SEATTLE — It’s been good to get to know Ichiro over the last few weeks.

We watched him for 14 seasons and marveled at the things he could do on a baseball field. He was — is — ours, but we never really knew him.

He’s perhaps the most unique and underappreciated superstar in Seattle sports history.

We heard through the grapevine things about him that local media and fans never saw. His teammates let on that there was a sense of humor that was hidden from non-Japanese speakers outside of the locker room.

We all saw it July 27 during his National Baseball Hall of Fame induction speech, and again Saturday when he spoke English to 45,249 fans at T-Mobile Park as his No. 51 jersey was retired by the Seattle Mariners.

We saw Ichiro perform his best imitation of Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizz

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