Former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki will become the first Asian member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame during Sunday's induction.

“Lou Piniella was very skeptical,” said Larry Stone, a Seattle Times baseball writer who has covered Ichiro’s career extensively. “That spring training, Ichiro started off not pulling the ball, not driving the ball. And Lou was like, ‘Who is this guy? When is he going to show me something?’”