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Seattle Mariners icon Ichiro Suzuki was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the last week of July. The Mariners paid tribute to the franchise legend by retiring his jersey on Saturday.
Ahead of the Mariners' game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Seattle fans at T-Mobile Park roared as the franchise retired his No. 51. His jersey number was displayed next to Edgar Martinez’s No. 11, Ken Griffey Jr.'s No. 24 and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42.
During his jersey retirement speech, Suzuki paid an emotional tribute to his wife, Yumiko.
"To my wife Yumiko, I cannot wait to have another hot dog with her at today's game," Suzuki said (36:00 onwards).
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Ichiro Suzuki's comment was a reference to his Hall of Fame speech, where he revealed having a hot dog with his wife on a date night during a minor league game after his retirement in 2019.
“We did it the American way by eating hot dogs,” Suzuki said. “Of all the experiences baseball has given me, enjoying a hot dog at a game with the person most responsible for helping me reach this moment was the most special.”
Ichiro Suzuki credited wife Yumiko for her support throughout his career
While Ichiro Suzuki made a seamless transition to MLB from Japan, there were doubts about his stature and power when he first arrived in the States to join the Mariners in 2001.
However, his wife, Yumiko, never doubted the MLB legend's abilities. Suzuki acknowledged her support in a heartfelt message during the Hall of Fame speech.
"The person who supported me the most was my wife, Yumiko," Suzuki said. "It would only be natural if she had doubts too. But she 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 tried to be consistent as a player. But she’s the most consistent teammate I’ve ever had.”
Ichiro Suzuki finished his career as one of the greatest players in MLB history and fell short of a unanimous Hall of Fame induction by one vote. The Mariners announced a statue will be erected in Suzuki's honor at T-Mobile Park in 2026.
