COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. \u2014 If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy.<\/p>\n
Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown.<\/p>\n
Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki\u2019s acceptance speech.<\/p>\n
The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers\u2019 ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn\u2019t vote for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,\u201d Suzuki said to roaring laughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,\u201d he added, with emphasis on \u201cexpired\u201d for good measure.<\/p>\n
A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted.<\/p>\n
An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki\u2019s No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted \u201cIchiro\u201d several times throughout the day. A sign that read \u201cThank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend\u201d in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day.<\/p>\n