Ichiro & Morganna

Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images

No, the gal in this picture is definitely not the ’70s ballpark sensation Morganna.

Ichiro and the infamous kissing bandit are from different eras (and different countries), so it’s quite possible they’re not even aware of one another. Still, after seeing this cool Morganna mini-doc, I can’t help but imagine how it’d play out if those two ever crossed paths. Judging by Ichiro’s posture above (during a 2009 game at Safeco Field), I’m afraid Morganna would’ve gotten the cold shoulder.

I mentioned them together in this 2001 All-Star Game preview I wrote for the Seattle Weekly. It concluded with a line that, while true at the time, I felt quite differently about soon after: “I’ll take Morganna over Ichiro any day.”

Fan Signs at Yesterday’s Game

All photos by me.

The Sincerest Form of Flattery

Posted on Cyandero’s tumblr blog.

Ichiro’s Fans #6

I missed the story on these guys last year, but better late than never — link.

Ichiro’s Fans #5

Back in ’01, some guy wore this giant homemade Ichiro head to a game at Safeco Field.

Looks like he got some autographs on its face.

The Ichi-Meter

The “Ichi-Meter” is a common sight at Safeco Field, hanging above the outfield wall behind Ichiro’s  defensive position in right. It’s the creation of season-ticket holder Amy Franz , who hails from Algona, about 25 miles south of Seattle. At nearly every home game, Franz sits in the front row of the right field stands (known to some as “Area 51″), where she manually updates her counter after each of Ichiro’s hits. TV broadcasts of Mariner games often cut to the counter at such moments.

The Ichi-Meter first appeared in 2004, when Franz began documenting what turned out to be Ichiro’s record-breaking 262-hit season. That original Ichi-Meter (above) is now on display in Cooperstown, atop a display case containing Ichiro’s game-used artifacts from that historic year — bats, batting gloves, wrist bands, sunglasses, spikes, an elbow guard, and a jersey. She’s used another Ichi-Meter since then.

Here’s the Ichi-Meter’s official site, and also its Facebook page. Photo found here.

Chicks Dig the Foul Ball

At least when Ichiro crashes into them.

It was one year ago today that Ichiro reached into the stands along Safeco’s right-field foul line to grab a Mark Teixeira fly when his outstretched arm collided with 17-year-old Aris Skinner. Though Ichiro didn’t make the catch, Skinner went bananas, and the clip became an instant highlight-reel classic.

Later in the game, the Fox Sports Northwest TV broadcasters sent Skinner a complimentary Ichiro jersey. Later still, she told a Japanese reporter that Ichiro had asked her if she was OK.

“It was awesome,” Skinner said. “I am literally starstruck.”

Here’s video…

Ichiro’s Fans #4

I snapped this photo at some game last year, and was thrilled when it made the cover of Zisk #19. The caricature was part of this much bigger display…

Ichiro’s Fans #3

Found here.

Ichiro’s Fans #2

I snapped this photo at Safeco on the last day of the 2008 season. Cute kid.

Ichiro’s Fans #1

If Ichiro appeared on South Park, I imagine he’d look like this… I snapped this photo in Safeco’s right field seats at a game last year.