In a historic announcement Tuesday, Major League Baseball legend Ichiro Suzuki was selected for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first player from Japan to earn a place in Cooperstown. The honor cements Ichiro’s legacy as one of the greatest hitters of all time. The 10-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove Award winner amassed more than 3,000 career hits while maintaining a .311 batting average over his 19-year MLB career. But before Ichiro became a baseball icon, his American journey began in an unexpected place—the islands of Hawaii. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rob DeMello KHON (@robdemello) At just 19 years old, Ichiro made his U.S. baseball debut with the Hilo Stars in the now-defunct Hawaii Winter Baseball league (HWB). During the 1993 season, he helped lead Hilo to a championship while leaving a lasting impression on those who saw his talent firsthand. HWB founder and president Duane Kurisu recalled the first time he saw the young phenom play. “The first time I ever saw him was on Kauai. I was with a bunch of farm directors, and one of them came running up and said, ‘Hey guys, you gotta see this Japanese kid. He’s hitting bombs.’ We all ran down and saw this diminutive guy—relatively speaking—just consistently hitting bombs, including one over the warehouse, which was probably 400 feet away. I think that’s where his legend in Hawaii started.” Ichiro not only showcased his skills on the field but also became part of the local community, staying with host families and visiting schools. “Many of us who saw him play in that inaugural season would say, ‘Ichiro is one of us,’” Kurisu said. “And now, we have a Hall of Fame inductee who was our neighbor, our friend. What a remarkable feeling.” On the day that Ichiro Suzuki was selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, his time in Hawaii Winter Baseball is remembered • At the age of 19 years old, Ichiro made his United States baseball debut in the islands leading the 1993 Hilo Stars to a Hawaii Winter Baseball… pic.twitter.com/7vSs4YX9SN— Rob DeMello (@RobDeMelloKHON) January 22, 2025 Ichiro is now the second former HWB player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining Todd Helton, who played in the league in 1995 and was enshrined in 2024. With another HWB alumnus, three-time World Series champion Buster Posey, eligible for Hall of Fame consideration in 2027, the league’s impact continues to be felt. The league, which operated for eight seasons in two different stints between 1993 and 2008, was a developmental program for top MLB prospects, providing offseason experience in a unique setting. After HWB’s contract with Major League Baseball expired, the league was discontinued, and MLB consolidated its offseason development into the Arizona Fall League. However, according to Kurisu, discussions about reviving HWB have taken place. “You give me goosebumps,” Kurisu said. “Hawaii Winter Baseball was an event. It was a time that was. And it’ll be a time that can be again. It’ll be back. Stay tuned.” With Ichiro officially joining baseball’s most elite fraternity, Hawaii’s baseball community takes pride in knowing that one of the sport’s all-time greats once dug his cleats into the batters box of fields around the islands. For more on Ichiro and the Hall of Fame Class of 2025, click here.