His name is tied to Seattle like the Space Needle or Starbucks. He's the new Seattle icon. Ichiro and Seattle go hand in hand. Or glove in Golden Glove.

Ichiro Suzuki is one of the main forces of the Mariners, who won 116 games in 2001, matching a major league record set in 1906 by the Chicago Cubs. He led the American League in hitting in 2001. His 242 hits were the most in the major leagues in 71 years. He won baseball's MVP crown and was named Rookie of the Year -- the second player in AL history to capture both in the same season. And he is the stolen base champion.

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Ichiro's amazing athletic ability -- power at the plate and a strong throwing arm -- is one of the many reasons that Seattle's Safeco Field led 2001 baseball attendance with 3.5 million people. No, Ichiro did not contribute to the audience numbers single-handedly.

But the adoring, autograph-seeking, cheering fans make Ichiro the closest thing the Mariners have to a celebrity. Out-of-town sports writers don't always understand the Seattle sensation. At 2002 spring training, as crowds formed and cameras clicked away, a writer sitting in the home team dugout asked, "What's going on over there?"

"Ichiro is tying his shoes," he was told.

Making baseball history isn't enough for Ichiro, who toured the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y with his wife, Yumiko, to see where baseball began in the United States. Hailing from Kasugai, Japan, Ichiro speaks mostly Japanese through an interpreter, although his English is reportedly improving rapidly. In fact, Ichiro has been heard saying, in English, "I'm looking forward to seeing you at Safeco Field."

Details
Name: Ichiro Suzuki
Number: 51
Position: Right Field
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Birthplace: Kasugai,Japan
Born: 10/22/73
Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Weight: 160 pounds