The baseball world recently saw the induction of a living legend, Ichiro Suzuki, into the Hall of Fame. Elected with an overwhelming 99.7% of the vote, Ichiro became the first Japan-born player to receive the honor. In celebration, the Seattle Mariners promptly retired his iconic No. 51 jersey and launched the #DearIchiro campaign, inviting fans worldwide to share their memories of his storied career. The initiative prompted an outpouring of touching tributes, reflecting on Ichiro’s impact, legacy, and a generation of baseball memories.

The most touching was a letter from Randy Boyer, one of Ichiro’s fans. It began with congrats, but rapidly evolved into a tribute to his wife of 42 years, Melissa. She recently died after a long struggle with breast cancer. Randy shared how Melissa was one of Ichiro’s biggest fans from the very beginning. Their fan journey started in 2001, the year Ichiro arrived in America and stormed the baseball world. “We saw your home debut with the M’s,” Randy wrote, “and from then on you became our favorite player… when we saw you play it was magical.”

It was a fairytale of a year. Ichiro was named the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year after leading the league with 242 hits and a .350 batting average while guiding the Mariners to a historic 116 wins. For Randy and Melissa, it was the beginning of a bond that would run deep.

Melissa had Japanese roommates in college, and it influenced her love for the Japanese culture. “She loved to watch you stroll to the plate, arm out, bat up, and beat out so many infield hits over the years,” Randy shared. In the 2004 season, during the Mariners’ rough stretch, Ichiro gave the fans a reason to watch every night. He was chasing the single-season hit record. Randy and Melissa remember that season fondly, celebrating the “special night” when Ichiro finally surpassed George Sisler’s 84-year record with an astounding 262 hits.

Their devotion never wobbled even when Ichiro was traded to the Yankees in 2012. They were “heartbroken,” but understood his desire to get a World Series. Later, they were absolutely “overjoyed” when he came back to Seattle to end his career. They even traveled to Japan in 2019 to see him play his last game at the Tokyo Dome.

In Melissa’s final weeks, baseball was their comfort. “We watched every Mariners game on TV, talking about the players now, and often talking about the times when we attended all those games over the years seeing you play,” Randy shared.  They had tickets for his Hall of Fame induction weekend in Seattle, a celebration she desperately wanted to see.

Randy also shared her last wish, which he is determined to keep: “I’ll be leaving the seat beside me open so she can get a good view of you one last time.”

While the letter was certainly unique, Randy Boyer’s tale was just one in a grander narrative of adoration. The Mariners received a flood of emails, letters, and voicemails from around the world.

Ichiro Suzuki: An inspiration across generations

One fan, namely Kory Kawaguc from Honolulu, shared, “Thank you so much for being an inspiration, not only to me growing up watching you while I was playing baseball in high school, but also being an inspiration to my 6-year-old son.”

Shared on the Mariners’ official X account, the tribute video wove together heartfelt fan messages with classic highlights from Ichiro’s celebrated career, including his first appearance, a celebratory run at Yankee Ballpark, his record-breaking 258th hit, an incredible “Spiderman catch” in 2005, and a game-winning home run.

Ichiro’s connection to Seattle was always special, symbolized by his iconic #51 jersey. The number already belonged to the franchise legend, Hall of Fame pitcher Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson when Ichiro became a Mariner in 2001. “When I came here in 2001, I could never have worn that number without Randy’s consent,” he said in his number retirement speech. “He gave it and he gave it graciously.”

Seattle’s love for Ichiro was so profound that when he was traded in 2012, musician Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie released Ichiro’s Theme, a tribute song that captured the fanbase’s mix of sadness and gratitude.

Baseball is magical. Isn’t it?