Starting his collegiate career as a quarterback at the University of Tennessee, an injury sidelined Todd Helton from football, allowing Peyton Manning to begin his eventual Hall of Fame career. The two remain lifelong friends, and now Helton joins Manning as a Hall of Famer, instead, in baseball. Helton became the only player to spend his entire career with the Colorado Rockies and be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He becomes one of only 58 players to spend his entire career with one team and be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Four of the 58 were first basemen, including Helton, Lou Gehrig, Jeff Bagel, and Bill Terry.

Helton, elected in 2020, joins Larry Walker as the only Rockies player to reach the Hall of Fame. Selected by the Rockies in the first round, eight overall in the 1995 Draft, Helton earned the starting position at first base in 1998.  He led the N.L. with a .372 batting average and 147 RBI in 2000, finishing eight homers short of a Triple Crown. In 2001, Helton hit .336 with 49 home runs and 146 RBI. His 402 total bases were three shy of his 2000 total, making Helton the seventh player in history with multiple 400-total base seasons and the fourth player to reach the mark in back-to-back campaigns.

“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.”

Joining Helton in the Class of 2024 National Baseball Hall of Fame were Adrian Beltré, Joe Mauer, and Jim Leyland. A celebration is set to honor Helton’s induction with an in-ballpark celebration at Coor’s Field before the Saturday, August 17 game vs. the San Diego Padres. The first 30,000 fans through the gates will receive a Todd Helton Hall of Fame Bobblehead to commemorate the day.

“To say I am humbled by this honor does not begin to cover how I feel standing here today,” Helton said at the induction ceremony. “I would first like to congratulate my fellow 2024 Hall of Fame inductees. Adrian and Joe, it is great to be sharing this podium with you. I admire the way you both played the game hard every day. Jim Leyland, in 1999, you said to me, ‘Kid, if you keep playing like this, you are going to make it to the Hall of Fame.’ Being inducted alongside you is such an honor. Congratulations, Skip. Also to Larry Walker for taking care of me early in my career and for paving the way for me to be here.”

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