Sports

Rockies First Baseman Todd Helton Not Elected To Hall Of Fame

January 25, 2022 / 4:19 PM MST / CBS Colorado

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DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado Rockies legendary first baseman Todd Helton will need to wait at least one more year for baseball immortality.

DENVER, CO - JULY 13: Todd Helton waves to the crowd during the 91st MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Coors Field on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Helton got 52% of the necessary votes, failing to clear the 75% threshold needed for election this season. His candidacy has been gaining steam in recent years. In his first year of eligibility in 2019, he garnered just 16% of the votes needed to be elected. In 2020, that number jumped to 29% and in 2021, 44% of writers voted to induct Helton.

Helton received 44.9% of the vote last year and this year received 52.0%.
So that's a good thing for future years. https://t.co/HDVVuY7Adk
— Michael Spencer (@MichaelCBS4) January 25, 2022

He led the Rockies to an appearance in the 2007 World Series.

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was the lone inductee into the Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

DENVER - OCTOBER 15: (L-R) Josh Fogg #37 and Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate in the locker room after their 6-4 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Four of the National League Championship Series at Coors Field on October 15, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks 6-4 to sweep the series 4-0. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

He spent 17 years in a Rockies uniform. In that time, he hit .316 with 369 home runs and 1406 RBI. Helton was a five-time All Star and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1998. He won four Silver Sluggers and four Golden Gloves. In 2000, he finished fifth in MVP voting, the highest total in his career.

Helton retired after the 2013 season, widely regarded as the best Rockies player of all time.