The Colorado Rockies are a professional baseball team in Denver, Colorado. They are part of the National League West Division in Major League Baseball (MLB). Their home games are played at Coors Field in downtown Denver. The team is owned by the Monfort brothers and managed by Bud Black.
1922: Philadelphia Phillies' Unique Feat
The 1922 Philadelphia Phillies were the last team before the 2018 Rockies to play in four cities in five days.
1955: Denver Bears (Grizzlies) Replaced
The original Denver Bears (or Grizzlies) baseball team, a fixture in Denver since the late 19th century, was replaced in 1955 by a AAA team of the same name.
1958: Continental League Proposed
William Shea, a lawyer from New York, put forward the idea of the Continental League in 1958 as a competitor to the established MLB.
1960: Continental League Announces Teams
In 1960, the Continental League revealed its plan to begin play with eight teams, including a team in Denver under the leadership of Bob Howsam.
April 1961: Continental League Proposal and Collapse
The Continental League, intended as a rival to the existing MLB, announced its formation in 1960, with Denver as a proposed team. However, the league dissolved in April 1961 without playing a game.
1985: Unsuccessful Bid for Pittsburgh Pirates
Following the Pittsburgh drug trials in 1985, an attempt to buy and move the Pittsburgh Pirates to Denver was unsuccessful.
January 1990: Coors Invests in Denver Baseball
Coors Brewing Company joined the Denver Zephyrs, the city's AAA baseball team, as a limited partner in January 1990, bolstering Denver's bid for an MLB team.
1992: Ownership Change
Original owners John Antonucci and Michael I. Monus withdrew from the Rockies franchise in 1992 due to an accounting scandal involving Monus.
1993: Rockies' All-Time Record Begins
The Colorado Rockies embarked on their journey in Major League Baseball, beginning their all-time record in 1993.
1993: Rockies' Inaugural Season
The Colorado Rockies played their inaugural season in Major League Baseball in 1993, marking the beginning of the franchise's history.
1993: Rockies Join NL West
The Colorado Rockies joined Major League Baseball as members of the National League West in 1993.
1993: Rockies Begin Play
With new ownership under Jerry McMorris, the Colorado Rockies officially began playing in 1993, sharing Mile High Stadium with the Denver Broncos.
1993: Rockies' Inaugural Season
The Colorado Rockies debuted as an expansion team, playing their first two seasons at Mile High Stadium in 1993.
1993: Record-Breaking Attendance
In their inaugural season in 1993, the Colorado Rockies set an MLB attendance record, drawing over 4.4 million fans.
1993: Rockies Begin Play in NL West
The Colorado Rockies began their journey in Major League Baseball in 1993 as a member of the National League West.
1993: Rockies Debut Black Alternate Uniform
During their inaugural season in 1993, the Colorado Rockies briefly wore an alternate black uniform for a limited number of games.
1995: First Playoff Appearance
The Rockies reached the postseason for the first time in 1995 as the National League wild card team but were eliminated in the first round.
1995: Coors Field Opens
Coors Field, the new home of the Colorado Rockies, was completed and opened in 1995.
1995: The Blake Street Bombers Era Begins
The Rockies moved to Coors Field in 1995, and their powerful offensive lineup, known as the "Blake Street Bombers," featured four players with 30+ home runs.
1995: Coors Field as Home
The Colorado Rockies have called Coors Field their home since it opened in 1995.
1997: Jackie Robinson's Number Retired Across MLB
In 1997, Jackie Robinson's No. 42 was retired by all Major League Baseball teams in a historic move to honor his legacy.
1998: Diamondbacks Join NL West
The Arizona Diamondbacks joined Major League Baseball in 1998 as members of the National League West, becoming the newest team in the league.
2000: Rockies Add Numerals to Home Uniforms
In 2000, the Colorado Rockies updated their home uniforms by adding numerals to the chest. This change brought a new element to their classic white uniforms with purple pinstripes.
2000: Rockies Unveil Purple Alternate Uniform
The Colorado Rockies introduced a purple alternate uniform in 2000, adding a splash of color to their uniform lineup.
2000: Rockies Overhaul Road Uniforms
The Colorado Rockies made significant changes to their road uniforms in 2000. The updated design featured pinstripes instead of piping, added "Colorado" on the front, included chest numerals, and incorporated black trim on the letters.
2002: McGregor Becomes Team President
In 2002, Keli McGregor was promoted to the position of team president for the Colorado Rockies. He had been with the organization since its inception in 1993.
2002: Rockies Introduce Alternate Pinstriped Uniform
In 2002, the Colorado Rockies began wearing an alternate version of their pinstriped white uniform. This design featured the interlocking "CR" on the left chest and numerals on the right chest.
2004: Rockies Switch to Vest Design for Alternate Uniform
In 2004, the Colorado Rockies switched to a vest design for their alternate pinstriped uniform. They paired the vest with black undershirts.
2005: Rockies Introduce Black Sleeveless Alternate Uniform
The Colorado Rockies introduced a new black sleeveless alternate uniform in 2005, featuring "Colorado", letters, and numerals in silver with purple and white trim. They also wore black undershirts with the uniform, occasionally opting for purple undershirts.
June 1, 2006: Christian Code of Conduct Controversy
A USA Today report on June 1, 2006, sparked controversy by revealing the Rockies' implementation of a Christian-based code of conduct, leading to denials and clarifications from players.
October 17, 2007: World Series Ticket Controversy
The Rockies faced controversy on October 17, 2007, when their decision to sell World Series tickets exclusively online led to technical issues and an FBI investigation.
2007: Rockies Sweep Diamondbacks in NLCS
In the 2007 National League Championship Series (NLCS), the Colorado Rockies, entering the postseason as a Wild Card team, pulled off an upset by sweeping the division champion Arizona Diamondbacks. This victory propelled the Rockies to their first and only World Series appearance.
2007: Rocktober
The Rockies achieved their first and only NL pennant in 2007, winning 21 of their last 22 games, including a dramatic Wild Card tiebreaker against the San Diego Padres. They reached the World Series but were swept by the Boston Red Sox.
2007: Rocktober and World Series Run
The Colorado Rockies had a remarkable run in 2007, winning 14 of their last 15 regular-season games to secure a wild card spot, then sweeping their way to the World Series. This incredible stretch was dubbed "Rocktober." They ultimately lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
2009: Second First-Round Exit
The Rockies qualified for the playoffs in 2009 as a wild card team but were again eliminated in the first round.
April 20, 2010: Keli McGregor Passes Away
Keli McGregor, who had been with the Colorado Rockies since their first season in 1993, passed away on April 20, 2010. McGregor, who had risen through the ranks from senior director of operations to team president in 2002, is honored at Coors Field alongside Todd Helton, Larry Walker, and Jackie Robinson.
2010: KOA becomes the Colorado Rockies' flagship radio station
In 2010, KOA 850AM became the flagship radio station for the Colorado Rockies, with KHOW 630 AM carrying some late-season games to avoid conflicts with Denver Broncos games. The Rockies Radio Network expanded to cover eight states with 38 affiliate stations.
2011: Rockies Retire Alternate Pinstriped Uniform
In 2011, the Colorado Rockies retired their alternate version of their pinstriped white uniform. This design featured the interlocking "CR" on the left chest and numerals on the right chest.
2012: Rockies Launch "Purple Mondays"
At the start of the 2012 season, the Colorado Rockies implemented "Purple Mondays." This initiative involved the team wearing their purple alternate uniforms for every Monday home game.
2012: Rockies Reintroduce Purple Piping
In 2012, the Colorado Rockies made a notable change to their road uniforms, bringing back the purple piping that had been replaced with pinstripes in 2000.
2013: KNRV 1150 AM begins Spanish language broadcasts for the Rockies
As of 2013, KNRV 1150 AM began providing Spanish language radio broadcasts of Colorado Rockies games.
August 17, 2014: Rockies Retire Todd Helton's Number
On August 17, 2014, the Colorado Rockies retired Todd Helton's No. 17, making him the first Rockies player to receive this honor.
2017: Rockies Standardize Shade of Purple
In 2017, the Colorado Rockies officially standardized the shade of purple used in their team colors to PMS 2685. The decision aimed to create a more unified and consistent look for the team's branding.
2017: Playoff Appearance
The Colorado Rockies made it to the postseason in 2017, marking another playoff appearance for the franchise.
2018: Rockies Commemorate 25th Anniversary with Special Caps
To celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2018, the Colorado Rockies wore special edition caps featuring the "CR" logo in silver.
2018: Four Cities, Five Days
In a unique turn of events in 2018, the Rockies played games in four different cities against four different teams within five days. This included their final regular-season game, an NL West tie-breaker, an NL Wild Card Game, and the first game of the NLDS. They were ultimately defeated by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.
2018: Carlos Gonzalez Leaves Rockies
Carlos Gonzalez played his final game with the Colorado Rockies in 2018, marking the end of his tenure with the team. The Rockies have not re-issued his No. 5 since his departure.
2019: Rockies Introduce Alternate White Pants
Breaking from their tradition of wearing pinstriped pants at home, the Colorado Rockies added alternate white non-pinstriped pants to their uniform options in 2019. These pants were designed to be paired with their black or purple alternate uniforms, neither of which featured pinstripes.
2019: Jack Corrigan and Jerry Schemmel become radio announcers
In 2019, Jack Corrigan and Jerry Schemmel took on the roles of radio announcers for the Colorado Rockies, also serving as backup TV announcers when Drew Goodman was unavailable.
January 2020: Jerry Schemmel let go from KOA
In January 2020, KOA radio announcer Jerry Schemmel was let go due to budgetary constraints imposed by KOA's parent company.
2020: Rockies Front Office Dysfunction
During the 2020 season, the Colorado Rockies' front office experienced significant dysfunction. The Athletic reported that baseball operations personnel were made to work as clubhouse attendants on top of their regular duties, leading to workdays of up to 17 hours.
March 2021: Report on Rockies Front Office Dysfunction
In March 2021, a report by The Athletic revealed that the Colorado Rockies' front office had baseball operations staff performing clubhouse duties in 2020, leading to excessively long workdays and raising concerns about dysfunction within the organization. The report also described a lack of accountability within the front office.
2021: Larry Walker's Number Retired by Rockies
In 2021, the Colorado Rockies retired Larry Walker's number, making him the second player in franchise history to receive this honor. Walker, the first player to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame wearing a Colorado Rockies cap, had his number retired in a special ceremony.
2022: Rockies Retire Black Sleeveless Uniform, Introduce "City Connect"
In 2022, the Colorado Rockies retired their black sleeveless alternate uniform and replaced it with the Nike "City Connect" uniform.
2022: Rockies Unveil City Connect Uniforms
In 2022, the Colorado Rockies, along with six other MLB teams, introduced Nike "City Connect" uniforms. The Rockies' City Connect uniform features a predominantly green and white color scheme with printed mountain range motifs on the chest, and lettering inspired by Colorado license plates.
2022: Jerry Schemmel returns to KOA, replacing Mike Rice
Jerry Schemmel returned to KOA in 2022, replacing Mike Rice, who reportedly declined the COVID-19 vaccine.
2023: Rockies Remain Titleless
As of 2023, the Rockies became the sole Denver franchise in major professional sports yet to win a championship, following the Denver Nuggets' victory in the NBA Finals.
2023: Rockies Tweak City Connect Uniform
The Colorado Rockies made a slight adjustment to their "City Connect" uniform in 2023, opting to pair it with white pants for day games and green pants for night games.
April 10, 2024: FAA Investigates Rockies Coach in Cockpit
On April 10, 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into an incident involving Colorado Rockies coach Hensley Meulens. During a team flight, Meulens was filmed sitting in the captain's seat of the United Airlines Boeing 757 while the plane was in the air.