Fans of former baseball star Ichiro Suzuki were thrown a curveball when a statue of him broke as it was being unveiled outside the home of the Seattle Mariners on Friday.
As a blue tarp was pulled off, audience members could hear a snapping noise as the bronze figure it was shrouding suddenly appeared to drop in height. Suzuki, immortalized with a broken bat, was revealed.
Suzuki, 52, pointed incredulously at the bat before laughing. The unveiling came a year after Suzuki was near-unanimously voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, having spent 18 years playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the US.
After moving to the US from Japan, he spent 12 years playing for the Mariners, before joining the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. He returned to the Mariners for his final two seasons.
John Stanton, Mariners CEO, who helped give the bat-breaking tug, credited Suzuki's meticulous preparation and play, stating he was certainly worthy of this everlasting recognition.
The statue depicts the right fielder making his signature pose wearing his 2001 uniform from his rookie season. Suzuki remarked that sculptor Lou Cella had invited him to wear the uniform for a photoshoot to help him create the statue, adding: I was happy that I was still able to fit into that uniform.
The team managed to maintain a sense of humor, posting a lighthearted meme on social media regarding the statue's mishap. The statue was fixed in time for the Mariners' match against the Houston Astros on Friday night, adding to the spirited atmosphere surrounding the event.
Retiring in 2019, Suzuki broke several records during his 28-season career, including an impressive 262 hits in a single season in 2004, surpassing the previous record held by baseball legend George Sisler since 1920.
