| abstract | - Ichiro is a current major league baseball player and possibly a future Hall of Famer.
- Ichiro moved to the United States in 2001 after playing nine years for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. When the Blue Wave posted him after the 2000 season, Ichiro's rights were won by the Seattle Mariners and he signed a contract with them. He became the first Japanese-born everyday position player in the Major Leagues. Ichiro did not miss a beat in his transition. He immediately established himself as one of the premier players in the Major Leagues. 2004 was his most impressive offensive season yet, as he set several MLB records, including a new all-time, single-season Major League record with 262 hits. Ichiro, equipped with one of the strongest and most accurate throwing arms in the league, is generally recognized as one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball. He has won a Gold Glove award in each of his first nine years in the majors as an outfielder. Ichiro had a career-high27-game hitting streak in 2009, and reached 200 hits for a record 9th consecutive year and also 9th consecutive year to start career. He is one short of Pete Rose's major league record total of 10 seasons of 200 hits. Ichiro is the first MLB player to join Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club). He was also selected the 2007 All Star Game MVP, going three for three and hitting the event's first ever inside-the-park home run. Ichiro is arguably considered today's best hitter for average, although Albert Pujols has now passed him in career batting average, as of late April 2008, Pujols at .332 and Suzuki at .331, after hitting only .252 (30-for-119) in April. He has both tremendous slap-hitting and fielding abilities. In 2001, Ichiro finished first in batting average and stolen bases, the first player to accomplish this feat since Jackie Robinson. He holds many Mariners club records, some of which include most multi-hit games, most infield singles, and most games hit safely.
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