When it was finally time for it to end, after a career that began with the Orix BlueWave in 1992 in Kobe, Ichiro Suzuki looked into the crowd at Tokyo Dome and began to wave goodbye.

The 46,451 in attendance roared in appreciation as Ichiro jogged in from right field for the final time as a player. He waved a few more times on the way in, touching the brim of his hat in a show of thanks to the Seattle Mariners’ opponents, the Oakland A’s, who were applauding with everyone else.

There was still a game to play, but this was Ichiro, and a one-of-a-kind player deserved a moment all his own.