Colorado Rockies legend Todd Helton inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame
Jul 22, 2024, 9:21 AM | Updated: 11:51 am
Rockies legend Todd Helton has been honored with induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, making him only the second member of the Colorado Rockies to receive this prestigious recognition in Cooperstown.
In his emotional induction speech, Helton shared impactful stories about his career with the Rockies and called Tony Vitello, his college coach at Tennessee, “the best head college coach”
(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
Todd’s claim to fame could have been that he was the quarterback at the University of Tennessee between future first-round draft picks Heath Schuler and Peyton Manning, but he was destined for bigger things on the baseball diamond.
After a knee injury in 1994 paved the way for Manning to become Tennessee’s quarterback, Todd shifted all his focus to baseball. He was named player of the year by Baseball America.
He was selected by the Colorado Rockies with the number eight overall pick in the 1995 amateur draft and never left the Mile High City. After becoming the starting first baseman in 1995, Helton finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and posted a .315 batting average with 25 home runs and 97 RBIs.
Read more about Helton’s emotional acceptance speech from our partners at Denver Sports.
