Ichiro Suzuki had already cemented a strong, and likely everlasting baseball card market long before Tuesday’s almost unanimous vote for his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, headlining the class of 2025.

On the same day that Ichiro Suzuki learned that he'd been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Seattle Mariners announced that they'll retire his No. 51 during the upcoming season: On August 9, we’ll officially retire Ichiro’s iconic No. 51. #IchiroHOF 8月9日に、イチローの「51」は正式に永久欠番となる。 🔗 https://t.co/7tWKi0G8Dt pic.twitter.com/d794RDFx4r

It started in 1992. That’s when Ichiro made his debut in professional baseball. In 1992, Ichiro made his debut for the Orix Blue Wave at the age of 18.