This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/26/2016.
Ichiro Suzuki has the most illustrious global baseball career, succeeding both stateside and overseas in Japan. As a member of the Orix BlueWave from 1992-2000, Suzuki was a three-time Pacific League MVP and won seven consecutive batting titles. During the 1995 season when he wore this jersey, Suzuki led the league in stolen bases, RBI, was the batting champion, league MVP, won the Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize and the Matsutaro Shoriki Award. He stands only behind Pete Rose for the most hits in professional baseball (combined NPB & MLB). Suzuki proved he could succeed at the MLB level as well, setting the single-season hits record (262), winning the 2001 AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP, winning two batting titles and earning sports on 10 All-Star teams. Suzuki is the only MLB player in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club) and will eventually be placed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. On the inside of the rear center tail is a “Mizuno” manufacturer’s tag. Attached below is a “95-” year tag and a player number “51” tag. On the left inseam is a Mizuno tag with washing instructions. Across the chest reads, “ORIX” and the player number “51” appears on the back. These are done in navy blue on yellow tackle twill. The player number “51” appears on the front and across the back reads the player name “ICHIRO”. These are done in yellow tackle twill sewn directly onto the navy blue jersey. On the left sleeve reads, “BlueWave”, on the right sleeve reads, “KOBE” and above is Japanese lettering. These three pieces are done in yellow stitching on navy blue tackle twill. Adjacent to the front player number, Suzuki signed the jersey in black pen with kanji and the added inscription, “Ichiro”. With much deliberation, JSA was inconclusive about the autograph. This jersey was directly gifted to Julio Franco from Suzuki, was signed in front of Franco by Ichiro in Japan and is fresh to the hobby. Grey Flannel stands behind the autograph 100% no matter what any third party autograph authenticator opines. In an effort to make sure that the winning bidder is completely satisfied with this piece, if he or she so desires, we will have the original autograph professionally removed and cover the cost to have Ichiro autograph it through Mill Creek Sports. This jersey is properly tagged, was presented to us as game-used and in our opinion, shows appropriate use. Accompanied by a photo-match of Ichiro wearing this very jersey and a signed letter of provenance detailing its lineage. To our knowledge this is the first and only photo-matched Orix BlueWave ever made publicly available and possibly the most significant example of any Ichiro in the hobby today.