Ichiro Suzuki visited Cooperstown long before his Hall of Fame call—honoring legends and connecting with baseball’s roots.

With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career.

The longtime Seattle Mariners star was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon, and his plaque will immortalize him forever.