Ichiro

[DragonKnight]

Ichiro's New Hit Record Stokes Japanese Pride

2 hours, 35 minutes ago
Sports - Reuters By Masayuki Kitano

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese school children and grown up fans cheered Ichiro Suzuki when he set a new major league baseball record for hits in a single season, a milestone that drew personal congratulations from Japan's prime minister.


Reuters Photo

The 30-year-old Seattle Mariners (news) outfielder broke George Sisler's 84-year-old mark of 257 hits, setting a new standard of 259 at Seattle's Safeco field.

"The only thing you can say is that it's amazing ... Natural talent coupled with uncommon effort. This is greatness. I want to offer my congratulations from my heart," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters at his official residence.

In Washington, Japan's ambassador to the United States Ryozo Kato released a statement.

"I would like to congratulate him from the bottom of my heart and express my respect for achieving a milestone that will be remembered in the history of the major leagues," Kyodo news agency quoted Kato as saying.

Like Japanese who traveled to Seattle to see the game, fans back home were thrilled after the fleet-footed Ichiro -- known both for his batting artistry and his charismatic cool -- first tied and then broke the record.

"I'm very happy as a Japanese. And I want him to get as many hits as possible to turn it into a record that won't be broken until the 22nd or 23rd century," said 28-year-old Toshikazu Nakamura, who watched Ichiro's game at a sports bar in Tokyo.

Japanese sports fans eagerly snatched up extra editions of Japanese dailies that were issued after Ichiro broke the record.

PERSEVERING FOR PERFECTION
Ichiro's high school coach, Takeshi Nakamura, was equally enthusiastic. "It's not just a new record, but a great record," Kyodo quoted him as saying.

Ichiro has two games left in the season to improve on the record.

Long hours of gruelling training as a child with his father perfected his swing and bat control.

Saturday, Ichiro's 61-year-old father, Nobuyuki, had a message for his son. "My body shook with emotion when I saw Ichiro's expression... I want to tell Ichiro, 'You did well to persevere'," Kyodo quoted Nobuyuki as saying.

Ichiro is one of a clutch of Japanese to seek their fortunes in the major leagues since pioneering pitcher Hideo Nomo in 1995.

His quest to break Sisler's record has made Japanese proud not least because his skill and panache have made him a star in America, too.

Pictures of Ichiro batting, tipping his helmet to fans and hugging his team mates were given front-page treatment in evening editions of Japanese newspapers.

"He's given the Japanese a sense of self-esteem they haven't had," Robert Whiting, an expert on Japanese baseball and author of a book about Ichiro, said earlier this week.

"Japanese tend to think of the United States as the world stage and it really means a lot." (Additional reporting by Hiroaki Watanabe)

Cool. Of course, there has to be something that bothers me...

"He's given the Japanese a sense of self-esteem they haven't had," Robert Whiting, an expert on Japanese baseball and author of a book about Ichiro, said earlier this week.

Alrightyyyyy...

[Faithless]

My man!

Next season .400?

[BeTheReds]

Congrats Ichiro!!!!!!!! (Now will you please get yourself traded to Baltimore?)

[mrazntre]

Let's all write to that racist bastard and talk shit.

[yoMAMA]

Ichiro did it!

congrats on that incredible achievment!

[Faithless]

Originally Posted by BeTheReds

Congrats Ichiro!!!!!!!! (Now will you please get yourself traded to Baltimore?)

L.A.

They seem to have most of the Asian players.

[Faithless]

So, just what other hitting records are possibly within reach for Mr. Suzuki?

Number of consecutive 200 hit games. Willie Keeler and Pete Rose started their regular season careers with 8 consecutive 200 hit seasons. (Can't find other sites that say if anyone has hit in more consecutive seasons.)

http://www.cmgww.com/baseball/keeler/bio.html

Fastest to 1000 hits. Willie Keeler, again, did it in 600 something games. Ichiro has 912 hits in 626. Pete Rose got 1000 hits in just over five seasons. If these records still stand, then Ichiro is within reach of beating them too.

[Faithless]

Damn! Three straight posts.

Ichiro fears Japanese honor would sap his drive

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

TOKYO -- Ichiro Suzuki declined a prestigious award from his country for a second time, saying he doesn't want fans to think he's accomplished all he could.

The Mariners outfielder set a major league record this year for hits in a season with 262, topping the 257 George Sisler set in 1920, and the Japanese government wanted to give him the People's Honor Award.

Suzuki said he was flattered, but worried it would undermine his dedication and mislead the public into believing he has reached his limit as a player, chief cabinet secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said yesterday.

Suzuki hopes he can receive the award after he retires, which is "a long away off," Hosoda said.

He also turned down the award three years ago, after winning AL MVP honors and leading the league in batting and stolen bases.