The Meaning of Ichiro (28 page)

Shigetoshi Hasegawa spends his free time writing bcstselling books for readers back home. In 2003 he posted a 1.48 ERA pitching
in relief for the Mariners. (Photo by Al Tielemans/ Courtesy of
Sports Illustrated)

“I’m gonna be a part of it.” Hideki Matsui takes on New York. (Photo by Eric Ogden)

“Scary” was the word Hideki Matsui used to describe riding in a New York cab. (Photo by Eric Ogden)

Playing in all seven games of the Japan-MLB All-Stars baseball series, held in Japan in November 2002, Kazuo Matsui batted
.423. (Photo by AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS)

Kazuo Matsui signs his first autograph as a New York Met in December 2003. (Photo by AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS)

Ichiro Suzuki surrounded by pregame media: “Sometimes I wish I could make them all disappear.” (Photo by AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS)

Sony Plaza in the Ginza. Watching live MLB broadcasts in the morning has become a national pastime in Japan. (Photo by AP/WIDE
WORLD PHOTOS)

“I said to myself, I can do this.’” In the 2004 season Ichiro broke George Sisler’s single-season mark of 257 hits, a record
set in 1920 that many had believed unbreakable. (Photo by AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS)

“Don’t call me Little Matsui.” In the first game of the 2002 NPB-MLB All-Star series, Kazuo blasted home runs from both sides
of the plate. (Photo by JIJI PRESS/PANA)

During pregame warm-ups, a teammate asks Kazuo, “Where do you get your hair done?” Finding a hair salon in New York was the
least of the shortstop’s worries in 2004, as he struggled through an error-laden, injury filled first season, hitting a disappointing
.272, with only 7 home runs. (Photo by JIJI PRESS/PANA)

Ichiro and Orix BlueWave fans say sayonara to each other at Green Stadium, in Kobe, October 13, 2000. It was Ichiro’s last
game in Japanese professional baseball. (Photo by JIJI PRESS/PANA)

Several weeks later, wearing a new jersey, Ichiro appeared here at a Kyoto press conference with Howard Lincoln, CEO of the
Seattle Mariners. (Photo by JIJI PRESS/PANA)

“Wassup, dude?” Ichiro communes with new teammate Mark McLemore. (Photo by JIJI PRESS/PANA)