Astros' Aoki joins Japan's 'Golden Players Club' with 2,000th pro hit

Norichika Aoki's three-hit afternoon on Sunday may not have seemed like a historic event to most watching in the United States. When he was through, though, the Houston Astros outfielder had officially earned himself a place in Japanese baseball lore.

Aoki's sixth-inning single off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jose Alvarez gave him 2,000 career hits between MLB and Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, gaining him entry into Japan's exclusive "Meikyukai" - known in English as the "Golden Players Club." Astros fans gave the 35-year-old a long and loud ovation in recognition of the significant career milestone.

Japanese players automatically become members of the Meikyukai by recording at least 2,000 career hits, 200 wins, or 250 saves, either through combined totals from Japan and MLB, or during their entire careers in Japan. Eligibility is limited, however, to players who were born between 1926 and 1988.

Following the game, Aoki was officially welcomed into the club when he was presented with his "Golden Player" jacket by another member of the Meikyukai, Tokuhiro Komada.

Aoki received another surprise after the game when his Astros teammates and coaches presented him with a signed bottle of wine to commemorate the occasion.

"I'm very happy and pleased I was able to get to 2,000 hits," Aoki told reporters via a translator, according to Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. "I'm very happy that all our Houston fans, players and coaching staff gave me a standing ovation."

Aoki spent his first eight professional seasons as a member of the Japanese Central League's Tokyo Yakult Swallows, where he recorded 1,284 base hits. As a major leaguer since 2012, Aoki's notched 717 base hits in six seasons with the Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners.

The Meikyukai was established in 1978 by Japanese legend Masaichi Kaneda, who's widely considered the greatest pitcher in the country's history. Notable Golden Players with MLB ties besides Aoki include Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki - who has over 4,000 combined hits between the U.S. and Japan - as well as former MLB All-Stars Hideki Matsui, Hideo Nomo, and Kosuke Fukudome.

Aoki and Kazuo Matsui are the only players to have joined the Meikyukai while playing for the Astros.