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Japanese hit king Ichiro Suzuki announced his retirement Thursday, calling time on a record-breaking career that saw him shatter a host of Major League Baseball milestones. The 45-year-old called it quits for the Seattle Mariners after an emotional two-gameWatch: Japan baseball great Suzuki ends glittering MLB career
Japanese hit king Ichiro Suzuki announced his retirement Thursday, calling time on a record-breaking career that saw him shatter a host of Major League Baseball milestones. The 45-year-old called it quits for the Seattle Mariners after an emotional two-game series against the Oakland Athletics in front of adoring Japanese fans that capped an MLB career stretching back to 2001. After grounding out in his final at-bat, Suzuki was called back to the dugout from right field to thunderous applause from a sellout Tokyo Dome crowd. He raised his fists and doffed his cap before being hugged by each of his Mariners team mates, several of them sobbing before the team went on to win 5-4 in extra innings to sweep the series. «It was like a dream to wear this uniform for the last time and to end my career in Japan like this,» said the future Hall of Famer, fighting back tears. «After 28 years in professional baseball, it was unbelievable to go out on a note like this.» Suzuki was called back to the field after the game by the crowd of 54,000 who clapped and chanted his name for more than 20 minutes before their hero emerged for a farewell lap of honour. "I never imagined I would see a... Read more