Day Fifty One: ICHIRO

It took a while but here we are. There are many great players that I have had the pleasure to watch as a Mariners fan over these three decades: Griffey, ARod, Randy, and Edgar. All of these players innovated their positions and changed the way that the game is played. For all these fruitless years of championship-less baseball the Mariner fan has been treated to arguably the very best in cutting edge talent that the game has known since Mays and Mantle were changing the game a couple subway stations away from one another in the New York of the 1950s. They named an award after Edgar, Griffey is still the only baseball player ever to have a popular shoe, ARod was the best shortstop ever (come at me bro), and Randy the greatest lefthanded pitcher that anyone still living has ever seen (There's no way other than stats to compare him to Lefty Grove but it's still a fun discussion). But each of these players was only as big as the game. Even at the pinnacle of his fame, Griffey was not Michael Jordan. He could walk around Southcenter and only be followed by a handful of weirdos (I witnessed this in like 93 or so). But the fifth paradigm-shattering player that ever suited up for the Mariners is in many ways bigger than the sport of baseball. His legacy so huge that he exists in a category with only a few select sports heroes: A bunch of soccer guys I don't know, Lebron James, and Michael Jordan (you could probably put Kobe in there too, but whatver). For ten years people came from across the globe just to watch Ichiro caress the grass out in right field. And every time he took the field it was going to be a global event. And I am certainly biased because I saluted the man dozens of times from the stands when he took the field over those brilliant and game altering seasons. What a joy it was.

When Ichiro broke into the game back in 2001 he was well known throughout the international world of baseball. Of course, the inherent racism of mainstream white US society and by extension ,the powers of the MLB, were less than confident that a Japanese (or Korean, or Taiwanese, or Chinese for that matter) player could have "the strength" necessary to compete in the big leagues. This tired and unfortunately very effective, backwardness, the same racism that keeps Latin players out of managerial positions throughout the game, and pushed Black Americans to find another sport in increasing numbers, made it so that an Asian position player never got an opportunity until 2001. This is despite that fact that the Japanese Central and Pacific Leagues, and the KBA are TOP baseball leagues. Japan and Korea are crazier about their national past-time than anyone outside of the most despicable shut-in (all of us now?) losers in the USA. But finally, despite all the fools, in 2001 Ichiro got his shot.

My dad and I were at opening night that year against the Oakland A's with his buddy Jeff. We were sitting in the 300 level pretty much directly behind homeplate and got a chance to watch that very first game in the legendary season and history of Mariners. Ichiro looked rushed (haha little did I know that everything he did was rushed and planned that way) in his first three ab's and the Mariners found themselves in a 0-4 hole. It looked like it was going to be another Mariners type game. But they got a run back in the 4th and the 5th making it 2-4. Then Ichiro led off in the 7th. He slapped a groundball sharply up the middle into centerfield. He rounded first and that was that. There was Ichiro Suzuki's first career major league hit. We rose from our seats and cheered mightily. It was a victory regardless of whether the M's ended up winning the game. Ichiro Suzuki was here. He had officially put his name in the annals of US pro baseball. And it was just getting started. He came around to score and the game was tied that inning. Like so many subsequent rallies in that mystical season, it was Ichiro who churned up the fire.

In the bottom of the 8th he had his first bunt single of his career and advanced to second (Guillen to third) on the pitcher's throwing error. Something that would happen an awful lot in the coming months. He just couldn't be contained. He had plenty of strength for the MLB. And he was bringing it every fucking night.

That was his rookie season here in the states, but he was as savvy as they come with years of legendary success in the Pacific League. He blazed through the competition, using his talent and his mind to have success in all situations. He is still the only leadoff man I have ever seen intentionally walked (multiple times). He was that much of a game changer. He was what I imagine Rickey was like back in those early Oakland days. Except it looked different. It was utterly new. If Ichi made contact he could get to first, and the pressure from his insane (seriously it is easy to forget because he got old, but Ichiro was the fastest player I have ever seen run the bases) speed and jump out of the box would cause an errant throw or a bobble and then he's on second. Or maybe even third. And all it takes is a single and he's home. He just scored all the fucking time. It is telling that 2001 saw the greatest homerun total and the single season record for rookie hits fall in the same year. It was a year of iconic contrasts and tons of fun. Both Ichiro and Barry were pleasures to watch that summer. And their subsequent friendship has been a pleasure as well.

But Ichiro was just getting started changing things in 2001. In 2004 he broke a record so ridiculous that nobody even talks about it. Some talk about Dimaggio's streak, or Cal's streak, but the fact that a player in 2004 hit 262 times safely is utterly insane. That will never ever be topped. It is unimaginable. It is incredibly rare just sixteen years later to see anyone get 200 hits. It is just not done anymore. Someone may one day hit in 57 straight games, but they will never hit safely 263 times. I would bet my savings (debt) on it. It is the single greatest achievement that I have seen from a baseball player in my lifetime.

And we sat right behind Ichiro in the sunny June (it was amazingly nice that June 10th) weather in our shirtsleeves the day after Madeline and I were married. Watching the legend ply his trade that year of 2012. I saluted him as vigorously as I ever had and he bowed to us all with his hand to his chest just as he always did after rubbing the grass. It was the Dodgers' RF that had the day that afternoon though. Andre Ethier hit a grandslam over our heads and the Mariners lost badly. But it was a great day in the ballpark with the woman I love more and more each day. And she wore an Ethier jersey I had gotten for her and was rooting for the Dodgers and we sat in RF to be behind Ethier so it worked out ok I think. It was great. It is my most treasured Mariner's game although I felt like I was on a large dose of mushrooms or acid the entire day. It was surreal and amazing and we fell asleep at like 6 pm that Sunday evening.

And that was the last time that I saw Ichiro as a Mariner. I didn't go to any games when he returned, and I never saw him as a Yankee or a Marlin. But that was a fitting way to end my decade long love affair with his game. He was the best. He is the best. He changed the game and even when the racism of the media and fanbase attempted to stop him from being who he is, he wouldn't take it. Everytime I saw him conduct his interviews in Japanese even if he could speak English I was reminded of Roberto Clemente and the impact he had for so many. It is a beautiful thing to watch someone take pride in their culture in the face of bigotry and racism. If you wanted Ichiro to be any other way than he was then I'm sorry for you. But the man he was, is, and will forever be is the greatest Mariner of all-time and my favorite player ever. Thank you Ichiro for taking me from my final year of high school, through the toughest times of my life in the 00's, into sobriety, and into the most beautiful relationship that I could ever hope for. I will take my daughter Winona to the ballpark one day and point out to the fence in rightfield where there will be the number 51 retired prominently and I will tell her about you. (Just teared up a bit writing that last sentence).