Tony Vitello comments on ‘legendary’ Hall of Fame career of Todd Helton
Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello was quick to congratulate Todd Helton, one of the best Vols to ever wear the Orange & White, shortly after his Hall of Fame announcement Tuesday evening.
“What Todd Helton did for the Colorado Rockies organization is nothing short of legendary,” the coach said through a UT spokesman. “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.”
Helton was named as part of the three-man 2024 class for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving 79.7 percent of the 75 percent needed votes to claim a spot. The first baseman accomplished the feat in his sixth year on the ballot following the stellar 17-year career with the Rockies, while Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer accomplished the feat in their first year of eligibility.
“He went from being a local superstar in high school to being a hometown representative for the University of Tennessee here in Knoxville,” Vitello continued. “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.”
Helton has been on the bubble of late, clocking 72.2 percent of the needed 75 percent plateau to get induction on his fifth year on the ballot. Across 17 seasons at the big-league level, the first baseman registered a .316 batting average with 369 home runs, 1,406 RBI and 1,401 runs scored. He tallied a career slugging percentage of .539, on-base percentage of .414 and OPS (on base + slugging percentage) of .953 while racking up 2,519 hits.
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“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,” Vitello concluded. “He truly deserves every bit of love he receives from Vol Nation.”
The first baseman holds franchise records for games played (2,247), hits (2,519), runs (1,401), home runs (368) and RBI (1,406) and becomes the second Rockies player inducted into the Hall – joining Larry Walker (2020). Helton played all 17 seasons in Colorado, retiring in 2013. He also attended Knoxville Central High School where he was tabbed the 1992 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year in both football and baseball. The local product is already in the National College Baseball Hall of Fame and had his No. 3 jersey retired by Tennessee baseball in 2018.
During his Volunteer tenure, Helton was a three-time All-American and the 1995 National and Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. That same season, Helton pitched a gem in the first game of the College World Series, going the distance against Clemson where he allowed one run on four hits with nine strikeouts in the 3-1 victory.
