You would think that celebrating legends of the MLB game would be a huge deal, right? But no, somehow the Hall of Fame ceremony keeps flying under the radar. Sure, 25,000 eight of the past induction ceremonies, but it should have surged. And honestly, it’s not like the fans don’t care–maybe it’s because the league makes it difficult.
So here is the big deal–the Hall of Fame ceremony usually happens on a Sunday in July or early August. Sounds great, right? It’s a Sunday, so those attending can come without ruining their schedules, and people can watch peacefully from home. Great. But wait till you realize that it’s scheduled right in the middle of the regular season.
So while the baseball royalty like Ichiro Suzuki, Dave Parker, Billy Wagner, CC Sabathia, Willa Allen, and Dick Allen were receiving Hall of Fame the regular season games were all going on.
Today, 5 legends enter the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown:
Ichiro Suzuki
CC Sabathia
Billy Wagner
Dave Parker
Dick Allen
Who do you want to see make it next year? pic.twitter.com/hMYcXYR31g
— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) July 27, 2025
Also, mind you, this is a crucial mid-season game– this is about them making it to October. So this past weekend, amidst the HoF everything else happened, from the New York Yankees falling behind even to the Toronto Blue Jays, Aaron Judge being injured, Mariners saying they are serious about the trade deadline. Which brings us to the trade deadline! This too is happening right at the moment with the deadline scheduled at July 31, which is just another layer to the puzzle.
And coming to the games, what do you think the fans will choose? Libe a high-stakes game or a quiet nostalgia-filled speech fest? And to make it even trickier is the fact that fans can technically attend both. But the Hall of Fame events and MLB games need separate tickets, and they happen in two different places.
And other leagues have it all figured out. The NBA, for example, does its Hall of Fame enshrinement honors during the late summer after the regular NBA season, which runs from October to April. MLB, on the other hand, buries one of the most emotional weekends in the noise of the 162 games. So maybe fans are not tuning out because they stopped caring about legends. But maybe MLB needs to give history the spotlight it deserves. And talking of spotlights, while every inductee had eyes on them, Ichiro’s speech was something else.
Ichiro’s MLB Hall of Fame unanimous snub turns into a mic-drop moment
For baseball fans across the country, Ichiro Suzuki’s HoF induction is a long time coming. But for the players of Asian origin, it means so much more—it’s being visible, recognized, and getting validated at the biggest stage there is. Ichiro spent the bulk of his 19-year MLB career with the Mariners and now has made it to the Hall of Fame. But of course, it didn’t happen without drama.
So, back in January, when the Hall results dropped, outrage just erupted. How could anyone leave Ichiro out? An AL MVP, Rookie of the Year, 10-time Gold Glove winner, and owner of the single-season hits record, off from their ballot. Then Ichiro had offered to buy the voter a drink, but now he is stepping back. He used his induction speech to address one issue on a flawless honor he had—the single voter who kept him from a unanimous selection. He mentioned in his speech, “That invitation has expired.” Mic drop moment!
While the ceremony itself might have been overshadowed by the regular games, Ichiro Suzuki still managed to hold the spotlight. In true Ichiro fashion, it was not about the stats or legacy but a message. Also on Sunday, Ichiro became the first Japanese-born player in the Baseball Hall of Fame. For players like Steven Kwan, Ichiro’s moment is bigger than the TV ratings. As Kwan put it, “He was a player who looked like me… and succeeded at the highest level.” I’m sure he did not get the unanimous votes, but he has already won everyone over.
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