Ichiro Breaks Sisler's Mark in First Two At-Bats

[Walter Cronkite]

Ichiro Suzuki ties the record with his 257th hit of the season in the first inning.

Ichiro Suzuki set the major league record for hits in a season with 258, breaking George Sisler's 84-year-old mark with a pair of singles Friday night.

The Seattle star chopped a leadoff single in the first inning, then made history with a grounder up the middle in the third.

Fireworks went off at Safeco Field after the ball reached the outfield, and Suzuki's teammates mobbed him at first base as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira shook the Japanese outfielder's hand.

With the fans still cheering, Suzuki ran over to the first-base seats and embraced Sisler's 81-year-old daughter, Frances Sisler Drochelman.

Source: AP

[Modern Arts]

NO

He is the best American League pure hitter since Rod Carew. I would love him as my leadoff man. BUT no record for hits in a season because he did not do it in 154 games like Sisler did. Sisler and his contemporaries are long dead and not here to defend the record, but common sense says 8 more games, roughly 35-40 more at bats, is not apples to apples. I believe the same is true for all single-season records in 162 game seasons that have broken records set in 154 game seasons. These records should be distinguished and seaprated from each other. Just list 154 game season records as "early" and 162 game season records as "modern". It does nothing to take away from either accomplishment and gives both their due. When you consider it, the beginning of the 162 game season is the beginning of modern baseball: night games in predominance, air travel in predominance, baseball fully integrated with black and Hispanic players, the relief pitch specialist as part of the game.

Final fact: in the 257-hit season, Sisler played in the field every inning of every game in the 154 game season. Has Ichiro gotten all his hits as a position player or any as a DH?