The China Mail - Ichiro becomes first Japanese player elected to MLB Hall of Fame

Ichiro headlines the 2025 Hall of Fame class to be enshrined at Cooperstown, New York, which also includes pitcher CC Sabathia and relief pitcher Billy Wagner.

In his first year of eligibility, the 51-year-old Ichiro fell just one vote shy of unanimous selection in balloting by the Baseball Writers Association of America -- something achieved to date only by Yankees pitching great Mariano Rivera.

But for a player who had already stamped himself a star in his homeland before he got his shot at the Major Leagues, the call to Cooperstown was enough.

"This challenge started in 2001 and now it's 2025, I couldn't imagine that it would get to this point where I would be today," Ichiro said through an interpreter in an interview with MLB Network.

"There was a time that I didn't even know if I'd get the chance to play in the MLB. So what an honor it is for me to be here and to be a Hall of Famer. It's a special day."

Ichiro was 27 when he made his debut with the Mariners in 2001, becoming the first Japanese position player, as opposed to a pitcher, to play in the US major leagues.

He won both American League Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year honors that year, going on to earn 10 All-Star nods, 10 Gold Glove awards and three Silver Slugger Awards.

He finished his career with 3,089 hits in MLB -- on top of 1,278 he piled up in nine years in Japan.

His 4,367 hits as a professional are the most of any player in baseball history, surpassing MLB's all-time leader Pete Rose (4,256).

He amassed two batting titles, 1,420 runs and 509 stolen bases in more than 19 Major League seasons while expanding the horizons for Japanese players aiming to make the move Stateside when some still doubted that their skills would translate to MLB.

In 2004 Ichiro won his second batting title and broke George Sisler's 84-year-old record with 262 hits -- part of a stretch of 10 straight seasons with at least 200 hits.

Sabathia, a left-handed starting pitcher who won a World Series with the New York Yankees, was also elected in his first year of eligibility while Wagner, an imposing closing pitcher, was elected in his 10th and final appearance on the writers' ballot.

Sabathia pitched more than 3,577 innings and piled up 251 wins. With 3,093 strikeouts he's one of only 15 pitchers, and one of just three left-handers, with at least 3,000 strikeouts and 250 wins.

He won the American League Cy Young Award with Cleveland in 2007 and helped the Yankees to the 2009 World Series title in the first of his 11 seasons in the Bronx.

Wagner is the ninth closing pitcher to be elected to the Hall of Fame. In 16 seasons with the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves he compiled 422 saves with 1,196 strikeouts, earning All-Star honors seven times.

A.Zhang--ThChM