Ichiro Suzuki is approaching a couple of hitting milestones in his professional baseball career.
The Miami Marlins outfielder is closing in on the 3,000-hit plateau in his Major League career, but he’s also nipping at the heels of Pete Rose. When combining his stats from his career in Japan, Suzuki has 4,255 hits — just one shy of Rose’s Major League Baseball record of 4,256.
How Suzuki’s accomplishment compares to Rose’s record is debatable since 1,278 of the Miami Marlins outfielder’s hits came during his nine years in Japan.
Suzuki is batting .347 in a part-time role and has 2,977 MLB hits, putting him on pace later this season to become the 30th person to reach the 3,000-hit mark later.
Suzuki turns 43 years old on Oct. 22, but he wouldn’t be the first player to enter the 3,000-hit club after his 40th birthday. There were two players who were 42 or older when they got their 3,000th hits: Cap Anson (45) and Rickey Henderson (42).
Here’s a breakdown of each member of the 3,000-hit fraternity that includes their birthdates and how old they were when they got their 3,000th career hits.
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PETE ROSE
Hits: 4,256
Birthdate: April 14, 1941
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 37
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TY COBB
Hits: 4,191
Birthdate: Dec. 18, 1886
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 34
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HANK AARON
Hits: 3,771
Birthdate: Feb. 5, 1934
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 36
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STAN MUSIAL
Hits: 3,630
Birthdate: Nov. 21, 1920
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 37
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TRIS SPEAKER
Hits: 3,515
Birthdate: April 4, 1888.
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 37
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DEREK JETER
Hits: 3,465
Birthdate: June 26, 1974
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 37
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HONUS WAGNER
Hits: 3,430
Birthdate: Feb. 24, 1874
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 40
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CARL YASTRZEMSKI
Hits: 3,419
Birthdate: Aug. 22, 1939
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 40
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PAUL MOLITOR
Hits: 3,319
Birthdate: Aug. 22, 1956
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 40
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EDDIE COLLINS
Hits: 3,314
Birthdate: May 2, 1887
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 38
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WILLIE MAYS
Hits: 3,283
Birthdate: May 6, 1931
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 39
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EDDIE MURRAY
Hits: 3,255
Birthdate: Feb. 24, 1956
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 39
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NAP LAJOIE
Hits: 3,252
Birthdate: Sept. 5, 1874
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 40
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CAL RIPKEN JR.
Hits: 3,184
Birthdate: Aug. 24, 1960
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 39
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GEORGE BRETT
Hits: 3,154
Birthdate: May 15, 1953
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 38
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PAUL WANER
Hits: 3,152
Birthdate: April 16, 1903
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 38
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ROBIN YOUNT
Hits: 3,142
Birthdate: Sept. 16, 1955
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 36
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TONY GWYNN
Hits: 3,141
Birthdate: May 9, 1960
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 39
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DAVE WINFIELD
Hits: 3,110
Birthdate: Oct. 3, 1951
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 41
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ALEX RODRIGUEZ
Hits: 3,098
Birthdate: July 27, 1975
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 39
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CRAIG BIGGIO
Hits: 3,060
Birthdate: Dec. 14, 1965
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 41
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RICKEY HENDERSON
Hits: 3,055
Birthdate: Dec. 25, 1958
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 42
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ROD CAREW
Hits: 3,053
Birthdate: Oct. 1, 1945
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 39
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LOU BROCK
Hits: 3,023
Birthdate: June 18, 1939
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 40
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RAFAEL PALMEIRO
Hits: 3,020
Birthdate: Sept. 24, 1964
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 40
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CAP ANSON
Hits: 3,011(asterisk)
Birthdate: April 17, 1852
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 45
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WADE BOGGS
Hits: 3,010
Birthdate: June 15, 1958
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 41
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AL KALINE
Hits: 3,007
Birthdate: Dec. 19, 1934
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 39
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ROBERTO CLEMENTE
Hits: 3,000
Birthdate: Aug. 18, 1934
Age when he got 3,000th hit: 38
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(asterisk)-Anson had 423 hits in the National Association from 1871-75. Major League Baseball only credits Anson with the hits he got after entering the National League with the Chicago Cubs in 1876
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