Screen grab from YouTube/Seattle Mariners
A statue honoring Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki was unveiled on Friday morning outside T-Mobile Park, celebrating one of baseball’s most iconic players—but the moment came with a twist.
The ceremony was led by Rick Rizz, the Mariners’ beloved longtime announcer.
“We’re gonna count down from 51. No, we’re not,” Rizz joked, nodding to Ichiro’s iconic jersey number. “Here we go…. Four, three, two, one. Here it is.”
As the cloth was pulled away, the crowd noticed something surprising: the statue’s bat was broken.
Ichiro could be seen laughing and pointing at the statue.
“There’s a fastball in sight. And he’s still gotta face it. What a remarkable piece of art, ladies and gentlemen, Hall of Famer and global superstar number 51,” Rizz said.
The Mariners also acknowledged the moment on social media, posting on X: “We’ve updated tonight’s Ichiro Replica Statue giveaway,” with an image of the broken bat. The post appears to be tongue-in-cheek, playfully nodding to the unexpected detail.
From X/@Mariners
Rizz highlighted Ichiro’s legendary career while walking through the statue’s inscription: “Ichiro Suzuki. Seattle Mariners 2001-2012, 2018, 2019, and in his career with that two-game series at the Tokyo Dome. Three thousand eighty-nine career Major League hits, 4,367 professional hits between the United States and Japan. The 2001 American League MVP and Rookie of the Year.”
He continued: “Two American League batting titles, 10-time All-Star, 10 Gold Gloves, 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons. He set the single-season record with 262 hits in 2004. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022. Known by his iconic first name, he wore his jersey with pride. Each row was Major League Baseball’s first Japanese position player. His unique style of play impacted the game at the plate, in the field, and on the bases. Truly an iconic statue, just like Ichiro himself.”
After the ceremony, Ichiro joked that New York Yankees Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera got the best of him.
“I didn’t think Mariano would come out here,” he said with a smile, “and break the bat.”
It did not take long for the Mariners to fix the statue—the bat was soon turned upright and reconnected at the handle.
The way a jovial Ichiro saw it, his statue having an imperfection was only fitting.
“In the Hall of Fame, I was short one vote,” he said. “Today, the bat was broke. It kind of lets me know that I’m still not there, that I still need to keep going. So, this is a good example of that.”
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