Former Tennessee baseball star Todd Helton will forever be enshrined in Cooperstown, New York as one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
Helton, who played 17 professional seasons for the Colorado Rockies, was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday night 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.
“What Todd Helton did for the Colorado Rockies organization is nothing short of legendary,” Tennessee coach Tony Vitello said in a statement. “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.”
The Knoxville native who starred at Central High School received 72.2% of votes last season coming up just short. Helton becomes the first Tennessee player to make the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Despite the SEC being the nation’s best baseball conference, Helton is just the second player in the history of the SEC to make the Hall of Fame, joining Auburn’s Frank Thomas.
In 17 years with the Rockies, Helton was a five-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner at first base, a four-time Silver Slugger and won the 2000 batting title by hitting .372.
The call he’s been waiting for, the call we’ve all been waiting for 📞 pic.twitter.com/oLIEXvinMw
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) January 23, 2024
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. The Knoxville native’s best season came during his 2000 batting title when he added 42 home runs, 59 doubles and 147 RBIs.
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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 (3rd) 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).
The former first baseman held Tennessee’s program record for career home runs until two years ago when Luc Lipcius and Evan Russell each passed Helton late in the 2022 season.
Helton’s impressive junior season in 1995 saw him total 105 hits (2nd in a single season), 27 doubles (3rd), 20 home runs (T-4th) and 92 RBIs (1st).
Tennessee baseball achieved success in Helton’s three season on campus, most notably making it to the College World Series in 1995 for the second time in program history.
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.
