On 2 April 2001, Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki made his Major League debut at Safeco Field. It was the first time in MLB history that a Japanese-born position player participated in a regular-season game. In that game, Suzuki hit 2-for-5 as the Mariners won 5-4 over the Oakland A’s. In his rookie season, Ichiro not only won the batting title, but also the AL MVP award, Rookie of the Year, a Gold Glove, and the stolen base title.
In spite of his lean frame, which initially raised questions about his performance potential, Ichiro has participated in ten consecutive All Star games. He has also won ten Golden Gloves and seven AL hitting titles.
