TOKYO - JAPAN cheered Monday the latest record set by Seattle's right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who became the first player in Major League Baseball history to post 200 or more hits in nine straight seasons.
'It is a magnificent record, even if Ichiro makes it look so easy,' said one fan, Mr Hiroshi Chiba, as he snatched up a special edition of the Asahi Shimbun daily featuring the record splashed across its front page.
'In the past few days I have been following very closely to see when he would finally reach 200,' Mr Chiba, 45, said as he gazed at the paper in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district.
Ms Setsuko Ito, a 65-year-old Tokyo housewife, also said she had been watching Suzuki's games with growing anticipation.
'He was very quick to reach the record,' she said. 'I want to see much more of his great playing.' Hours earlier in Arlington, Texas, the Japanese star posted his 200th hit this season with an infield single to shortstop in the second inning of the second game of a double-header against the Texas Rangers.
Suzuki broke a tie with Willie Keeler, who reached 200 hits for eight straight seasons between 1894 and 1901.
The Mariners went on to beat the Rangers 5-0 after dropping the first game of the double-header 7-2.
Major newspapers reported accolades for Suzuki from Japanese baseball legend and home-run king Sadaharu Oh.
'His spirit towards playing baseball is that of the lone warrior,' said Oh, who guided a Japan national side including Suzuki to victory in 2006 in the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
'He has the exceptional talent of staying focused,' Oh said, according to the Mainichi daily. 'The 200 hits in nine straight seasons is only one milestone for him. I want him to beat many more records.' -- AFP
WoooooHooooooo! I-CHI-RO! You are THE MAN!
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