SEATTLE (Kyodo) The uniform worn by Ichiro Suzuki when he had his 200th hit of the season Sunday will be donated to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
"I've picked a uniform because I sent my bats over there several times before," the Seattle Mariners star said Tuesday after he received a request to donate one of the three artifacts used at the moment: the ball, bat or uniform.
Suzuki became the first player in major league history to reach 200 hits in nine consecutive seasons when he had an RBI infield single in the second inning of Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Texas Rangers.
"We're kind of the society that cherishes the home run and power and all that stuff," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said.
"That's what make it so special is that his peers really understand. You go through the greats like Rod Carew or Tony Gwynn — guys that are known for being good hitters — and ask them how special that record is and you'll get a greater appreciation for it."