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Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
‘Rookie' Ichiro among five inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame
NEW YORK, July 28 — Japanese superstar Ichiro Suzuki said he felt like a rookie all over again yesterday when he and four other legends were enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame. CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner and the late Dave Parker and Dick Allen also were inducted into the sport's honor roll at ceremonies near the Hall in Cooperstown, New York. But the moment was extra special for 51-year-old Suzuki, the first Japanese-born player to enter the Hall. 'Today, I'm feeling something I thought I would never know again,' Suzuki said. 'For the third time, I am a rookie.' 'Ichiro' made his debut in the Japan League for the Orix BlueWave in 1992 and played there through 2000 before joining Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners, where his newcomer feeling led to an epic 18-year career as an outfielder whose bat control and ball placement were astonishing. Suzuki was a 10-time MLB All-Star and set an MLB record with 262 hits in a single season. He was the American League Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in 2001, when he led the AL in batting and stolen bases. The only other MLB player with MVP and top rookie awards in the same year was Fred Lynn in 1975. Suzuki finished his MLB career with 3,089 hits, a .311 batting average with 117 home runs, 780 runs batted in and 509 stolen bases. Suzuki was a near-unanimous selection for the Hall in a media poll, one ballot failing to go his way in his first time as a candidate. Suzuki had invited that writer to dinner but in his speech said, 'the offer for that writer to have dinner at my home has now expired.' When he wasn't drawing laughter, Suzuki was opening up about the transition he made from Japan to the United States. 'I think you can imagine, there was much doubt when I tried to become the first position player from Japan in MLB,' he said. 'But it was more than just that. There was criticism and negativity. Someone even said to me, 'Don't embarrass the nation.' 'The person who supported me the most was my wife, Yumiko. It would only be natural if she had doubts too. But she never made me feel them...I tried to be consistent as a player but she was the most consistent teammate I've ever had.' Suzuki also recalled facing doubters who questioned if a fielder of his size could make it in MLB. 'If you consistently do the little things, there is no limit to what you can achieve,' Suzuki said. 'Look at me. I'm 5-foot-11 (1.80m) and 170 pounds (77.1kg). When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger Major Leaguers. 'The first time I ran out on the field, I was in awe of the competition, but I knew if I stuck to my beliefs about preparation, I could overcome the doubts. Even my own.' — AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ichiro Suzuki becomes comedian during Baseball Hall of Fame induction speech
COOPERSTOWN, NY. — The day was filled with passionate speeches, inspirational messages, and ended Sunday with a comedy show by the least suspecting Hall of Famer, with most of the audience unaware he even spoke English. Ichiro Suzuki, the first Japanese Hall of Famer in baseball history, brought down the house with one of the most humorous speeches since the late Bob Uecker. Suzuki, who has had a full-time interpreter since he arrived in the United States in 2001, delivered his entire speech in English, cracking jokes with a perfect delivery, entertaining the crowd of 30,000 at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He was one of five players inducted in the 76th induction ceremony, joined by CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner and the late Dick Allen and Dave Parker. 'People often measure me by my records,'' Suzuki said. '3,000 hits, 10 Gold Gloves, 10 seasons of 200 hits. Not bad, huh? But the truth is that without baseball, you would say, 'This guy is such a dumbass.'" Suzuki's comedy act was just beginning, reciting baseball stats, his 3,089 hits, his record 262-hit season, and saying how his career was recognized by the Baseball Writers Association of America, but it still wasn't good enough for the one anonymous writer who didn't vote for him, preventing him from joining Mariano Rivera as the only unanimous Hall of Famers in history. He paused, listened to the laughter from the crowd, and then with a perfect delivery said, 'Oh, by the way, and that offer for that writer to have dinner at my house has now ... expired.'' He thanked the Seattle Mariners and Hall of Fame GM Pat Gillick for believing in him and signing him in 2001, thanked the New York Yankees for his 2 ½ years with them, and Hall of Famer Derek Jeter for his valuable leadership. And then thanked the Miami Marlins for extending his career for three more years, but with a twist: 'Honestly, when you guys called to offer me a contract for 2015,'' Suzuki said, pausing again, 'I had never heard of your team.'' Suzuki's teammates all knew that he spoke perfect English, and had a delightful sense of humor, but now the baseball world became clued into his secret. 'I played with him for three years, so I knew he could do that,'' Sabathia said. 'I was just excited for people to get to know his personality and how funny he is.'' In the press conference after the ceremony, Suzuki said there was never any thought to delivering his speech in Japanese, saying it was important to him to provide humor to the fans and baseball officials in attendance in Cooperstown, while also making sure everyone understood the importance of respecting the game. 'I always said that being a Hall of Famer wasn't a goal,'' Suzuki said, 'but to make people laugh here was a goal of mine.'' The only time Suzuki spoke Japanese during his entire speech was thanking Hideo Nomo for giving him the courage to play Major League Baseball. 'Because of Hideo's courage,'' Suzuki said, my eyes opened to the idea of challenging myself by going somewhere I never imagined.' Nomo was the first Japanese player in 30 years to play in MLB in 1995, pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and was an inspiration to Suzuki, who wrote an essay when he was in the sixth grade that he wanted to be a professional baseball player. 'I think you can imagine, there was much doubt when I tried to become the first position player from Japan in MLB,' he said. 'But it was more than just that. There was criticism and negativity. Someone even said to me, 'Don't embarrass the nation.' 'I encourage young players to dream, and dream big, but to also understand the difference between your dream and the goal. In order to make your dream your goal, you must be honest in thinking about what is important to achieve it.'' CC Sabathia hopes to see more Blacks in baseball Sabathia stressed throughout his speech and afterwards in a press conference, that he wants to do everything in his power to make sure he's not the last Black pitcher inducted into the Hall of Fame. He wants to be a role model in hopes of increasing the Black population of baseball, declining to just 6% on opening-day rosters this season. 'When I first started watching baseball, and Dave Parker was crushing homers,'' Sabathia said, 'the number of black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw all of those guys on TV. There was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball unfiorm. 'Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but the baseball culture has not always great for Black people. I hope we're starting to turn that around. ... 'I'm sitting here and thinking about it now, 'Who's next? Who's the next Black starting pitcher to win 20 games? Will there be another? I don't want to be the final Black pitcher standing here giving a Hall of Fame speech. I think it's on me and the next generation to find that next kid.'' Sabathia's speech also was effusive in praise for the women in his life, from his mother, Margie, to his aunts and grandmother, Ethel Rufus, raising him in Vallejo, California. He wouldn't be on stage this day, he said, if not for the love and support of his wife, Amber. His mother used to put on catcher's equipment to help him work on his pitching mechanics, and even talking about pitch selection in the garage. And he spent plenty of nights at his grandmother's house where he would pick grapefruits from her tree and throw them at a folding chair used as a strikezone in the back yard. When he wanted to work at Marine World as a teenager, his grandmother wouldn't let him, telling him he needed to focus on baseball. 'You'd be lucky to have even one of those women in your life,'' Sabathia said, 'and I had them all. A village of women who raised me, guided me, made me laugh, fed me, protected me, and a few times, literally save me, starting with my mom.'' Billy Wagner's wait finally ends Wagner, who had to wait until the 10th and final year of eligibility to enter the Hall of Fame while Suzuki and Sabathia made it on the first ballot, thanked dozens of teammates from Jeff Bagwell to Russ Springer to his pitching coaches to bullpen catchers to managers to writers. Wagner, 5-foot-10, is the second pitcher to be inducted under six feet tall. 'I wasn't the biggest, I wasn't left-handed [until twice breaking his right arm], I wasn't supposed to be here,' Wagner said. 'Perseverance isn't just a trait. It's a path to greatness. 'Being up here today, I feel like my baseball life has come full circle.' Dave Parker: Poet Parker, who died last month after battling Parkinson's since 2012, was able to let his son, David Parker II, present just what he wanted to say in his Hall of Fame speech, and wrote a poem before he passed. Here I am, 39. About damn time. I know I had to wait a little, but that's what you do with fine aged wine. I'm a Pirate for life. Wouldn't have it no other way. That was my family, even though I didn't go on Parade Day. I love y'all, the Bucs on my heart because those two championships I got, y'all played in the first part. I'm in the Hall now, you can't take that away. That statue better look good -- you know I got a pretty face. Top-tier athlete, fashion icon, sex symbol. No reason to list the rest of my credentials. I'm him, period. The Cobra. Known for my rocket arm, and I will run any catcher over. To my friends, families: I love y'all. Thanks for staying by my side. I told y'all Cooperstown would be my last ride.'' Dick Allen presented by his widow Allen's widow, Willa Allen, spoke for the Allen family, letting people know that her husband was a kind and passionate man, and was much more than just a Hall of Fame ballplayer. She told the story about the time a 16-year-old fan asked for his autograph at Dodger Stadium. They talked for two hours, and Allen wound up helping him throughout his life. He was in attendance Sunday at the age of 70. "It's not about where you come from, but where you're determined to go,'' Allen said. 'It's about principle, passion and determination.'' When the ceremony ended, the players retreated to the Otesaga Hotel where they had a dinner for Hall of Fame players only. No family members. No friends. Just the players and commissioner Rob Manfred. But, before they got together and sat down, Suzuki had a request to his new Hall of Fame teammates. 'I hope I can hold the values of the Hall of Fame,'' Suzuki said. 'But please, I am 51 years old now. So easy on the hazing.'' Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ichiro Suzuki Hall of Fame speech highlight of weekend in Cooperstown
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 Baseball Hall of Fame induction: CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Billy Wagner show humor, grace entering Cooperstown
The National Baseball Hall of Fame added five members with the 2025 class inducted during the 53rd annual ceremony at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were welcomed into baseball immortality. They were joined Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who were voted in by the Classic Baseball Era committee. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Billy Wagner was known for closing out ballgames, and he's now one of three Baseball Hall of Famers who never started a game. But he led off Sunday's festivities with his speech. "What a humbling moment standing in front of my heroes on the ultimate stage," Wagner said to begin his speech. Setting a fun tone for the day, Wagner thanked several of his teammates including Moises Alou for teaching him to appreciate Dominican culture "even though I can't speak a lick of Spanish" and Jeff Bagwell for the "glare" that often set the tone in the Houston Astros' clubhouse. Dave Parker's son, David Parker II, spoke on behalf of his late father, who died just a month before the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He read a poem that his father wanted to read for this moment. Reading from the speech his father wrote, he thanks the players who called his father "Pops," including former Reds teammates Eric Davis and Barry Larkin. He thanked Dave Winfield for asking him to play for the Blue Jays and pursue another World Series. And he expressed admiration to Tony La Russa, who said he didn't just want Parker's numbers, he wanted him to provided leadership for the team's younger players how to play baseball. David Parker recalled seeing how famous his father was when they went out in public and were approached by so many fans. Dave Parker clarified for his son, "They ain't fans, son. They're friends.' The other player elected by the Classic Baseball Era committee also unfortunately earned the honor posthumously. Dick Allen was represented by his wife, Willa. She became emotional while recalling how much her husband wanted to speak to the Phillies fans when the team retired his No. 15 in 2020, despite being sick with cancer. He had difficulties with the fans early in his career, but came to love them. "Thank you for finally bringing him home," Willa Allen said to baseball fans and those who elected him to Cooperstown. CC Sabathia began his acceptance speech by thanking his fellow Hall of Famers including former Yankees teammate Derek Jeter, who graciously praised the pitcher in a video shown beforehand. He also thanked fellow inductee Ichiro Suzuki, "who stole my Rookie of the Year trophy" in 2001. Sabathia also expressed gratitude for becoming a Hall of Famer in the same class as Parker, who was the DH on the 1989 Oakland Athletics team he loved while growing up as a baseball fan. He also referenced Ken Griffey Jr., who was his mother's favorite player and shared the stage with him in Cooperstown on Sunday. He also expressed regret for not being able to win a World Series for the fans in Cleveland. Finally, Ichiro Suzuki practically put on a stand-up comedy routine with his speech. Notably, he made the speech in English after conducting most interviews during his career, and interviews leading up to the Hall of Fame ceremony, in his native Japanese. "For the third time, I am a rookie," he said, referencing joining the Orix Blue Wave and Seattle Mariners as a first-timer before entering the Baseball Hall of Fame. 'I am 51 years old, so easy on the hazing," he said, turning to the 52 Hall of Famers on stage behind him. Suzuki also made a point to mention the one Baseball Writers Association of America voter who did not give him a first-place vote, preventing him from being the second-ever unanimous selection. "The offer for that writer to have dinner at my home has now expired," he said for the day's biggest laugh. Suzuki also thanked former Marlins president David Samson and president of baseball operations Mike Hill for signing him to play three seasons in Miami from 2015-17. "When you guys called to offer me a contract in 2015," he jokingly admitted, "honestly… I had never heard of your team." The frequent humor provided the perfect note for a day made longer by a one-hour rain delay and hot temperatures in Cooperstown that compelled Parker II to take off his jacket during his speech and Sabathia to frequently wipe his bald head with a towel. Yet no one will likely remember those inconveniences, but instead recall some funny, touching speeches and an outstanding Hall of Fame class for 2025. Here are the highlights from Sunday's Hall of Fame induction ceremony as Yahoo Sports followed along with its live blog:
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Sport
- GMA Network
'I'm a rookie again': Ichiro Suzuki leads class of five into Baseball Hall of Fame
Jul 27, 2025; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame inductees Billy Wagner, Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia with their Baseball Hall of Fame plaques after the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center. Photo: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — On an overcast Sunday in this charming village, thousands of fans from the Far East to the East Coast, from Texas to the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest, gathered to usher five icons of the game into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And they heard heartfelt tales from -- and about -- the inductees: Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, as well as Dick Allen and Dave Parker, who were honored posthumously. Despite the star power of the group, the man of the hour was Suzuki, 51, who became the first baseball player to be elected to two Halls of Fame, following his selection into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in January. He had a nine-year career in Japan before he was posted for availability to MLB teams after the 2000 season and signed by the Seattle Mariners to launch a splendid second career. "For the third time, I am a rookie," said Suzuki, who delivered his speech in English after using an interpreter most of his career. "In 1992, I was drafted out of high school (in Japan). In 2001, I became a rookie again at 27 when the Seattle Mariners signed me. "I realize I'm a rookie again ... I am 51 years old, so easy on the hazing." Suzuki mixed a sharp sense of humor with a serious tone in discussing what made him a Hall of Famer: preparation, taking responsibility for his game and feeling a sense of duty to give his all for fans. He cared for his own equipment, unwilling to blame an equipment manager if his glove weren't perfectly laced or his spikes not ready to run the bases. His arm was always in shape when he reported to spring training. "If you consistently do the little things, there's no limit to what you can achieve," said Suzuki, who won two American League batting titles and both the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP in 2001. Suzuki said he never envisioned playing in the United States until he saw Hideo Nomo pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers on television in Japan. "My eyes suddenly opened to the idea of challenging myself by going somewhere I never imagined," he said to a crowd that included fans from Japan. "I'm grateful to the Seattle Mariners for believing I could become the first position player from Japan." Fans of Sabathia had a much shorter distance to travel, whether from his first MLB home in Cleveland, his brief one in Milwaukee or his final one with the New York Yankees. Sabathia's speech was a love letter to the women in his life, including to his grandmother, who allowed him to take the grapefruits that fell off her tree in the yard and throw them at a chair -- his strike zone. To his mother, who used to put on the gear to catch his pitches, took him to Athletics games at the Oakland Coliseum and talked pitch selection with him when he got to the majors. And to his wife, whom he met as a high school junior and has been with since. And he talked with passion about the places he played. "I was born and raised in Vallejo," the Northern California native said. "But Cleveland is where I grew up." It was in New York that Sabathia burnished his Hall of Fame resume, leading the majors in wins in 2009 and 2010, and he called signing with the Yankees "the best decision we ever made." Suzuki and Sabathia, 45, were elected in their first years of eligibility. Wagner, the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year in 1999 with the Houston Astros, entered the Hall of Fame on his 10th and final ballot. Wagner was born a right-hander who learned to throw left-handed after a childhood injury to his right arm. He told his underdog story, from being a small kid from Virginia who went from a "5-foot-nothing, 100-pound nothing to the Hall of Fame." It was perseverance and passion that got him from Division III Ferrum College to Cooperstown, he said. "I refused to give up," said an emotional Wagner, 54. "I refused to listen to the outside critics. ... Perseverance isn't just a trait. It's a path to greatness." Parker and Allen, both seven-time All-Stars and recipients of Most Valuable Player awards, were selected for induction by the Classic Era Committee. Parker passed away on June 28 at age 74, six months after learning of his long-awaited entry into the hall. Allen was 78 at his death in 2020. David Parker II, Parker's son, and Allen's widow, Willa, reflected in their speeches just what baseball meant to their loved ones and what this day would have meant to them. The younger Parker took the crowd through the journey of his father's career, through the six major league cities in which he played. He became a legend in Pittsburgh, where he won two batting titles and his first World Series, learning from cornerstones of the franchise -- Roberto Clemente, Al Oliver and Dock Ellis -- about being a major leaguer. And as he proceeded in his career through his hometown of Cincinnati, through Oakland, Milwaukee, Anaheim and Toronto, Parker transitioned to "Pops," helping to guide the next generation, including fellow Hall of Fame members Barry Larkin, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor. "He cherished his role as a spiritual father to these young men," David Parker II said. As Parker struggled with his health in his final months, he wrote a poem that summed up his thoughts about his career and his induction, read by his son to the crowd filled with fans in "Parker 39" jerseys. The poem hilariously started, "Here I am. 39. About damn time." Allen, famous for swinging a 42-inch bat, was described by his widow as a heavyweight as a player, a man and a friend in the warm stories she told of him. He was a man of "principle, compassion and determination," Willa Allen said. That determination was evident as a child, when a teacher in his small-town Pennsylvania school asked her pupils what they wanted to be when they grew up. He confidently told the class he wanted to be a Major League Baseball player. That was before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. The other kids laughed. "He didn't laugh. He believed it," Willa Allen said. "Now look at him." Looking ahead to 2026, there likely won't be any first-year eligible players selected. Carlos Beltran, who was named on 70.3 percent of ballots in 2025, and Andruw Jones, selected on 66.2 percent, could hear their names called next year. Both are members of the 400-home run club, and Jones won 10 Gold Glove awards. —Field Level Media/Reuters
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ichiro Suzuki adds humorous touches to Hall of Fame induction ceremonies
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy. Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown. Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki's acceptance speech. The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers' ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn't vote for him. 'Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,' Suzuki said to roaring laughter. 'By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,' he added, with emphasis on 'expired' for good measure. A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted. An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki's No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted 'Ichiro' several times throughout the day. A sign that read 'Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend' in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day. With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career. 'Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,' Suzuki joked. He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm 'already in shape' just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, '`Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!'' He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty. 'People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits. 'Not bad, huh?' Suzuki said to more laughs. He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for 'getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine.' But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary. 'Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,' he said. 'When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10. 'Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons.' Now he's reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: '`Don't embarrass the nation.'' He's made his homeland proud. 'Going into America's Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn't even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream.' Sabathia thanked 'the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).' He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today's game. 'It's an extra honor to be a part of Dave's Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the '80s and early '90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform. 'Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we're starting to turn that around. I don't want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don't want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.' Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as 'roadblocks, but steppingstones." 'I wasn't the biggest player. I wasn't supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in," he said. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami. He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose's major league record of 4,256. Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta. Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award. ___ AP MLB:
