Japanese icon Ichiro Suzuki was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on January 22, 2025, becoming the first Japanese athlete and Asian to receive this honor. Securing 393 out of 394 votes,
Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner are the newest inductees to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as it revealed its Class of 2025.
With Ichiro Suzuki somehow not getting inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame unanimously on the first ballot, all signs point to this next icon of the game potentially being able to do what one voter decided should not be Suzuki's destiny.
The Baseball Hall of Fame will welcome three deserving new members, but some exclusions still haunt the shrine.
Suzuki became the first Japanese player chosen for the Hall, falling one vote shy of unanimous when he was elected along with CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
A leadoff hitter, an ace starter and a lockdown closer walk into a Hall … It’s no joke. The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 is complete after Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner
Used to leading off, Ichiro Suzuki got antsy when he had to wait. Considered a no-doubt pick for baseball’s Hall of Fame and possibly the second unanimous selection, he waited by the phone
It wasn’t me. Let’s get that out of the way. Of course I voted for Ichiro Suzuki - along with the other no-brainers on the ballot, including CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner. Pity that Carlos Beltran came up short again,
Suzuki's close call means New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera remains the only unanimous electee. Rivera received all 425 votes in 2019. Another longtime Yankees icon, shortstop Derek Jeter, came within one vote of unanimous election in 2020. Suzuki, Rivera and Jeter were teammates with New York from 2012-13.
Ichiro Suzuki has made history as the first Japanese player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, leading the 2024 class alongside CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner.
Used to leading off, Ichiro Suzuki got antsy when he had to wait. Considered a no-doubt pick for baseball’s Hall of Fame and possibly the second unanimous selection, he waited by the phone for the expected call Tuesday.