Ichiro Suzuki visited Cooperstown long before his Hall of Fame call—honoring legends and connecting with baseball’s roots.

Lefty starter CC Sabathia, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, and lefty reliever Billy Wagner were voted into the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America. First baseman Dick Allen and outfielder Dave Parker were voted into Cooperstown by the Hall of Fame's Classic Baseball Era Committee.

With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career.