Baseball America commemorates Ichiro Suzuki's historic career

Simply put, this one is all about the best of the best.

Baseball's global icon and living legend Ichiro Suzuki takes his spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame later this month in Cooperstown, N.Y., and just one piece of all that's to come with his history-making day is Baseball America's special issue that's precision-crafted with a little bit of everything inside when it comes to Japan's greatest player and an icon among the elite in MLB history.

The Ichiro Baseball America Hall of Fame Commemorative is 50 pages of full-bleed retrospective splendor that showcases all of the memorable moments, rarely seen photographs, historic analysis, other memories and stories from yesteryear, thoughts from opposing pitchers and, of course, it's even got some baseball cards inside.

Nestled in the center of the issue is a group of perforated sheets where collectors can pull out cards featuring each of this year's Hall of Famers -- Ichiro, CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner, Dave Parker and Dick Allen -- as well as a nine-card look at Suzuki and then cards for 21 other elite names in Cooperstown. That's a selection of stars that includes some pioneers, the first class, top vote-getters and legendary figures.

The others in the 36-card collection include Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Satchel Paige, Effa Manley (a team owner and the first woman inducted to the Hall), Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Ken Griffey Jr., Tom Seaver, Cy Young, Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs. One final card shows the Hall itself to complete the set.

The set for Suzuki chronicles everything from his dominating nine-year career in Nippon Professional Baseball as a member of the Orix BlueWave beginning in 1992 -- where he was a three-time MVP and seven-time batting champ -- to his arrival in MLB with the Seattle Mariners as the league MVP, batting champ and the Rookie Of The Year in 2001. It continues through his 19-year MLB career that included 3,089 hits, 509 stolen bases, two batting titles, 10 Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers and 10 All-Star Game appearances (and one MVP there). Also among the cards is a nod to his place in the global game as a member of the World Baseball Classic and Japan's championship-winning squads in 2006 and 2009 as well as one past Baseball America cover appearance that notes his 41-time Baseball America Best Tools award nods, which is almost twice as many honors than any other player.

Get your copy of the Ichiro Baseball America Hall of Fame Commemorative right here.

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