Drayer: Ichiro shows wisdom, gratitude, humor in HOF speech

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Earlier this week, news got out that Ichiro Suzuki was going to give his Hall of Fame induction speech in English, which perhaps wasn’t the biggest surprise as he gave his Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame speech in English a few years back.

The reason why, however, was pure Ichiro.

“Of course it’s going to be better to speak in Japanese to get what I am trying to say across, but we’re in America, and I knew that being able to speak English, the fans would understand it the most and be able to understand and feel how I was feeling,” Ichiro said. “I always knew I was going to do it in English.”

Ichiro Reflects: How his toughest moments with M’s led to his best

Having his thoughts and words land correctly has always been important to Ichiro, but this speech was about more than words, lessons (also very important to him) or philosophies. His commitment to giving fans the chance to understand and feel how he was feeling was something new.

As it turns out, his speech on Sunday provided that understanding, along with the lessons and bit of his humor.

There was a theme or lesson that was woven throughout Ichiro’s baseball story. He spoke about his dream of being a professional baseball player as a kid. He was so passionate about this dream that he wrote an essay about it in grade six. Looking back, despite the results, he would like a do-over with the paper.

“If I could rewrite that essay today with what I know now, I would use the word ‘goal’ instead of ‘dream,'” he said. “Dreams are not always realistic. But goals can be possible if you think deeply about how to reach them. Dreaming is fun, but goals are difficult and challenging.

“It’s not enough to say I want to do something. If you are serious about it, you must think critically about what is necessary to achieve it.”

At some point in his career, he gained that knowledge. Along the way, he also formulated beliefs that were on full display in his time with the Mariners.

Why was he so meticulous in caring for his equipment? Why did he feel it was important to put on a show for the fans in some of the team’s more hopeless years? These things were clearly important to him, as they were given significant time in his speech.

“As a kid, I thought I could play baseball forever,” he said. “The older I got, I realized the only way to keep playing the game I love until 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely. When fans use their precious time to come watch you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them.

“Whether we are winning by 10 or losing by 10, I felt my duty was to motivate the same from opening day through game 162.”

Ichiro believes it was that commitment to taking care of the smallest of details that led him to the Hall of Fame numbers he achieved in the game.

“I personally cared for my equipment each day, because I never wanted to risk a fielding error due to a loose string on my glove, or slip on the base path because I didn’t clean my spikes,” he said.

“Beyond the regular season, I had a serious routine in the offseason, so when I showed up at the camp each spring, my arm was already in shape, waiting for Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs to say, ‘Holy smokes! A laser beam from Ichiro!'”

Ichiro’s impression of @Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs is AMAZING 🤣 pic.twitter.com/DYn4BASKgv

— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2025

Ichiro bellowing the Rizzs call provided the audience with one of many laughs in his speech. In doing so, he perhaps made himself more relatable to his fans – something he likely could appreciate as he values being able to share his experiences to help others.

“There’s no limit to what you can achieve,” he said. “Look at me. I’m 5-11 and 170 pounds. When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger major leaguers. The first time I ran ran out on the field, I was in awe of the competition. But I knew if I stuck to my beliefs about preparation, I could overcome the doubts, even my own.”

Ichiro had words for ballplayers as well.

“I have been asked, ‘What’s the best thing you can do for your team?'” he continued. “My answer is taking responsibility for yourself. Being responsible for yourself means answering to yourself.

“When you go home at night and wonder why you didn’t get a hit or you didn’t make a catch, the honest answer is not because a great pitcher beat you or a tough sun was in your eyes. It’s because there was something you could have done better. By taking responsibility for yourself, you support your teammates and you don’t cheat the fans.”

“If you consistently do the little things, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.” #IchiroHOF pic.twitter.com/dkeUw9qV07

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 27, 2025

Ichiro finished his speech with thank yous to those along the way in his baseball journey, with a special acknowledgment to the Mariners’ current executives.

“Thank you for bringing me back to the place I belong and allowing me to make Seattle my permanent home,” he said.

He thanked his other organizations – the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins – whom he had particularly warm memories of.

There were thank yous for those around him who became like family, including his first agent, Tony Attanasio, who sadly passed away before seeing Ichiro elected to the Hall of Fame, and his longtime interpreter, Allen Turner, who got a nice hand from the crowd, and his family.

“Thank you, Seattle” 💙 #IchiroHOF pic.twitter.com/iFZTl1E8LA

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 27, 2025

The biggest thank you was saved for his wife, Yumiko, who helped him navigate a particularly difficult time early in his MLB career.

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

“The person who supported me the most was my wife, Yumiko. It would only be natural if she had that too. But she never, never made me feel them. All of her energy was focused on supporting and encouraging me. For 19 seasons in Seattle, New York and Miami, she made sure that our home was always happy and positive.

“I try to be consistent as a player. But she’s the most consistent teammate I ever had.”

Ichiro went on to reveal that shortly after he retired, he and Yumiko had a special “date night” where they went to the ballpark and watched a ballgame.

“We sat in the stands and enjoyed the Mariners game together,” he said. “We did it the American way by eating hot dogs.”

Ichiro had played baseball for as long as he possibly could at the highest level. And as he said last week, because of the way he was able to able to finish in the game, he was at peace with the fact that his playing days were over.

That night, he was able to enjoy the game in a different way and reflect on the journey of his Hall of Fame career.

“Of all the experiences baseball has given me, enjoying a hot dog at the game with the person most responsible for helping me reach this moment is the most special,” he said.

Ichiro’s goals carried him to and through his baseball journey. And in the end, his dream – if he dared to dream it – proved achievable.

“Going into America’s Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal,” he said. “I didn’t even know there was one until I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001.

“But being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream. Thank you.”

Every word, from the heart 💙

Well done, Ichiro. #IchiroHOF pic.twitter.com/ycwmn2qFW7

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 27, 2025

More on Ichiro and the Seattle Mariners

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