Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki of the Miami Marlins on Sunday became the 30th Major League Baseball player to reach the 3,000-hit milestone, an exclusive club that is considered the greatest measure of hitting excellence and physical endurance.
Suzuki, who in 2001 became the first Japanese position player, or non-pitcher, in MLB, joins Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico), Rod Carew (Panama) and Rafael Palmeiro (Cuba) as the only members of the 3,000-hit club born outside the US.
In the middle of an improbable resurgence with the Marlins at the age of 42, Suzuki achieved the feat against the Colorado Rockies on his fourth at-bat of the day when he slugged a triple off the right-field wall in the seventh inning in Denver, Colorado.
“My first three at-bats [my body felt so heavy], but after that hit a burden was lifted,” Suzuki told reporters.
The historic hit was nearly a home run, but bounced off the top of the wall and eluded Colorado outfielder Gerardo Parra.
Suzuki reached third base while standing up and stood there nonchalantly as though it was just another routine hit.
The Colorado crowd gave him a rousing ovation while Suzuki’s teammates poured out of the third-base dugout to celebrate the moment. Rockies’ players stood and applauded at the dugout rail.
“More than the number itself, you saw my teammates come out and how happy they were and how warm the fans were,” Suzuki said. “It’s about my teammates and the fans, and that’s how I felt today.”
Suzuki, who did not break into the major leagues until he was 27, is the second-oldest player to reach 3,000 hits at 42 years, 290 days.
Suzuki made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners and went on to become only the second player to win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season.
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