Baseball statue broken as it is unveiled in Seattle

[Getty Images]

Fans of former baseball star Ichiro Suzuki were thrown a curveball when a statue of him broke as it was being unveiled outside the home of the Seattle Mariners on Friday.

As a blue tarp was pulled off it, audience members could hear a snapping noise as the bronze figure it was shrouding suddenly appeared to drop in height. Suzuki, immortalised with a broken bat, was revealed.

Suzuki, 52, standing in front of his likeness outside T-Mobile Park, pointed incredulously at the bat before laughing.

The unveiling came a year after Suzuki was near-unanimously voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, having spent 18 years playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the US.

After moving to the US from Japan, he spent 12 years at the Mariners, before joining the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. He would return to the Mariners for his final two seasons.

John Stanton, Mariners CEO, who helped give the bat-breaking tug, credited Suzuki's "meticulous in his preparation and play" and told the crowd that he was "certainly worthy of this everlasting recognition".

The statue depicts the right fielder making his signature pose wearing his 2001 uniform from his rookie season.

Suzuki told reporters that sculptor Lou Cella had invited him to wear the uniform for a photoshoot to help him create the statue, adding: "I was happy that I was still able to fit into that uniform."

Ichiro Suzuki (right) had a chuckle after noticing the broken bat [Getty Images]

The team was able to make light of the mishap. "Breaking: We've updated tonight's Ichiro Replica Statue giveaway," it posted on social media along with an image of a figurine with a broken bat.

The statue was fixed in time for the Mariners' match against the Houston Astros on Friday night.

Retiring in 2019, Suzuki broke several records during his 28-season career.

In 2004, Suzuki broke an 84-year-old record for hits in a single season, finishing with 262 - five more than baseball legend George Sisler produced in 1920.

• MLB legend Suzuki retires after 28 years
• Nintendo to sell Seattle Mariners stake