Todd Helton
| Birthdate | 8/20/1973 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1997 |
| Year of Induction | 2024 |
| Teams | Rockies |
| Position | First Base |
Todd Helton is the only player in history with consecutive seasons of 100+ extra base hits. His career totals: .316 average, .414 OBP, & 2,519 hits.
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Todd Helton began his Hall of Fame career with the Colorado Rockies in 1998
Todd Helton began his Hall of Fame career with the Colorado Rockies in 1998
Todd Helton had quite a rookie year in 1998, finishing with a .315 batting average, 25 homers, 97 RBI and a .911 OPS. It was good enough for a second-place finish in Rookie of the Year balloting.
Helton was just getting started on a Hall of Fame career.
His Cooperstown resume includes a monster season of 2000 when he led the Majors in batting average (.372), slugging percentage (.698), OPS (1.162), doubles (59), RBIs (147) and total bases (405), while also pacing the NL in hits (216) and on-base percentage (.463).
Helton has four Silver Slugger Awards, three Gold Gloves, and a career .953 OPS that ranks 18th all time.
The first baseman’s career marks – .316 average, .414 on-base percentage, and .539 slugging percentage – make him special. The list of players in the history of baseball to reach those numbers with at least 1,000 career games is short: Helton, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Rogers Hornsby, Jimmie Foxx, and Lou Gehrig.
The batting champ posted back-to-back seasons of 400+ total bases. The only other batters to accomplish that are Hall of Famers Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, and Chuck Klein.
Helton ranks first in Colorado franchise history in runs, hits, doubles, homers, RBI, and walks. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his sixth year on the writers ballot.
In the collection is this contract for signed by Helton for the Rockies first baseman to appear on Topps baseball cards. Dated 21 days before the start of his Rookie season, the contract calls for a three-year extension of Helton’s association with the company. Below Helton’s signature is that of Topps legend Sy Berger.
Helton's historic 2000 season earned him the Hank Aaron Award
Helton's historic 2000 season earned him the Hank Aaron Award
In 1999 Major League Baseball created the Hank Aaron Award to recognize the the top overall offensive performer in each league. According to MLB.com, a panel of Hall of Famers combines with a fan vote to determine the recipient.
Todd Helton was the obvious choice for the honor in 2000. He led the league in WAR, hits, doubles, RBI, total bases. His .372/.463/.698 also led the league in each category.
Shown here is a telegram from the day after Aaron passed the Babe Ruth to become baseball’s career home run leader. Dated April 9, 1974, it reads, “Congratulations on number 715”. Aaron has signed the bottom right of the telegram. Click here to see a list of Hank Aaron Award winners.
Todd Helton is one of five players with 100 extra-base hits in a single season from 1995-2001
Todd Helton is one of five players with 100 extra-base hits in a single season from 1995-2001
After Stan Musial recorded 103 extra-base hits in 1948, baseball had to wait almost a half-century before seeing another triple-digit extra-base hit total. As the use of performance-enhancing drugs became commonplace, the feat was accomplished six times from 1995-2001.
Albert Belle slammed 50 home runs with 52 doubles and one triple in 1995. Five years later Todd Helton not only had 105 extra-base hits, he also tallied 216 hits overall. That put him in a group with Musial, Hank Greenberg, Jimmie Foxx, Chuck Klein, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, and Babe Ruth as the only 200/100 men.
In 2001 offense exploded. Helton was one of four players to reach the century mark. Barry Bonds’ 73 homers helped him to 107 XBH while Sammy Sosa’s 64 bombs pushed him to 103. Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez‘ career year in ’01 included 57 homers, 36 doubles and 7 triples.
Shown here is a contract signed by Bonds agreeing to have lend his signature to souvenir baseballs with stamped signatures. Bonds was compensated one penny per ball sold. The twice-signed contract is dated May 13, 1988.
Only Lou Gehrig, Chuck Klein and Helton claim multiple seasons with 100+ extra base hits
Only Lou Gehrig, Chuck Klein and Helton claim multiple seasons with 100+ extra base hits
Twelve men in baseball history have recorded as many as 100 extra-base hits in a single season. Of them, only Lou Gehrig, Chuck Klein, and Todd Helton did it more than once.
The Iron Horse hit the century mark in XBH in 1927 and 1930 while Klein hit triple digits in ’30 and ’32. Helton had his 100+ campaigns in back-to-back seasons starting in 2000.
By virtue of his 216 hits in 2000, Helton is one of eight men to tally 100 extra-base hits in a 200-hit season. Gehrig and Klein are the only hitters with multiple 200-hit/100-extra-base hit campaigns.
In the collection is a photo signed by the Iron Horse joining forces with Hall of Fame catcher Bill Dickey to argue a call with umpire Cal Hubbard, the only man inducted into both the baseball and football Halls of Fame.
The leading vote-getter in All Century Team balloting in 1999, Gehrig was also the baseball writers’ choice for greatest-ever first baseman in their 1969 vote.
