The chants started long before the sheet covering his name and number in left-center was dropped. They started well before he made his much-anticipated appearance from behind the wall in center field.
I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO!
As a slick highlight montage played on the Mariners massive video screen showing Ichiro’s many memorable plays, the unforgettable voice of Dave Niehaus echoed on the call of almost all of them. His raspy falsetto echoed throughout a packed T-Mobile Park — the first sellout of the season — serenading those who remembered and missed the Mariners’ first Hall of Famer like an old favorite song they’ll never forget.
For more than a few minutes, it felt like being transported back to the magical 2001 season when a mysterious, hitting sensation from Japan, slight in build and huge in aura, captivated a city and helped lead a team to a regular season record of 116 wins, a mark that seems unlikely to be replicated.
But the legacy of Ichiro as a baseball player wasn’t about one season of success as a rookie where he was named the American League’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. It wasn’t about 262 hits in a season — a record unlikely to be broken. Ichiro’s accomplishments over a professional career that spanned almost decades were a testament to focused discipline, diligent preparation and stunning consistency. That’s how you achieve 10 consecutive seasons of 200-plus hits at the MLB level and amass 4,367 hits in a career spent on two different continents.
I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO!
And then he appeared at the beckoning of master of ceremonies Rick Rizzs, a man born for such events.
Would it have surprised anyone if Ichiro came out in a full uniform, socks pulled high, carrying his black Mizuno glove and bat, ready for battle? He still wears a baseball uniform most days.
But on this day and for this occasion, he decided on being debonair. He wore a perfectly tailored navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a refined necktie. As he walked in from center field, nodding and waving to fans who were standing and applauding, the chants were deafening if not always completely in sync.
I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO!
Even at the age of 51, Ichiro still moved with the grace of a player in his prime as he walked across an outfield where he won 10 Gold Gloves. He still carries himself with the controlled emotional restraint that he displayed on the field. He gave handshakes first and followed with hugs to Mariners Hall of Famers and team dignitaries seated on the infield.
After more videos of former teammates and opponents congratulating him on his enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame and his jersey retirement, Mariners manager Dan Wilson gave a brief speech to his former teammate. Mariners chairman John Stanton then followed with an announcement that a statue of Ichiro has been commissioned and will be unveiled next season, joining the statues of Niehaus, Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez. The location of the statue was not announced, but the pose for the statue was a given — Ichiro holding the bat like a samurai sword and slightly tugging on his right sleeve. It was a ritual before every pitch in his 10,374 career plate appearances.
Then came the moment when Ichiro’s No. 51 was officially retired, joining Griffey’s No. 24, Martinez’s No. 11 and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42.
The chants rocked the stadium again.
I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO! I-CHI-RO!
And then came his speech. Similar to his speech in 2022 when he was inducted into the Mariners’ Hall of Fame, Ichiro quieted the chants and then opened with a loud:
“What’s up Seattle?!?!”
The depth of his voice when speaking English is still arresting even after his memorable speech in Cooperstown just a few weeks ago.
“I am so grateful to be here today to receive this highest of honors, but whose idea was it to have me give two speeches in English in two weeks? It’s one of the toughest challenges of my career.”
The dry sense of humor of Ichiro was only getting started.
“I would like to begin by quoting my favorite philosopher, George Kenneth Griffey Jr., ‘I am damn proud to be a Seattle Mariner.’ Just like him I realized that by going away, there really is no place like home. So yes, I also am damn proud to be a Seattle Mariner.”
After thanking the fans for their support in helping him reach these lofty honors, Ichiro turned his attention to the player, who wore No. 51 previously with the Mariners.
“I am most grateful for the actions of another person who is here, Randy Johnson,” he said. “He was No. 51 long before I ever arrived in Seattle. Without his generosity, I could not have worn that number here.”
When Ichiro was drafted by the Orix Blue Wave in Nippon Professional Baseball in 1991, he was assigned the No. 51. He didn’t choose it.
He never changed numbers with the Blue Wave, even as he developed into the best player in Japan.
“For nine years in Japan, that was the only number I ever had,” Ichiro said. “By the time I came to Seattle, 51 was part of my identity. But I knew that number already had a rich history here. When you said 51 in Seattle, you knew it meant Randy Johnson. When I came here in 2001, I could have never worn that number without Randy’s consent. He gave it and he gave it graciously. I felt, if I continued to prepared and do the things I believed in to win, I could uphold the honor that Randy created for the No. 51 in Seattle.”
The Mariners will retire Johnson’s No. 51 during the 2026 season.
After thanking the people on the infield, including members of the Mariners ownership group, current baseball president of Jerry Dipoto, the members of the team’s hall of fame in attendance, he then thanked his longtime interpreter Allen Turner and his wife, Yumiko.
The sense of humor from Ichiro came out again as he thanked Rizzs, mentioning his radio call of the unforgettable throw to third base vs. the A’s on April 11th, 2001. During his Hall of Fame speech, Ichiro did an impersonation of Rizzs’ call.
Since Rizzs wasn’t able to attend the ceremony, Ichiro did the impersonation again, yelling with a deep voice, “Holy Smokes! A laser beam from Ichiro!” It drew laughs and applause.
But then Ichiro turned serious, looking toward the Mariners dugout where the entire team and staff had been standing on the top step, watching the entire ceremony. After mentioning the success of the 2001 season, Ichiro admitted that “At the time, I thought winning was easy and I took our success for granted.”
“This year’s team has a great opportunity,” Ichiro said, and then looked right at the dugout. “You guys are strong and talented. Please do not take your talent for granted. You have a great team and a great opportunity in front of you. I understand there is pressure to win, but the thing about winning is it is always tough and never comes without pressure. Accept the pressure and figure out how you can perform at your best under pressure.
“Although I can no longer help you guys with a hit or a laser beam throw, my will and desire is always there for you. I come to the field because I want to help you be prepared for the moment. I am confident you can seize the moment.”
After a pause for applause from the players and fans, Ichiro ended his speech as only he could, yelling. “Now, let’s play ball!!”