Ichiro’s Hall Speech Includes Wild Marlins Confession
Ichiro Suzuki delivered one of the weekend’s biggest surprises in Cooperstown when he thanked the Miami Marlins during his Hall of Fame speech — and admitted he had never heard of them before signing.
“To the Miami Marlins. I appreciate David Samson and Mike Hill for coming today,” Ichiro said Sunday. “Honestly, when you guys called to offer me a contract for 2015, I had never heard of your team.”
Samson is the club’s former president and Mike Hill its former general manager.
Rob Friedman posted video of the segment on social media.
The crowd laughed, but the moment captured what made Ichiro so compelling — dry humor, honesty and global perspective.
Ichiro, who spent most of his career with the Seattle Mariners, joined the Marlins late in his journey, playing in Miami from 2015 to 2017. At 41, he was no longer the all-world leadoff man but still brought poise, preparation and a flair for moments.
His tenure in Miami included his 3,000th Major League hit — a triple in Colorado — which remains one of the most iconic swings in Marlins history.
In total, Ichiro logged 432 games with Miami, finishing with 236 hits and a .256 average. His numbers were modest but his presence was anything but. Even in a rebuilding clubhouse, Ichiro’s routines and quiet leadership set the tone.
Before Miami, Ichiro built a Hall of Fame résumé in Seattle, where he arrived in 2001 after dominating in Japan. He earned both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors that season, made 10 All-Star teams, won 10 Gold Gloves and set the all-time single-season hits record in 2004.
His career stretched across continents and generations, touching even the teams he once knew nothing about.