Ichiro Suzuki did it.
The Miami Marlins outfielder recorded his 3,000th MLB hit on Sunday afternoon at Coors Field, smacking a triple off the right-field wall to become the 30th player ever to join the 3-K hits club.
Ichiro, 42, didn’t make his MLB debut until age 27. He starred in Japan — where he recorded 1,278 hits in the Nippon Professional Baseball league — before coming over with the Seattle Mariners in 2001.
Ichiro won the American League MVP award that first season, batting .350, stealing 56 bases and providing some stellar defense. He’s won 10 Gold Gloves and been elected to 10 All-Star games since.
When he reached third, his teammates came out of the dugout and mobbed him. Ichiro, usually stoic, looked delighted. The Rockies recognized him for his accomplishment on the big screen.
Besides being a tremendous player, Ichiro is a fascinating human being. He is famously meticulous in his approach. He’s also a little bit quirky. During blowouts, he’s been to known to beg managers to pitch; last year the Marlins let him.
For more, you should check out this ESPN profile of him from July.
