Ichiro Suzuki finally earned his place among the baseball greats. The Seattle Mariners star is already a legend, but now is finally Hall of Fame-bound. He ended up getting a mind-blowing 99.7% of the votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America. Now even as the moment was so monumental, there is always some room for a little humor, especially when Ken Griffey Jr. is there.

Well, just minutes after the Hall of Fame induction announcement, Ichiro came live for his fans on MLB Network. But even before he could process that honor, the host had a big question—guess the special guest there to congratulate him? At first, it got Ichiro Suzuki all confused; he even looked nervous. Then the next cut was of Ken Griffey Jr.’s face, and Ichiro looked shocked but stoked. What followed in the conversation between the two Seattle Mariners icons was equally heartwarming and hilarious.

Ken Griffey Jr. brings out Ichiro’s goofy side

Ken Griffey Jr. was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2016. And now he finally has his former teammate and friend join him in Cooperstown. He quickly congratulated Ichiro Suzuki for this achievement. But there was leg-pulling, too. He pointed out Ichiro Suzuki’s rookie status in the Hall of Fame club and told him, “Just one thing—you’re bringing the sake because that’s what the rookies have to do. You’re now a rookie for the first time in 25 years. So, I expect a nice bottle of sake for both of us.”

Classic Griffey. Even after years, the sheer camaraderie between the two icons was a delight for fans. Griffey didn’t just poke fun; he also shared how he and his family were super excited with the news. “I can’t tell you how happy I am. My wife was running around when she found out you got the call. It’s an honor. I can’t wait to see you,” said Griffey, almost with pride. 

However, the conversation only got better when Ichiro gave a goofy reply. He responded with a short answer, “GEORGE, thank you very much!”. For those who don’t know, Ken Griffey Jr.’s real name is George Kenneth Griffey Jr. When he heard Ichiro casually drop his government name, he cracked up. Ichiro Suzuki might seem like he is always poker-faced, but he is enough hilarious from the inside. For now, Mariners fans will be rejoiced to see another talent in Cooperstown. But there is a borderline elephant in the room to address—how did Ichiro Suzuki miss being unanimously voted?

Ichiro Suzuki came super close to Hall of Fame perfection

It was the talk of the week—Ichiro Suzuki will probably be the second unanimously inducted player in the Hall of Fame. But he missed it! Only one out of the 278 players in the Hall of Fame has achieved that feat, and it’s Mariano Rivera, the New York Yankee legend. Many others have come close, but no cigar. Now Ichiro Suzuki will be in the same stratosphere as those who nearly missed like Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr.

However, Ichiro’s path to Cooperstown started not in Major League Baseball, but way before. Born in 1973 in Nishikasugai-gun, Japan, Ichiro Suzuki began his professional career in baseball with the Oriz BlueWave in 1992. Then over the nine years at Nippon, he proved his might. He racked up 1,278 hits and won back-to-back seven batting titles. He also has three Pacific League MVPs and nine Golden Gloves. By the time he made his MLB debut, he was already an icon. But still, there were doubts.

Suzuki is the first Asian player to make his way into MLB. So many doubted how someone of his build and height could do anything. However, Ichiro didn’t let the talks affect him, and he proved himself in his rookie season. He was so good, he ended up getting AL MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Let that sink in! This is a feat only two players have achieved. So given that he also has a 19-year MLB career with 3,089 hits, it’s surprising how someone decided to stir the pot and not vote for him.

However, there is no question Ichiro Suzuki’s legacy speaks for itself. But were you surprised with this near miss? We cannot wait to hear your thoughts!