Eyes of Japan on Ichiro since first routine single
“I just remember getting that hit and how important that was,” Ichiro said. “Obviously, the first few games were important just because nobody knew who I was. But that was kind of the beginning of it all.”
While Ichiro’s memory implies a certain level of anonymity, Mathews — who played collegiately at UNLV and then UNR — remembers Ichiro’s reputation a little differently as the Japanese star began his career in the United States.
“Going through the scouting reports on him, and I remember it very clearly, it was very similar to the scouting report on Tony Gwynn,” Mathews said in a phone interview. “He’s gonna hit the ball, and he’s very rarely gonna strike out.”
With the A’s holding a 4-2 lead after 6½ innings, Ichiro led off the bottom of the seventh against Mathews. After smacking his first base hit, he came around to score in an inning that saw the Mariners tie the game 4-4.
Then, in the next inning, Ichiro reached on a bunt single that advanced Carlos Guillen — who scored the eventual winning run in the first of Seattle’s record 116 victories that season.
The gravity of that game and Ichiro’s historic hit have not escaped Mathews.
“I kind of like to think I’m responsible for his career here in the United States,” he joked.
Mathews only faced Ichiro one more time after that initial meeting and got him out. He surely would have preferred to retire Ichiro in that first at-bat, too, but instead he is forever tied to the legend of one of baseball’s greats. It’s not a bad consolation prize. “He’s one of the best hitters ever,” Mathews said. “I don’t care if it’s Japan or the United States. He’s right up there with the best of the best.”