Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro in his pre-swing pose
Seattle Mariners — No. 51
Center Field
Born: October 22, 1973 (1973-10-22) (age 34)
Kasugai, Japan
Bats: Left Throws: Right 
Major League Baseball debut
April 2, 2001 for the Seattle Mariners
Selected MLB statistics
(through June 6, 2008)
Batting average     . A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the Outfielder in Baseball who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Kasugai can mean two things Kasugai Aichi, which is a town in Japan Kasugai, which is a Japanese snack company For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 331
Hits     1,664
Home runs     70
Runs batted in     442
Stolen bases     297
Slugging percentage     . In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate In Baseball statistics, slugging percentage (abbreviated SLG) is a popular measure of the power of a hitter. 434
Teams

Ichiro Suzuki (鈴木 一朗 Suzuki Ichirō?), often known simply as Ichiro (イチロー Ichirō?), (born October 22, 1973 in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese outfielder for the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team. The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Kobe, Japan, which played in the Pacific League and was owned by the Orix Group, a Tokyo Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves (4-2 Pat Borders, MVP Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Caribbean World Series: The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington, United States. Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Caribbean World Series: Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. is a town located in Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan. As of 2003, the town has an estimated Population of 13466 and a Nishikasugai (西春日井郡 -gun is a district located in Aichi, Japan. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in Baseball farthest from the batter The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington, United States.

Ichiro moved to the United States in 2001 after playing nine years for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Kobe, Japan, which played in the Pacific League and was owned by the Orix Group, a Tokyo The or is one of Japan 's two major professional Baseball leagues the other being the Central League. When the Blue Wave posted him after the 2000 season, Ichiro's rights were won by the Seattle Mariners and he signed a contract with them. The posting system is a Baseball player transfer system currently in effect between Japan 's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB and the United Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Caribbean World Series: He became the first Japanese-born everyday position player in the Major Leagues. The are the dominant Ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent of these approximately 127 million are residents of Japan In Baseball, a position player is a player who on defense plays as an Infielder, Outfielder, or Catcher. Ichiro did not miss a beat in his transition. He immediately established himself as one of the premier players in the Major Leagues.

2004 was his most impressive offensive season yet, as he set several MLB records, including a new all-time, single-season Major League record with 262 hits. Headline events of the year The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since, ending the Curse of the Bambino. 3000 Career Hits Closest Active Players Top 10 Career Hitters By League 240 Hits in One Season Evolution of the Single Season Ichiro, equipped with one of the strongest and most accurate throwing arms in the league, is generally recognized as one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball. He has won a Gold Glove award in each of his first seven years in the majors as an outfielder. For the award given to amateur boxers see Golden Gloves. In American Baseball, the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to

Ichiro is the first MLB player to join Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club). The Meikyukai (名球会 "Association of Great Players" or "Golden Players Club" is one of the two Japanese Baseball hall of He was also selected the 2007 All Star Game MVP, going three for three and hitting the event's first ever inside-the-park home run. The 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 78th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League (AL and the National League In Baseball parlance an inside-the-park home run or "leg home run" is a play where a hitter scores a Home run without hitting the ball out of play

Ichiro is arguably considered today's best hitter for average, although Albert Pujols has now passed him in career batting average, as of late April 2008, Pujols at . José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (IPA /puˌˡxols/ (born January 16, 1980 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) (nicknamed Prince Albert Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively Calendar Major League Baseball See also 2008 Major League Baseball season Postseason October 1 – ALDS and 332 and Suzuki at . 331, after Ichiro hit only . 252 (30-for-119) in April. He has both tremendous slap-hitting and fielding abilities. In 2001, Ichiro finished first in batting average and stolen bases, the first player to accomplish this feat since Jackie Robinson. Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31 1919 – October 24 1972 was a Baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He holds many Mariners club records, some of which include most multi-hit games, most infield singles, most stolen bases, and most games hit safely.

Contents

Early life

At age seven, Ichiro joined his first baseball team and asked his father, Nobuyuki Suzuki (Suzuki Nobuyuki), to teach him to be a better player. The two began a daily routine which included throwing 50 pitches, hitting 200 pitches from Nobuyuki, fielding 50 infield balls and 50 outfield balls, and hitting 250–300 pitches from a machine.

Ichiro Suzuki, all-time single-season hits leader in Major League Baseball.
Ichiro Suzuki, all-time single-season hits leader in Major League Baseball. In Baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H) sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches

As a Little Leaguer, Ichiro had the word "concentration" (集中 shūchū?) written on his glove. By age 12, he had set professional baseball as his goal and, while he apparently shared his father's vision, he did not enjoy their training sessions. Nobuyuki claimed, "Baseball was fun for both of us," but Ichiro later said, "It might have been fun for him, but for me it was a lot like Star of the Giants," a popular Japanese manga and anime series that told of a young boy's difficult road to success as a professional baseball player, with rigorous training demanded by the father. is a Sports Manga written by Ikki Kajiwara and drawn by Noboru Kawasaki. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly (anime in Japanese, According to Ichiro, "It bordered on hazing and I suffered a lot. "

When Ichiro joined his high school baseball team, his father told the coach, "No matter how good Ichiro is, don't ever praise him. We have to make him spiritually strong. " When he was ready to enter high school, Ichiro was selected by a school with a prestigious baseball program, Nagoya's Aikodai Meiden Kōkō, where, unlike as a professional, Ichiro was primarily a pitcher instead of an outfielder, owing to his exceptionally strong arm. is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan. While in high school, his cumulative batting average was . 505, and his cumulative home run total was 19. Among the strength drills he performed in training there were hurling car tires and hitting wiffle balls with a heavy shovel. Wiffle® ball is a variation of the sport of Baseball designed for indoor or outdoor play in confined areas These exercises helped develop his wrists and hips, adding power and endurance to his thin frame. Yet, despite the production of outstanding numbers in high school, Ichiro was not drafted until the fourth and final round of the professional draft in November 1991, because many teams were put off by his small size of 5' 9" and 124 pounds. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. [1]

Career in Japan

Career Hits & Avg in Japan
Season Hits Avg
1992 24 . Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) 253
1993 12 . Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) 188
1994 210 . Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) 385
1995 179 . Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 342
1996 193 . Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) 356
1997 185 . Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar 345
1998 181 . Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) 358
1999 141 . Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) 343
2000 153 . 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. 387
Total 1278 . 353


Ichiro made his Pacific League debut in 1992 at the age of 18, but he spent most of his first two seasons in the farm system because of his manager's refusal to accept Ichiro's unorthodox swing. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves (4-2 Pat Borders, MVP In sports a farm team, feeder team or nursery club, generally refers to a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players with an The swing, nicknamed 'pendulum' because of the pendulum-like motion of his leg, shifting the weight forward as he swung the bat, was considered to go against conventional hitting theory. Even though he hit a home run off Hideo Nomo, who later won the rookie of the year award in the majors leagues as a Dodger, Ichiro was sent back to the farm system on that very day. is a Japanese former Right-handed Pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers are a Major League Baseball team based in Los Angeles California, USA In 1994, he benefited from the arrival of a new manager who played him every day in the second spot of the lineup. Headline events of the year As a result of a players' strike the MLB season ends prematurely on August 11, 1994. He was eventually moved to the leadoff spot for the Blue Wave, where his immediate productivity dissolved any misgivings about his uncoventional swing. He set a Japanese single-season record with 210 hits in 130 games for a then-Pacific League record . 385 batting average and won the first of a record seven consecutive batting titles. He also hit 13 home runs and had 29 stolen bases, helping him to earn his first of three straight Pacific League MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards. In Baseball, a stolen base occurs when a Baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the Pitcher is delivering the ball to Home plate

It was during the 1994 season that he began to use his given name, "Ichiro" instead of his family name, "Suzuki" on the back of his uniform. A family name or last name is a type of Surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs Suzuki is the second most common family name in Japan, and his manager introduced the idea as a publicity stunt to help create a new image for what had been a relatively weak team, as well as a way to distinguish their rising star. Initially, Ichiro disliked the practice and was embarrassed by it; "Ichiro" was a household name by the end of the season and he was flooded with endorsement offers.

In 1995 Ichiro led the Blue Wave to their first Pacific League pennant in 12 years. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Atlanta Braves over Cleveland Indians (4-2 Tom Glavine, MVP In addition to his second batting title, he led the league with 80 RBI (runs batted in), hit 25 home runs, and stole 49 bases. By this time, the Japanese press had begun calling him the "Human Batting Machine. " The following year, with Ichiro winning his third straight MVP award, the team defeated the Central League champion, Yomiuri Giants, in the Japan Series. The is a Nippon Professional Baseball team based at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. Following the 1996 season, playing in an exhibition series against a visiting team of Major League All-Stars kindled Ichiro's desire to travel to the United States to play in the Major Leagues. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves (4-2 John Wetteland, MVP

In 2000, Ichiro was still a year away from being eligible for free agency, but the Blue Wave were no longer among Japan's best teams. They would probably not be able to afford to keep him and would lose him without compensation in another year, and allowed him to negotiate with Major League clubs. Ichiro used the posting system, and the Seattle Mariners won the right to negotiate with him with a bid of around $13 million. The posting system is a Baseball player transfer system currently in effect between Japan 's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB and the United [2] Ichiro signed a three-year, $14 million contract with the Mariners and became the first Japanese position player in the Major Leagues.

In his nine seasons in Japan, Ichiro had 1,278 hits, a . 353 career batting average, and in addition to his hitting achievements, won seven Gold Glove Awards. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively For the award given to amateur boxers see Golden Gloves. In American Baseball, the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to

In January 2006, Ichiro played himself in Furuhata Ninzaburō, a Japanese Columbo-like TV drama that he loves. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. is a Japanese television series that ran periodically on Fuji Television from 1994 until its final episodes (specials in 2006 In the drama, he kills a person and is arrested.

Career in Major League Baseball

Career Hits & Avg in MLB
Statistics as of June 7, 2008
Season Hits Avg
2001 242 . Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Caribbean World Series: 350
2002 208 . Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Caribbean World Series: 321
2003 212 . Headline event of the year The Florida Marlins become World Series champions holding off a dynastic New York Yankees team 4 games to 312
2004 262* . Headline events of the year The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since, ending the Curse of the Bambino. 372
2005 206 . 2005 Major League Baseball season Headline events of the year Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the World Series 303
2006 224 . 2006 Major League Baseball season|2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season Headline Event of the Year The 2006 World Baseball Classic is a surprise success 322
2007 238 . Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Minor League Baseball 351
2008 76 . Calendar Major League Baseball See also 2008 Major League Baseball season Postseason October 1 – ALDS and 290
Total 1,668 . 331
*MLB Single-Season Record
Ichiro rounding the bases during a game against the Los Angeles Angels, 22 Sep 2007
Ichiro rounding the bases during a game against the Los Angeles Angels, 22 Sep 2007

On November 9, 2000, Ichiro was acquired by the Seattle Mariners for a contract worth roughly $14 million. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Ichiro's move to the United States was viewed with great interest because he was the first Japanese position player to play regularly for a Major League Baseball team. Up to that point, only pitchers from Japan had been playing in the United States and, in the same way that many Japanese teams had considered the 18-year-old Ichiro too small to draft in 1992, many in the US believed he was too frail to succeed against Major League pitching or endure the longer 162-game season. In Baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the Pitcher's mound toward the Catcher to begin each play with the goal of Ichiro made an auspicious debut his first week in the MLB, and revealed his tremendous throwing arm, by gunning down at third base the Oakland Athletics' Terrence Long, who had tried to advance from first to third after a teammate's base hit to right field. The Oakland Athletics are a professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. Terrence Deon Long (born February 29, 1976 in Montgomery, Alabama) is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball. That play would be later remembered as "The Throw". [3] Ichiro wears the number 51 which he was issued by the Mariners as he had no preference for a number when he joined the club. He was initially hesitant when he was issued the number. To avoid insulting its former owner, Randy Johnson, Ichiro forwarded a personal message to the Big Unit promising not to “bring shame” to the uniform. For other people named Randy Johnson see Randy Johnson (disambiguation Randall David Johnson (born September 10, 1963 in Not only did he prove he belonged, Ichiro had a remarkable 2001 season, accumulating 242 hits (the most by any player since 1930 as well as a rookie record) and leading the league with a . Champions World Series: Philadelphia Athletics over St Louis Cardinals (4-2 Awards and honors 350 batting average and 56 stolen bases.

By mid-season, he had produced hitting streaks of 15 and 23 games, been on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and created a media storm on both sides of the Pacific. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. 2001 was also an exceptionally successful regular season for the Seattle Mariners as a team, as they matched the 1906 Chicago Cubs' Major League record of 116 wins. Regular season Season standings Roster Player stats Batting Note G = Games played AB = At Bats H = Hits Avg [4] In Seattle, ticket sales (and wins) were higher than ever, fans from Japan were taking $2,000 baseball tours to see the games, more than 150 Japanese reporters and photographers were clamoring for access, and "Ichirolls" were being sold at sushi stands in the ballpark. Flight agencies also benefited from Ichiro, as many Ichiro fans were flying in and out of the country just to see him play. [5]

Aided by Major League Baseball's decision to allow All-Star voting in Japan, Ichiro was the first rookie to lead all players in voting for the All-Star Game. The 2001 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 72nd playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL and National League At season's end, he won the American League Most Valuable Player and the Rookie of the Year awards, becoming only the second player in MLB history (after Fred Lynn) to receive both honors in the same season. The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League ( AL) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in The Most Valuable Player Award (commonly known as the MVP award is an annual award given to one outstanding player in each league of Major League Baseball. In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to one player from each league as voted upon by the Baseball Writers Association of America Frederic Michael "Fred" Lynn (born February 3 1952 in Chicago Illinois) is a former Center fielder in Major League Baseball

In addition to being a seven-time Gold Glove winner, Ichiro is also a seven-time All-Star selection from 2001 to 2007. His success has opened the door for other Japanese players like former Yomiuri Giants slugger Hideki Matsui and former Seibu Lions infielder Kazuo Matsui to enter the Major Leagues. The is a Nippon Professional Baseball team based at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. In Baseball statistics, slugging percentage (abbreviated SLG) is a popular measure of the power of a hitter. is a Japanese Major League Baseball Left fielder who plays for the New York Yankees. The are a Professional baseball team in Japan 's Pacific League. Baseball teams take turns one "out" in the field and one "in" at bat (born October 23, 1975 in Higashiōsaka Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese Major League Baseball Second baseman for the During one 56-game stretch in 2004, Ichiro batted over . 450. By comparison, Joe DiMaggio batted . 408 during his record-setting 56-game hitting streak. Ichiro batted over . 400 against lefties in 2004.

Ichiro is noted for his work ethic in arriving early for his team's games, and for his calisthenic stretching exercises to stay limber even during the middle of the game. Calisthenics form a category of Physical exercises closely related to but not a part of Gymnastics. Continuing the custom he began in Japan, he uses his given name on the back of his uniform instead of his family name, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball to do so since Vida Blue. in modern times usually consist of a Family name ( Surname) followed by a Given name. This article is about Vida Blue the baseball pitcher For information on the Jam band of the same name see Vida Blue (band.

Ichiro's career is followed closely in Japan, with national television news programs covering each of his at bats, and with special tour packages arranged for Japanese fans to visit the United States to view his games. Between 2001 and 2004, Ichiro amassed more hits (922) than anyone in history over any four-year period. Bill Terry held the old record of 918. He would later surpass his own mark by putting up 930 hits from 2004-2007. [6]

Ichiro resides with his wife Yumiko in nearby Medina, an affluent suburb across Lake Washington from Seattle (same neighborhood as Bill Gates). Medina is a city located in the Eastside, a region of King County Washington. Lake Washington is the second largest natural Lake in state of Washington (after Lake Chelan) and the largest lake in King County. If you would like to experiment with Wikipedia please copy He is in the process of building a new home there.

Record-setting 2004 season

Ichiro set a number of Major League records during the 2004 season:

2005 season

Ichiro connecting for his 5th home run of the 2005 season
Ichiro connecting for his 5th home run of the 2005 season

Inaugural World Baseball Classic

Ichiro played for the Japan national baseball team in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March of 2006. The Japan national baseball team is the national Baseball team of Japan. The 2006 World Baseball Classic was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from During the March 15 Japan-Korea game Ichiro was booed by a few spectators during every at-bat, reportedly in response to a previous statement that he wanted "to beat South Korea so badly, that the South Koreans won't want to play Japan for another 30 years. "[9] That, however, was an incorrect translation mostly spread to the public through ESPN. Ichiro was variously quoted as saying "I want to win in a way that the opponent would think, 'we cannot catch up with Japan for the coming 30 years. '" as well as "I want to beat the teams in the Asia Round so badly they'll never think of beating Japan for the coming 30 years. The fans can expect a lot from us. " However, Korea beat Japan twice out of three times. Japan would later beat Korea in the playoffs and win the tournament after defeating Cuba in the finals, 10-6. [10] Ichiro was one of only two Major League Baseball players on Team Japan, the other being reliever Akinori Otsuka. is a Japanese Baseball player He was formerly the set-up man for the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers. Throughout the course of the tournament, Ichiro provided twelve hits, seven runs, four stolen bases, and one home run.

2006 season

Ichiro Suzuki at World Baseball Classic, March 2006
Ichiro Suzuki at World Baseball Classic, March 2006

In 2006 Ichiro continued his all-star play. 2006 Major League Baseball season|2006 Nippon Professional Baseball season Headline Event of the Year The 2006 World Baseball Classic is a surprise success After a slow start, which included hitting near the Mendoza Line (a . The Mendoza Line is an informal term used in Baseball for when a position player's Batting average falls below the boundary between extremely poor and merely below-average 200 batting average) during the month of April, he rebounded and finished the season hitting . 322 (6th in the AL and 11th in the Majors), accumulating 224 hits (leading the Majors), 41 infield hits (leading the majors), 110 runs, and 45 stolen bases (3rd in the AL and 7th in the Majors). Ichiro stole the second most bases of his career (56 in 2001). Ichiro was voted onto the 2006 American League All-Star team by the fans. He started in the outfield for the AL in Pittsburgh, but went 0-3. It was Ichiro's sixth All-Star selection in his six years in the major leagues, and his fifth start (only in 2005 did he not start). On September 16, Ichiro set records in the MLB for hits and stolen bases in a 7-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals. Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Ichiro stole his AL-Single-Season record 33rd consecutive base. He also had two singles in the game in his first two at bats against Mark Redman. Mark Allen Redman (born January 5, 1974 in San Diego California) is a Major League Baseball Left-handed Starting pitcher These singles helped him extend his own record of most consecutive 200-hit seasons to begin a career to six. He broke Wade Boggs' record of most hits in a six-year period in MLB. Wade Anthony Boggs (born June 15 1958 in Omaha Nebraska) is a former Third baseman in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Boston Red Sox [11] Ichiro also won his sixth straight American League Gold Glove Award, claiming the honor each year since he entered MLB.

2007 season

On June 1, 2007, Ichiro hit in his 25th consecutive game, breaking the previous team record set by Joey Cora in 1997. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Jose Manuel Cora Amaro (born May 14, 1965 in Caguas, Puerto Rico) was a Baseball player with an 11 year career in the MLB Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians (4-3 Liván Hernández, Breaking Tim Raines' 1995 record of 40 consecutive steals, Ichiro stole his 41st consecutive base on May 3. Timothy Raines (born September 16 1959 in Sanford Florida) nicknamed "Rock"is a former Left fielder in Major League Baseball Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João He went on to set a new American League record of 45 consecutive stolen bases without being caught stealing. Because of another excellent start to begin the season, Ichiro was rewarded with another All-Star start by baseball fans.

On July 10, 2007, he became the first player to hit an inside-the-park home run in an MLB All-Star Game after an unpredictable hop off the right field wall of AT&T Park in San Francisco. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. In Baseball parlance an inside-the-park home run or "leg home run" is a play where a hitter scores a Home run without hitting the ball out of play The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic" is an annual Baseball game between players from the National League AT&T Park is an open-air ballpark, home to the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city It was also his first inside-the-park home run in his professional career. [12] Ichiro was a perfect 3-for-3 in the game and was named the most valuable player in the American League's 5-4 victory. The Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award is given to the most outstanding player in each year's Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League ( AL) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in

On July 13, Ichiro signed a contract extension with the Seattle Mariners for an additional five years, a contract lasting until 2012. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to 2012 ( MMXII) will be a Leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. [13] The deal is reported to be worth $90 million, consisting of a $17 million annual salary and $5 million signing bonus, although part of Ichiro's annual salary will be deferred with interest. [14] The Associated Press reported the contract extension Ichiro signed will defer $25 million of the $90 million and the team will not have to fully pay him until at least 2032. The deal will pay Ichiro $12 million salary each year and will defer $5. 5 million per season at 5. 5 percent. The deferred money will be paid to Ichiro in annual installments, every January 30, beginning the year after he retires. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Because of the deferred money, Ichiro's contract will be discounted to $16. 1 million. Other provisions in Ichiro's contract include a $32,000 yearly housing allowance that will rise by $1,000 each year and four first-class round trip tickets to Japan each year for his family. He will also be provided with either a new Jeep or Mercedes SUV by the team, as well as a personal trainer and interpreter. On July 29, against the Oakland A's, Ichiro collected his 1,500th major league hit. Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat He is the third fastest to reach this milestone behind Al Simmons and George Sisler. This page refers to the American baseball player For the children's performer see Al Simmons (musician. For the minor league baseball executive see George Sisler Jr For the Medal of Honor recipient see George K

On September 3, Ichiro hit a home run against New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens to reach 200 hits for the season for the seventh consecutive year. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962 in Dayton, Ohio) is an American Right-handed Pitcher in Major Suzuki is only the third player to do so, following Wee Willie Keeler (1894-1901) and Wade Boggs (1983-1989), and the first to do so starting in their rookie season. William Henry Keeler ( March 3, 1872 - January 1, 1923) in Brooklyn, New York, nicknamed "Wee Willie" was Champions Temple Cup: New York Giants defeated Baltimore Orioles, 4 games to 0 National League: Baltimore Champions Major League Baseball American League: Chicago White Stockings National League: Pittsburgh Pirates Wade Anthony Boggs (born June 15 1958 in Omaha Nebraska) is a former Third baseman in Major League Baseball, primarily with the Boston Red Sox Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies (4-1 Rick Dempsey, Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants (4-0 Dave Stewart, He is one of only eight players in Major League history to collect 200 hits in seven seasons. He also became only the fifth player in Major League history to collect 215 hits in four seasons (and the first to do so since 1937). In 2007, he again led the majors in infield hits, this time with 44.

2008 Season

Ichiro got off to a rather slow start in 2008, hitting only . 259 in April (30 for 116). As of June 8th, 2008, he is now hitting . Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common 290 with 76 hits in 262 at-bats through Seattle's first 63 games, putting him on pace for 195 hits on the season.

If Ichiro gets 131 hits in the 2008 season, he will become the youngest player to have amassed 3,000 career hits (1,278 in Japan + 1,722 in the U. S. ) in the highest professional league available to him.

If he accumulates 200 hits on the 2008 season, Ichiro will tie Wee Willie Keeler's record of 8 straight seasons with 200 or more base hits. William Henry Keeler ( March 3, 1872 - January 1, 1923) in Brooklyn, New York, nicknamed "Wee Willie" was

In a game against the San Diego Padres on May 18, 2008, Ichiro stole two bases, giving him a career total of 292, surpassing the previous team record of 290 set by Julio Cruz, who played second base from 1977 to 1983. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Julio Cruz may refer to Julio Ricardo Cruz, Argentine footballer Julio Cruz (baseball, American baseball player Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2 Reggie Jackson, Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies (4-1 Rick Dempsey, Cruz, who now does Spanish-language broadcasts of Mariners games, was watching from the broadcast booth as Ichiro broke his record.

Batting style

Awards in Japan

Personal life

The Japanese name "Ichiro" is often written 一郎, meaning "first son". The Best Nine Award is one of the awards given to players in Nippon Professional Baseball. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves (4-2 John Wetteland, MVP The Matsutaro Shoriki Award is named in honor of Matsutaro Shoriki ( Yomiuri Shimbun Lord whose achievements earned him the label of the real parent of present age Ichiro's name, however, is written with a different character, 一朗, so that his name roughly means "brightest, most cheerful". He has an elder brother, Kazuyasu Suzuki, who is a fashion designer.

Ichiro married Yumiko Fukushima, a former TV announcer, on December 3, 1999 at a small church in Santa Monica, California. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The couple have no children. They have a pet dog (Shiba Inu) named "Ikkyu". The is the smallest of the six original and distinct breeds of Dog from Japan.

Photo gallery

Ichiro against the Detroit Tigers, 2007

Ichiro in an advertisement at the Tokyo Dome in 2007

Ichiro walks back to the dugout after striking out

Ichiro on first base

Ichiro walks backs in from right field

Ichiro exercising a predefence practice

Ichiro at bat, 2002

Ichiro celebrating the team's victory with teammates

See also

References

  1. ^ (Whiting, 2004, pp. Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム Tōkyō Dōmu,) is a 55000-seat Also the famous band X Japan held their three-day long reunion concerts there in the end of March 2008 The batting championship is awarded to the Major League Baseball player in each of the American League and the National League who has the highest Batting average See also List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases Major League Baseball recognizes Stolen base champions in the American League 3000 Career Hits Closest Active Players Top 10 Career Hitters By League 240 Hits in One Season Evolution of the Single Season 2–12. )
  2. ^ Isidore, Chris (2002-01-22). See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. The latest Japanese import. CNN. Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner
  3. ^ Kuehnert, Marty. "The legend of Ichiro and 'The Throw'", The Japan Times Online, 2001-04-18. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Retrieved on 2007-07-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy.  
  4. ^ Games Won by Teams records at Baseball Almanac
  5. ^ (Whiting, 2004, pp. 25-31)
  6. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichiro_Suzuki#Career_in_Major_League_Baseball
  7. ^ Ichiro earns American League Player of the Month; Santana repeats as top hurler. MLB.com (2004-09-02). MLBcom is the official site of Major League Baseball. MLBcom is a source of baseball-related information including baseball news statistics and sports columns "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion.
  8. ^ FanGraphs
  9. ^ D'Hippolito, Joseph (2006-03-16). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Ichiro forced to eat words. CNN. Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner
  10. ^ Street, Jim (2006-03-05). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Korea upsets Japan in showdown. MLB.com. MLBcom is the official site of Major League Baseball. MLBcom is a source of baseball-related information including baseball news statistics and sports columns
  11. ^ Hickey, John (2006-07-26). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Tough night at the yard. Seattle PI.
  12. ^ Stark, Jayson (2007-07-11). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Ichiro takes roundtrip to All-Star history. ESPN. com. Retrieved on 2007-07-11. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy.
  13. ^ Brown,Patrick (2007-07-13). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Ichiro signs five-year deal with Mariners. MLB. com. Retrieved on 2007-07-13. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to
  14. ^ Associated Press (2007-07-13). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Mariners sign Ichiro through 2012 season. ESPN. com. Retrieved on 2007-07-15. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final
  15. ^ "Why Suzuki's Magic Number Is Really 56, Not .406", New York Times, May 1, 2005.  

Further reading

External links

Orix Blue Wave 1991 draft picks
1st: So Taguchi / 2nd: Jun Hagiwara / 3rd: Hiroshi Motohigashi / 4th: Ichiro Suzuki / 5th: Susumu Kitagawa / 6th: Yoshihiro Nishi / 7th: Daiki Yamamoto
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Kobe, Japan, which played in the Pacific League and was owned by the Orix Group, a Tokyo is a Major League Baseball Outfielder who currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic