Ichiro’s 5 Greatest Mariners Moments

Number 2: Ichiro Gets 258

In baseball, very few records are truly seen as unbreakable. Most felt that way about Lou Gehrig’s consecutive game streak. Some thought the same about Hank Aaron’s home run record. Of course, both were broken, but nobody expected George Sisler’s 80-year single season hit record to be broken.

Think about it. In an era of home runs and walks, who could ever have a swing in this game with this level of specialization to break such an outrageous record? As it turns out, Ichiro.

On October 1, 2004, with George Sisler’s daughter and grandchildren in the stands, Ichiro stepped to the plate in the 3rd inning. He had tied the record in his first at-bat and was now looking to etch his name into the record books. As we know, he did just that:

It was an incredible moment in an otherwise forgettable season. The Mariners 4 year window had slammed shut and the team would enter a decade of darkness. But at this moment, we were reminded of the greatness of baseball. How on any given night, regardless of the teams playing the game, something remarkable is bound to happen.

Ichiro would finish 2004 with 262 hits, a record that might never be broken. Ichiro hit .372 that year and would have likely won the MVP award if not for the Mariners atrocious 63-99 record. It was truly the year of Ichiro in Seattle, and one us fans are fortunate enough to witness.