Todd Helton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Todd Helton
Helton with the Colorado Rockies in 2013
First baseman
Born: (1973-08-20) August 20, 1973 (age 51) Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
August 2, 1997, for the Colorado Rockies
Last appearance
September 29, 2013, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
Batting average	.316
Hits	2,519
Home runs	369
Runs batted in	1,406
Teams
Colorado Rockies (1997–2013)
Career highlights and awards
5× All-Star (2000–2004) 3× Gold Glove Award (2001, 2002, 2004) 4× Silver Slugger Award (2000–2003) NL Hank Aaron Award (2000) MLB batting champion (2000) MLB RBI leader (2000) Dick Howser Trophy (1995) Colorado Rockies No. 17 retired
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2024
Vote	79.7% (sixth ballot)

Todd Lynn Helton (born August 20, 1973) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year career for the Colorado Rockies in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Helton was an amazing player. He was a five-time All-Star. He also won the Silver Slugger Award four times and the Rawlings Gold Glove Award three times. He holds many records for the Rockies team. These include most hits (2,519) and home runs (369). He also has the most doubles (592) and runs scored (1,401). In 2024, Helton was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

High School Sports Star

Todd Helton went to Central High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was a star in both football and baseball. In football, he played quarterback and gained 2,772 total yards. In baseball, during his senior year, he had a fantastic .655 batting average and hit 12 home runs. Baseball America named him an All-American. Even though the San Diego Padres drafted him in 1992, he decided to go to college instead.

College Baseball and Football

Helton received a scholarship to play both football and baseball at the University of Tennessee. He was named Gatorade Player of the Year for both sports in Tennessee.

In football, he was a backup quarterback. He played in 12 games, throwing for 484 yards and four touchdowns. In baseball, Helton was truly outstanding. In 1995, he won the Dick Howser Trophy. This award goes to the best college baseball player in the country. During his time at Tennessee (1993–1995), he had a .370 batting average. He also set school records with 38 home runs and 238 RBIs. As a pitcher, he had a great 2.24 ERA and 23 saves. He even set an NCAA Division I record by pitching 47 innings without giving up a run. In 1994, he played for the Orleans Cardinals in the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was later added to their Hall of Fame in 2024.

Becoming an MLB Pro

Draft and First Game

The Colorado Rockies picked Helton as the eighth overall player in the 1995 Major League Baseball draft. He spent two years playing in the minor leagues. He played for teams like the Asheville Tourists and Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

Helton made his first MLB appearance on August 2, 1997. It was a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He started in left field and got a hit in his second time at bat. He then hit a solo home run later in the game.

Early Career Success (1997–1999)

In his first season (1997), Helton played 35 games and hit five home runs. In 1998, he became the full-time first baseman for the Rockies. He hit .315 with 25 home runs and 97 RBIs. He led all major league rookies in many stats. He finished second for the MLB Rookie of the Year Award. The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame named him their Professional Athlete of the Year.

In 1999, Helton continued to shine. He hit .320 with 35 home runs and 113 RBIs. On June 19, 1999, he achieved a rare feat: he hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game.

Mid-Career Highlights (2000–2006)

Helton swinging at a pitch during a game against the Seattle Mariners.

The 2000 season was one of Helton's best. He led all of MLB with a .372 batting average and 147 RBIs. He also led with 59 doubles and a .698 slugging percentage. He was invited to his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He was named National League Player of the Month twice. Many groups, including the Associated Press, named him MLB Player of the Year. The Rockies gave him a big contract in 2001 because of his success.

In 2001, Helton hit a career-high 49 home runs. This tied the Rockies' record for most home runs in a season. He also had a .336 batting average. He became the first MLB player to have at least 100 extra base hits in two years in a row. He played in his second All-Star game and won his first Gold Glove.

In 2002, Helton kept up his strong play. He hit .329 with 30 home runs and 109 RBIs. He was named Player of the Month in May. He also made his third All-Star team and won his second Gold Glove.

The 2003 season was very close for the batting title. Helton hit .35849, just behind Albert Pujols. He had 33 home runs and 117 RBIs. He made his fourth All-Star team.

In 2004, Helton again finished second in the batting race, hitting .347. He became the first MLB player to hit at least .315 with 25 home runs and 95 RBIs in his first seven full seasons. He made his fifth All-Star team in a row and won his third Gold Glove.

In 2005, Helton dealt with a calf muscle injury. He still hit .320 with 20 home runs. He joined baseball legends Lou Gehrig and Bill Terry as the only first basemen to hit at least .315 for eight straight seasons.

The 2006 season saw Helton miss time due to an illness. He finished the season hitting .302 with 15 home runs.

Later Career and Retirement (2007–2013)

Helton at bat during a game against the San Diego Padres.

In 2007, Helton continued his consistent hitting. He had 17 home runs and 91 RBIs. He also kept his batting average above .300 for nine seasons in a row. On June 20, 2007, he got his 1,000th hit at Coors Field. On September 9, he hit his 35th double of the season. This made him the only player in MLB history to have 35 or more doubles for 10 straight seasons. On September 16, he hit his 300th career home run, becoming the first Rockies player to do so.

Helton made a huge play on September 18, 2007. He hit a two-run walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This win helped the Rockies stay in the race for the playoffs. The Rockies went on a winning streak and made it to the playoffs for the first time in Helton's career. They swept the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. This sent them to their first ever World Series. They lost the World Series to the Boston Red Sox.

In 2008, Helton started having back issues. On May 19, 2009, he got his 2,000th career hit. On July 22, 2009, he hit his 500th career double. He became one of only a few players in MLB history to have at least 500 doubles, 320 home runs, and a .325 batting average. In 2010, he signed a contract extension through the 2013 season.

Helton continued to deal with injuries in 2010 and 2012. He had hip surgery in 2012 to prepare for the 2013 season. In 2013, he played in 124 games, hitting 15 home runs.

On September 14, 2013, Helton announced he would retire after the season. On September 25, 2013, the Rockies honored him before his last game at Coors Field. In that game, he hit a home run and drove in three runs.

On August 17, 2014, the Rockies retired Helton's number 17. He was the first Rockies player to have his number retired.

Amazing Achievements

Todd Helton's number 17 was retired by the Colorado Rockies in 2014.

• Baseball Digest All-Star Rookie Team (1998)
• Associated Press Major League Baseball All-Star Team (2000)
• Baseball Digest Major League Baseball Player of the Year (2000)
• USA Baseball Alumni Player of the Year (2000)

Key Achievements

• National League Batting Champion (2000)
• National League slugging percentage leader (2000)
• National League RBI leader (2000)
• National League Doubles leader (2000)
• Hit for the cycle (June 19, 1999)
• Percentage triple crown (2000)
• National League Hits leader (2000)
• National League On-Base Percentage leader (2000, 2005, 2007)
• National League Total Bases leader (2000)
• National League Extra Base Hits leader (2000)
• Colorado Rockies career leader in games played (2,247), at bats (7,962), runs (1,401), hits (2,519), total bases (4,292), doubles (592), home runs (369), RBI (1,406), walks (1,335), and intentional walks (185).
• Colorado Rockies number 17 was retired August 17, 2014.

Hall of Fame Induction

Todd Helton first appeared on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2019. He received 16.5% of the votes, which was not enough to be elected. However, it was enough to stay on the ballot for future years.

On January 23, 2024, Helton was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum! He received 79.7% of the votes. He is the second player from the Rockies, after Larry Walker, to be chosen for the Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted on July 21, 2024.

After Playing Baseball

On April 9, 2022, the Colorado Rockies hired Helton. He now works as a special assistant to the general manager. He joins other former players, Vinny Castilla and Clint Hurdle, in this role.

Personal Life

Todd Helton's jersey number, 17, was a tribute to former Chicago Cubs first baseman Mark Grace.

Helton lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with his wife, Christy, and their two daughters. They used to live in Brighton, Colorado. Helton and his family are good friends with Peyton Manning. Manning was Helton's former football teammate at the University of Tennessee.

See also