March Premium Auction Ending April 3, 5 & 6
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/6/2021
After playing nine seasons for the Orix BlueWave in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League, where he racked up numerous accolades, Ichiro Suzuki departed Japan and signed a three-year, $14 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. Suzuki expressed no preference in uniform number; he was issued the number 51, last worn by feared former Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson. Suzuki sent Johnson a personal message where he promised not to “bring shame” to the number. The exact opposite occurred, as Suzuki had a monster rookie year that saw the right fielder earn his first All-Star selection, his first AL Batting Champion honor, his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards, lead the AL in stolen bases, while also being named AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year honors – on the second player to win the AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year. Suzuki posted a .350 batting average, scored 127 runs, registered 242 hits, hit eight home runs, and knocked in 69 RBI. The 2001 Mariners, aided by Suzuki’s breakout performance, finished with a 116-46 record that tied the MLB record for wins set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906. The Mariners won the American League West Division en route to an appearance in the American League Championship series where they would lose to the New York Yankees in five games.
Presented here is a game issued Seattle Mariners alternate jersey from Ichiro Suzuki’s breakout 2001 rookie season. The six-button navy knit jersey features silver metallic piping. “MARINERS” appears across the chest in metallic silver-on-black-on-green. A Russell Athletic MLB Authentic manufacturing tag with “100% POLYESTER 48” and “2001” flags appears on the jersey’s left front tail. A “ALL-STAR GAME 2001 SEATTLE” patch in honor of Seattle’s hosting of the midsummer classic is located on the jersey’s let sleeve above a silver metallic embroidered Russell Athletic “R”. An embroidered navy, white, and green MLB logo is affixed to the back collar of the jersey. “ICHIRO” appears across the back in silver metallic-on-green tackle twill on a matching navy nameplate. The jersey displays a stain on the left chest. The game issued jersey comes with an LOA from MEARS (310148) and is rated A5.