So were the late Dick Allen and the late Dave Parker after being voted in by the Classic Baseball Era Committee.

Willa Allen, Dick’s widow, gave the speech on his behalf.

“I know that he’s smiling right now, knowing that his story is finally being recognized,” she said of the career .292 hitter, who died of cancer in 2020.

Parker had been working on his speech before his death on June 28 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Dave Parker II took on the speaking task.

His dad, who totaled 2,712 hits, 339 homers and 1,493 RBIs in 19 seasons, had written a poem that he wanted read.

Here’s the last bit of it from “The Cobra” via his son:

“To my friends, families, I love you all. Thanks for staying by my side. I told you all Cooperstown would be my last ride. So the star of David will be in the sky tonight. Watch it glow. I didn’t lie. On my documentary, I told you I wouldn’t show.”