Rockies Double Play: Helton Joins Walker In Cooperstown

Todd Helton was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame after receiving 79.7% of the vote in his sixth year on the ballot. Helton joined Larry Walker, who was elected in 2020, as the only Rockies honored in Cooperstown.

Helton was selected by Colorado in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1995 First-Year Player Draft and spent his entire career in the Rockies organization. He is one of 58 Hall of Famers to have spent their entire career within one organization and the fourth first baseman to have done so, joining Jeff Bagwell, Lou Gehrig, Bill Terry.

In 2,247 career games across parts of 17 Major League seasons with the Rockies from 1997-2013, Helton compiled a .316 batting average, a .414 on-base percentage and a .539 slugging percentage with 1,401 runs, 2,519 hits, 592 doubles, 37 triples, 369 home runs, 1,406 RBI, 1,335 walks and 1,175 strikeouts. He remains the all-time franchise leader in games, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and walks. The Rockies retired his #17 on Aug. 17, 2014, the first uniform number to be retired in franchise history.

He represented the Rockies at the All-Star Game five times (2000-04), earned three Gold Gloves (2001-02, 2004) and four Silver Slugger Awards (2000-03) across his stellar career. In 2000, he led the National League in batting average (.372), on-base percentage (.463), slugging percentage (.698), hits (216), doubles (59) and RBI (147) en route to a career-best fifth place finish in NL MVP voting.

“We are elated by Todd’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame and extend our heartfelt congratulations to Todd and his family,” said Rockies Owner/Chairman & CEO Dick Monfort. “We had a front row seat to the greatest of Todd Helton for all 17 years of his career, and finally the entire sports world can join us in recognizing one of the best first basemen in the history of the game. Todd is a true Colorado sports icon, and we all look forward to his induction in late July and another Rockies celebration in Cooperstown.”

Eligible candidates must be named on 75% of the ballots cast from voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America in order to be elected. Helton received 72.2% of the vote in 2023, falling 11 votes shy of the election threshold. He has seen a steady incline since receiving 16.5% of the vote in his first year on the ballot in 2019. 

The Class of 2024 includes third baseman Adrian Beltre and catcher Joe Mauer, both in their first years of eligibility, as well as former Rockies’ Manager Jim Leyland, who was elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee on Dec. 3. They will be inducted on Friday, July 21 at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.

The Rockies will honor Helton and celebrate Todd Helton Day at Coors Field on Saturday, Aug. 17.