The National Baseball Hall of Fame officially inducted former Tennessee star Todd Helton in Cooperstown on Sunday afternoon.
“One of baseball’s most efficient hitters who blended plate discipline with elite contact skills and brute strength during his 17-year career as the face of the Rockies franchise,” Helton’s Hall of Fame plaque reads. “Across five consecutive All-Star seasons from 2000-04, led the MLB in batting average (.349), extra-base hits (451) and total bases (1,832). His 2000 campaign topped leaderboards with 59 doubles, 147 RBI, a .372 average and a 1.162 OPS, and was his first of back-to-back seasons with more than 400 total bases. Left-hander earned four silver slugger awards and three gold gloves, leading N.L. first basemen in fielding percentage six times.”
Helton is the first Tennessee baseball player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and just the second SEC player ever inducted, joining Auburn’s Frank Thomas.
Helton, who played 17 professional seasons all for the Colorado Rockies, was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame back in January— 11 years after retiring from the sport. Making the National Baseball Hall of Fame is harder than nearly every other hall of fame with 75% of voters having to include a player or manager for them to make the hall of fame.
After receiving 72.2% of the vote in 2023, Helton received 79.7% of the vote this year becoming one of four players as part of the 2024 Hall of Fame class.
A Knoxville native who starred at Central High School, Helton hit .316 over the course of his career with 2,519 total hits, 592 doubles, 369 home runs and 1,406 runs batted in. Helton’s 2000 season was the best of his professional career, hitting .372 with 42 home runs, 59 doubles and 147 RBIs while finishing fifth in the MVP race.
Before his 17 seasons with the Colorado Rockies, Helton spent three seasons as a student athlete at Tennessee where he helped propel the Volunteers baseball program under head coach Rod Delmonico. Thanks to Helton’s dominance at the plate and on the mound, Tennessee made it to the College World Series in 1995 for just the second time in program history.
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Tennessee record book is full of Helton stats. Over the course of his three-year career, Helton hit .370 (7th in program history) with 65 doubles (2nd), 11 triples (4th), 38 home runs (5th) and 238 RBIs (1st). The left-handed batter also ranks first in career walks (147), second in extra-base hits (114), hits (280), total bases (481) and runs (199).
“What Todd Helton did for the Colorado Rockies organization is nothing short of legendary,” Tennessee coach Tony Vitello said in a statement back in January. “Nonetheless, folks here think just as highly of all he has accomplished in our great state. What he has done in this community prior to, during and after his time on Rocky Top may never be duplicated.
“He went from being a local superstar in high school to being a hometown representative for the University of Tennessee here in Knoxville. As many I’m sure have mentioned, he was not just a two-way standout on the baseball field but also a legit two-sport athlete. Athleticism helped create those opportunities, but extreme competitiveness helped fuel his success. Ever since his days of success in Major League Baseball have concluded, he has given back to UT in every way you can possibly imagine. He truly deserves every bit of love he receives from Vol Nation.”
Helton returned the favor in his Hall of Fame speech on Sunday, shouting out Tennessee baseball and Tony Vitello following the first National Championship in program history.
Todd Helton: “I would also like to recognize the best college coach today, Tony Vitello, and the national champion Tennessee Volunteers.”
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) July 21, 2024
During his junior season in 1995, Helton totaled 105 hits (2nd in a single season), 27 doubles (4rd), 20 home runs (T-7th) and 92 RBIs (1st) as the Vols made their return to Omaha.
While Helton made his Hall of Fame career as a first baseman, Helton was also a pitcher at Tennessee. Helton recorded 23 saves in his Tennessee career which is still tied for the program record. The left-hander’s 12 saves in 1995 are still the most in a single season in program history.
