Twitter
    Sportspress Northwest
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • NCAA
    • Hockey
    • Soccer
    • Basketball
    Twitter
    Sportspress Northwest
    Twitter
    Home » Ichiro makes donation to Japanese Red Cross
    Seattle Mariners

    Ichiro makes donation to Japanese Red Cross

    John HickeyBy John HickeyMarch 18, 2011Updated:October 8, 2012No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email

    Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki has contributed $1.25 million to Japanese disaster relief / Drew McKenzie, Sportspress Northwest

    Ichiro Suzuki has been slow to talk about his reactions to the earthquake and tsunami that has hammered Japan, but he’s been quick to act.

    It came out Friday morning that the Seattle Mariner right fielder has donated 100 million yen or about $1.25 million to the Japanese Red Cross in the wake of the twin disasters that have ravaged his homeland.

    Later in the day, the Mariners announced that they, too, will step up for the victims of the events of this month in Japan. Seattle opens the home portion of the season with six games against the Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays, and the club says it will match all front office employee and fan contributions with a guarantee of at least $100,000.

    Ichiro deferred all questions about his reaction to the quake in its immediate aftermath, and that hasn’t changed. Through his interpreter, Ichiro again declined to comment Friday about the tragedy and his reaction to it.

    That’s just the way Ichiro prefers; he’ll talk about baseball, a subject on which he is an expert, but he’s hesitant to talk about subjects on which he doesn’t have a full grasp of the facts, and the big donation doesn’t change the fact that he is still trying to gather in the staggering nature of what has happened.

    It’s not the first time Ichiro has stepped up. He donated 10 million yen just last month for Miyazaki Prefecture after eruptions of the Shinmoe Peak volcano. In 1995 he donated 10 million yen after the Great Hanshin earthquake, and in 2000 he sent 1,500 items of clothing valued at 13 million yet to Aichi Prefecture after that area was deluged by heavy rain.

    The Mariner organization’s deep connections to Japan make the club particularly sensitive to disasters the magnitude of the ones that have surfaced since the off-shore earthquake of March 10.

    “The Mariners join with people from around the world in extending our sympathy to the many people affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami,’’ Mariners’ CEO Howard Lincoln said. “The Mariners have had great support from the Japanese business community and fans all across Japan.

    “Our thoughts and best wishes are with them as they begin the long road to recovery.’’

    The Mariners say volunteers will be on hand outside the gates of Safeco Field for each game of the homestand to facilitate the making of donations. And donations will be accepted inside Safeco Field at the Guest Services areas located at sections 129, 233 and 329.

    The club has plans in place to collect, along with the Red Cross, donations on other select dates this season including a yet-to-be scheduled Salute to Japan Night.

    In addition, the club is sending proceeds from the first Mariners Care silent auction on April 9 to the Red Cross.

    For those not going to be on hand, donations can be directed to Japan earthquake and tsunami relief by following the links at www.redcross.org and also can be made by texting RedCross to 90999. A $10 donation will appear on the donor’s cell phone bill.

    Twitter: @JHickey3

    Share. Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email

    Related Posts

    Another first — of the bad kind — for Mariners

    June 27, 2021

    Slow career start? Kelenic has good company

    June 10, 2021

    Thiel: M’s do OK vs. AL West; Kelenic demoted

    June 7, 2021

    Comments are closed.

    • Follow @Art_Thiel on Twitter
    Use our affiliate link on Amazon

    Subscribe to Our Weekly Roundup

    Get the top stories sent to your inbox every Thursday.

    Art Thiel on KNKX 88.5FM

    Kirsten Kendrick's Q. & A. with Thiel can be heard every Friday during Morning Edition at 5:45am and 7:45am and again that same day on All Things Considered at 4:44pm. It also airs Saturday at 9:35am.

    Listen now!
    Latest Posts

    A few musings about sports journalism as the unwinding begins

    February 18, 2022

    Carroll’s staff makeover seeks to get Wilson back in the game

    February 16, 2022

    Arizona loss unmasks truths about Hopkins, UW hoops

    February 15, 2022

    Rams win a survivors contest called the Super Bowl

    February 14, 2022
    Twitter
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • NCAA
    • Hockey
    • Soccer
    • Basketball
    © 2025 Sportspress Northwest

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.