The Baseball Hall of Fame voting process isn’t broken, but it’s far from bulletproof. This became glaringly clear this week when Seattle Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki — one of the most accomplished players in MLB history — fell short of unanimous induction by a single, inexplicable vote. Suzuki’s Hall of Fame credentials are indisputable; over 19 remarkable MLB seasons, he amassed 3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 509 stolen bases, ten Gold Gloves, and two batting titles. Moreover, his decade of dominance in Nippon Professional Baseball adds to his impressive résumé. Ichiro’s place in Cooperstown was secure the moment he became eligible.
Yet, in a manner reminiscent of Derek Jeter’s experience, Ichiro missed achieving a perfect vote. One voter chose to gatekeep history, raising concerns about accountability in the voting process. Jeter himself addressed this double standard, remarking, “Members of the media always want us to be accountable as players.” Unfortunately, the same expectation doesn’t seem to extend to voters, even though they’ve chosen to make their ballots public. The Hall of Fame, however, has obstructed this transparency.
Instead of voicing his grievances about the process — and honestly, Ichiro would have every right to do so — he opted for an alternative approach. While baseball writers such as Jon Heyman of the New York Post were preoccupied with labeling the lone dissenter a “numbskull,” Ichiro maintained his characteristic composure. Through his interpreter, he conveyed a message that could either be seen as a diplomatic olive branch or a subtle dig.
Regardless, he isn’t currently holding a grudge. “I was able to receive many votes from the writers, and [I’m] grateful for them,” Ichiro stated via his interpreter. “But there’s one writer that I wasn’t able to get a vote from. I would like to invite him over to my house, and we’ll have a drink together and we’ll have a good chat.”
Ichiro Suzuki offers to have the only writer that did not vote him into the Baseball Hall of Fame over to his house to “have a drink together and have a good chat” 🤣 pic.twitter.com/FlMzAbEp4R
— SNY (@SNYtv) January 23, 2025
Was this gesture graceful, biting, or both? You be the judge. What’s evident is that Ichiro’s greatness doesn’t require unanimous approval to be recognized. Yet, perhaps one day, the voting process will evolve to better honor the players it’s designed to celebrate.
