Ichiro, who holds the Major League record for most hits in a single season and finished his career with 4,367 hits across Japan and the U.S., announced his retirement in the spring of 2019.

The announcement came after a game between the Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome.

Having played nine years in Japan and 19 years in the majors, Ichiro was not only a symbol of Japanese baseball, but also one of the defining legends of Major League Baseball.

For Shohei Ohtani, he was an idol—someone unforgettable.

Ohtani grew up watching Ichiro dominate both in Japan and in the United States.

He was especially moved by Ichiro’s clutch hit in the final of the second World Baseball Classic.

When preparing for the fifth WBC, Ohtani even spoke about wanting to carry on that legacy.

Shortly after Ohtani arrived in the majors, Ichiro—who himself was struggling at the plate at the time—offered him a simple but powerful message:

“Believe in your talent.”

Those words became a source of support for Ohtani.

At the same time, Ichiro had recognized Ohtani’s potential early on, even saying he had the ability to become a home run champion in Major League Baseball.

At a time when it was widely believed that a Japanese player could never lead the league in home runs, that statement spoke volumes about how highly Ichiro regarded him.

When Ohtani learned of Ichiro’s retirement, he said:

“Ichiro is someone to aspire to. I may not be able to watch him play anymore, but I want to keep aiming for the kind of player I’ve admired since I was young.”

For Ohtani, Ichiro has always been—and will always remain—a special presence.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Following Shohei Ohtani: A Reporter’s 10-Year Chronicle, p.215