I think Ichiro and Matsui broke the ice, and from the Japanese players point of view, they wanted to come over here too, and prove they could play in the highest league in the world, Hendry says. . Fukudome might not have had the reputation that Ichiro had, but he was a really good hitter, and I think there was more of a comfort zone that even though he wasnt going to be a big power guy, everyone thought he was going to hit for a high average and hit for average power and play great defense in right field, which he did, Hendry says. All rights reserved. "Looking back on it now, now understanding the context and symbolism of a former Mariners icon facing a new one, on national television, in Seattle of all places, it's a pretty special moment.". When I saw Long head for third, I just said, Youre out. He was the lead playbyplay announcer for the American League's Seattle Mariners from their inaugural season in 1977 until his death after the 2010 season. This is the one that really shows what a laser it was. If they're not careful he'll take third too. A Celebration of Life for Dave Niehaus; Podcasts; 2013 Seattle Seahawks Online Scrapbook; Daily Archives: February 24, . Naturally, in a matchup between Seattles current star and its former one, Ichiro singled off Randy Johnson in the bottom of the first. His last was Ichiro Suzuki's fly out to end the Mariners' final game this year on Oct. 3. In the bottom of the inning, he replaced Anthony Sanders in right field and proceeded to show what set him apart. SEATTLE -- It began like an outdoor concert for an iconic rock star, and in many ways, Ichiro Suzuki carries that reputation in these parts. Ichiro Suzuki established himself as a top fielder immediately upon joining the Seattle Mariners in 2001. Remembering Dave Niehaus. Former Mariners Alvin Davis, Jay Buhner, and team announcer Dave Niehaus of the Seattle Mariners throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game on. Salk: New MLB rules a plus, but theres a better way with pitch clock, Mariners Notebook: Julio Rodrguez fine, undeterred after wall crash. I remember seeing his face, and this sounds strange, but he didnt seem dejected, he seemed pissed, Small says. Do you know who had the second highest? Even though I retired as an active player, baseball and Seattle have never left my heart, Ichiro said. Once asked about comparing his body routine to NFL superstar Tom Brady, Ichiro responded with an all time quote: When baseball is your entire life, it may be difficult to find enjoyment in other things. Theyd let me sit in the lower field-level seats behind plexiglass windows with their scouts and their media people. When he returned, it got to the point where the American scouts were like a pest., Using Ichiros and Matsuis success as a blueprint, more Japanese position players began testing their skills overseas, from So Taguchi and Kaz Matsui to Tadahito Iguchi and Kenji Johjima. Youre going to hit a home run off Kevin Brown tonight, Colborn remembers telling him. His first All-Star Game was one of those, coming in an at-bat against Randy Johnson. I was 27 years old when I came to Seattle. He was the lead play-by-play announcer for the American League's Seattle Mariners from their inaugural season in 1977 until his death after the 2010 season. Niehaus was a constant. talent - Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro Suzuki - with no World Series to show for it. Ken Griffey Jr., Jamie Moyer, manager Lou Piniella and broadcaster Dave Niehaus. He was just pissed., Small also reiterates how Ichiros rookie year had much bigger implications than just a championship. The influence of people like Ichiro and Matsui raised the reputation of Japanese fielders. Earlier in the decade, Hendry had leaned on Pacific Rim scout Leon Lee to take the temperature of players eligible to be posted, and as the franchises international staff expanded, he found Fukudome fit a need in right field. As Ichiro went, so did the Mariners. Ichiro would come up to bat and Mr. Niehaus could tell you the funniest story about him. Nicknamed Godzilla, the Yomiuri Giants outfielder had been Japans most prolific power hitter, superseding Ichiro in popularity thanks to his teams mainstream appeal. I love the call on that play - the fact that the announcer has the time and presence of mind to include the "look at the throw from right" as the ball's still in the air makes it so much better to me. But everybody knew it could only be Dave Niehaus. I've never understood it's something like "The throw by Ichiro beautiful, peg he got him." Hed come in the clubhouse [and] he did the same thing right in a row, McLaren says. Ichiro just defies what most athletes are capable of. Ichiro received the most votes for the 2001 All-Star Game, the first rookie ever to do so. Youve got to be really, really good to break that mold., As Orixs pitching coach between 1990 and 1993, Jim Colborn remembers hearing Ichiros name echoing constantly throughout the organization. My friend and I always used to say Terrensh Long. After he broke the hits record, you would see him on a lot of billboards in Japan, Whiting says. There was an arrogance there, like going to Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower.. After returning home for dinner and schoolwork, hed work in the batting cage from 9:30 to 11. In 2001, Ichiro Suzuki made his MLB debut for the Seattle Mariners. I wasn't ready for 116 kisses from the manager.. "Just see what happens. From Diego Segui's first pitch on April 6, 1977, through the end of the 2010 season, Niehaus called 5,284 of the Mariners' 5,385 games. Follow Unfollow. He's saying the throw was a beautiful peg. He opened the eyes of America to Japanese baseball, Small says. I feel like ending is so important, Ichiro said. Go go go go Ichiro. At the age of 42, he tripled off the wall in right field at Colorados Coors Field for his 3,000th hit. Its a charisma that I think has to do with stature and perceived vulnerability.. He also addressed Piniella. Reflecting on his overall legacy, which will likely include an enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame when hes first eligible in 2025, Ichiro spoke with closure. Importantly, Japanese players could measure themselves against Ichiro, who measured himself against MLB, Colborn says. , "Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus dies at 75", "2008 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Dave Niehaus | Baseball Hall of Fame", "Loss of a legend: Dave Niehaus, voice of Mariners, dies at 75", "Farewell to Dave Niehaus, a Seattle Legend", "Greatest nicknames of all time - SweetSpot- ESPN", "Mariners Moments in Time - Dave Niehaus, Mariners blog, play by play, MLB Radio, Hall of Fame", "New song about Dave Niehaus by Seattle rapper Macklemore", "Rapper Macklemore's new song pays tribute to Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus | KING5.com Seattle", "Bronze Dave Niehaus statue unveiled at Safeco Field | KING5.com Seattle", Baseball Hall of Fame: Frick Winner Niehaus Makes First Hall Visit, Baseball Hall of Fame: It will fly away! Ichiro Suzuki Baseball player. I've always thought it was "The throw by Ichiro, beautiful peg, he got him." David Arnold Niehaus was an American sportscaster. He excelled at the little things, blending new school and old school, and carved out a niche that forced the rest of MLB to catch up. Game after game, the Mariners skipper had watched Ichiro Suzuki slap and bloop and pepper fastballs everywhere between left field and the third-base dugout. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Most days, I still wear the Mariners uniform, and I do so proudly, Ichiro said. By high school, he had also developed a contorted batting stance in which he picked up his front leg and moved it like a long, slow pendulum back toward the catcher, as T.R. Theyre taking some of our weight training regimens and the way we approach the game in the States and applying it to what theyre doing, says Small, who lived in Japan from 2003 to 2019. That doesn't happen in Japan. Related: Groz Remembers: Ichiro's 'Star Wars' throw in 2001 2. The American League, originally founded in 1901, consists of the following teams: Baltimore Orioles; Boston Red Sox; Chicago White Sox; Cleveland Indians; Detroit Tigers; Houston Astros; Kansas City Royals; Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; Minnesota Twins; New York Yankees; Oakland Athletics; Seattle Mariners; Tampa Bay Rays; Texas Rangers; and Toronto Blue Jays. It lasted an incredible 84 years until Ichiro came along. I was shocked. The Colossal Legacy of Ichiros Rookie Season, 20 Years Later, Ichiro shot Nissan commercials in the United States, he told National League manager Bobby Valentine. Ichiro will first be eligible for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in . Terrance Long was over halfway from second to third when Ichiro picked up that ball. Everything was just precise. On road trips, Ichiro distinguished himself by carrying his bat in a violin-case humidor and stowing it in the overhead compartment instead of the planes belly; on the field, he always made sure his glove was unharmed. I never go up to a player and tell him or give him advice or anything like that, Ichiro said. ", Let's not forget this one either. MLB.com also offers extensive historical information and footage, online ticket sales, official baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles and fantasy games. Paraphrasing the writer in his 2021 book Tokyo Junkie, Whiting explains this stemmed from an inability to prevail in international sports events, save for the odd marathon or judo triumph. The first Japanese-born position player to make the majors also filled the Mariners celebrity void left by Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., and Randy Johnson, all of whom had recently departed Seattle. Hes baseballs all-time hit king, was named to 10 straight American League All-Star teams, and is one of only two players ever to win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Everything was like clockworkhed get his massage, hit off the tee, light weights, stretch, snack. Flix Hernndez will be inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame in August, the club announced Wednesday. The Japanese approach to hitting is such a cookie-cutter approachthey all hit the same, Whiting says. Ive been looking for this angle for a while. What are you going to do now?, By then, MLB clubs couldnt afford to not have Pacific Rim scouts navigating both Japan and Korea. They tied MLBs regular-season record with 116 wins and had the third-highest bWAR in baseball history (67.1). Hes funny in that way., We just wanted to see that in a game, Piniella later told the media, a statement that Seattle Times reporter Bob Sherwin interpreted the next day: Everyone can now take a deep breath.. His breakthrough offered a glimpse of the sports past and future, all while distinguishing him as a singularly timeless talent. Fun Players. He stops the ball with the greatest of ease. **, Press J to jump to the feed. "To come over here and pave the way for a lot of Japanese players, what he and (Hideo) Nomo did, that's not an easy thing to do," said Oakland manager Bob Melvin, who managed Suzuki for two seasons in Seattle. This might actually be the greatest catch of all-time. Ichiro, whose arm could throw lasers "like something out of 'Star Wars,'" as late Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus famously said, retires as the active leader in outfield assists (123). Check out http://m.mlb.com/video for our full archive of videos, and subscribe on YouTube for the best, exclusive MLB content: http://youtube.com/MLB About MLB.com:Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's internet operations into an independent technology company. I thought to myself if this is customary in America, I might not make it here. Ichiro was showing signs of what he can do at the plate, hitting .371 at the time, but this was a sign of what the Mariners truly had. As a result, he substituted power for placement, lining, blooping, and grounding the ballhis body already a step out of the boxbefore beating out what appeared to be routine plays. From 2001-2010, Ichiro set a Major League record with 10 consecutive seasons of 200 or more hits. About an hour later, Ichiro led off the game by hitting Browns fourth pitch 400 feet and depositing it into the right-field bleachers. Ichiro came up throwing, and no one who saw it or heard Dave Niehaus' memorable call will ever forget it. 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