The Marlins employed Ichiro Suzuki for three of his 19 seasons in MLB; the newest Hall of Famer told a hilarious story about them during his induction speech.

There he was, in the flesh, at the Otesaga Resort Hotel on the eve of his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame: Ichiro Suzuki himself. So strong is Ichiro’s aura that even two of the game

Ichiro says his offer to meet with the writer who didn't select him for the Hall of Fame is now off the table.

Ichiro Suzuki brought gratitude and humility to the stage in Cooperstown at his Baseball Hall of Fame induction. But in a 20-minute speech, the Seattle Mariners' newest Hall of Famer also brought the jokes.

When Bryan Woo gets to the field every day, Ichiro Suzuki is already there. Taking batting practice. Shagging fly balls. Playing catch. He hangs around after too, offering any advice he can to the current generation of Mariners players.

“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?’”