Mariners legend Ichiro enters Hall of Fame: How to watch, what to know

Ichiro will be officially be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 27, joining fellow Mariners legends Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. in baseball’s sacred club.

Ichiro, who will become the first Asian player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, was voted in with 99.7% of the vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America — one vote shy of a unanimous decision.

Ichiro will enter the Hall alongside pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner. Players Dave Parker and Dick Allen were also elected by the Classic Baseball Era Committee.

Sunday’s ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., will begin at 10:30 a.m. PT and will be televised on MLB Network and can be streamed on MLB.com and BaseballHall.org. The ceremony, which is held on the grounds of Clark Sports Center, about a mile south of the Hall of Fame Museum, is expected to last more than two hours, and Ichiro will give a speech (in English), along with the other inductees.

More than 25,000 fans are expected to attend the events over the weekend, which also include a Hall of Fame Awards celebration and Parade of Legends on Saturday, among other things. Speaking of legends, more than 50 Hall of Famers are expected to attend the ceremony, including the M’s other two Hall of Famers, Martinez and Griffey.

Ichiro amassed 3,089 hits over his 19-year MLB career — and his 4,367 over his professional career are more than any player in baseball history. The Japanese sensation won Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors in Seattle in 2001, helping the M’s to a record 116-win season. He made 10 All-Star teams and led the league in hits seven times, setting the MLB record for hits in a season with 262 in 2004.

For much more on Ichiro’s Hall of Fame induction, don’t miss The Seattle Times’ special section on newsstands Friday and online throughout the week. Below are stories online from the section.

Also, here’s where you can get a high-quality print of the special section cover.

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