Coors Field
Encyclopedia
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado
, is the home field of Major League Baseball
's Colorado Rockies
. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company
of Golden, Colorado
, which purchased the naming rights
to the park prior to its completion in 1995
. The Rockies played their first two seasons, 1993
and 1994
, in Mile High Stadium
before moving to Coors Field, two blocks from Union Station
in Denver's Lower Downtown
(or LoDo) neighborhood. The park includes 63 luxury suites and 4,526 club seats.
and Sports Authority Field at Mile High (originally sponsored by INVESCO). It was also the first baseball-only National League Park since Dodger Stadium
was built in 1962
.
As with the other new venues, Coors Field was constructed with accessibility in mind. It sits near Interstate 25
and has direct access to the 20th Street and Park Avenue exits. Nearby Union Station also provides light rail access.
Coors Field was originally planned to be somewhat smaller, seating only 43,800. However, after the Rockies drew almost 4.5 million people in their first season at Mile High Stadium
- the most in baseball history - the plans were altered during construction, and new seats in the right field upper deck were added.
The center field bleacher section has its own informal name: "The Rockpile." During the 1993 and 1994 seasons when the team played at Mile High Stadium
, which was a hybrid football/baseball venue, the Rockpile was located in the south stands, which were in dead center field and very distant from home plate. The same design was incorporated into Coors Field, and is located in deep center field up high. The original Rockpile seats cost a dollar each.
During construction, workers discovered a number of dinosaur fossils throughout the grounds, including a 7 feet (2.1 m) 1000 pounds (453.6 kg) triceratops
skull. Because of this, "Jurassic Park" was one of the first names to be considered for the stadium. This later led to the selection of a dinosaur as the Rockies' mascot, "Dinger."
Coors Field was the first major league park with an underground heating system.
, the seats in the 20th row of the upper deck are purple
. This marks the city's one mile elevation point.
The Blue Moon Brewery at The Sandlot is a microbrewery
/restaurant
that is behind the Right Field Stands, with an entrance from Coors Field, and from Blake Street. The brewery is operated by the Coors Brewing Company
, and experiments with craft beers on a small scale. Every year, they receive awards at the Great American Beer Festival
in many different categories. The popular Blue Moon
, a Belgian-Style Wheat beer was invented here, and is now mass produced by Coors. The restaurant is housed in a building that is attached to the stadium. Coors Field has an extensive selection of food items. Selections include sushi
, Rocky Mountain oysters
, Rockie dogs, Denver dogs, Tucson dogs, vegetarian dogs and burgers, and of course all of the usual ball park items.
Behind the center field wall is a landscape decoration that reflects the typical environment of the Rocky Mountains
. This landscape area consists of a waterfall, fountains, and pine trees. After a Rockies home run or win the fountains shoot high into the air.
The park has two large light emitting diode (LED) video displays and one ribbon display in the outfield from Daktronics
. The top display, underneath the "Rockies," measures 27 feet high by 47 feet wide (8.1 m x 14.35 m). The second display measure 33 feet high by 73 feet wide and is used to give lineups and statistics and as a scoreboard. The field also contains several Daktronics
ribbon displays, totaling approximately 833 feet in length.
would result in balls traveling further than in other parks. With this in mind, the outfield fences were placed at an unusually far distance from home plate; thus creating one of the largest outfields in baseball today. Because of the large outfield, for many years Coors Field not only gave up the most home runs in baseball, but gave up the most doubles
and triples
as well.
In its first decade, the above-average number of home runs earned Coors Field a reputation as the most hitter-friendly park in Major League Baseball, earning the critical nicknames "Coors Canaveral" (a reference to Cape Canaveral
, from where NASA
launches spacecraft) and "Williamsport" (referring to the site of the Little League World Series
). Prior to the 2002 baseball season, studies determined that it was more the dry air rather than thin air which contributed to the more frequent home runs. It was found that baseballs stored in drier air are harder and therefore more elastic to the impact of the bat. A room-sized humidor
was installed in which to store the baseballs, and since its introduction the number of home runs at Coors Field has decreased and is now nearly the same as other parks.
Regardless of ball humidity, elevation is still a factor to the game. The ball does slip easier through the thin air allowing for longer hits. In addition, the curveball
tends to curve less with the thin air than at sea level leading to fewer strikeouts and fewer effective pitches for pitchers to work with.
Coors Field twice broke the major league record for home runs hit in a ballpark in one season. The previous record, 248, had been set at the Los Angeles version of Wrigley Field
in 1961, its only year for major league ball. In Coors Field's first year, the home run total fell just 7 short of that mark, despite losing 9 games from the home schedule (or one-ninth of the normal 81) due to the strike that had continued from 1994. The next season, 1996, with a full schedule finally, 271 home runs were hit at Coors Field. In 1999, the current major league record was set at 303. The annual home run figure dropped noticeably in 2002, and have dropped below 200 starting in 2005. (Yearly totals are from Retrosheet: )
took place in Coors Field.
In June 2002, the New York Yankees
made their first regular season trip to Coors Field. The series was a slugfest, with the two teams combining to score 70 runs. The Yankees won the first two games by scores of 10–5 and 20–10, and the Rockies took the series finale in 10 innings by a score of 14–11.
On July 2, 2003 a three-flight escalator malfunctioned, injuring 30 people. One woman, Peggy Nance, eventually would have to have her leg amputated. Overcrowding and a malfunctioning wire were blamed. The Rockies never admitted to any responsibility.
There have been nine 1-0 games in Coors Field history, as of June 12, 2010. The first 1-0 game at Coors Field was on July 9, 2005, meaning all nine games have occurred since Major League Baseball allowed the Rockies to start using a humidor
on May 15, 2002:
Games 3 and 4 of the 2007 World Series
between the Rockies and the Boston Red Sox
were held at Coors Field. The Red Sox won the World Series at Coors Field in Game 4.
Coors Field may also be used as a future site for the NHL Winter Classic
should the Colorado Avalanche
be the host team.
was the main PA announcer since Coors Field opened in 1995. In the spring preceding the 2007 Rockies season, Roach announced his retirement from his post at Coors Field to spend more time over the summer with his family. He did come back to substitute in 2008. Roach is also the PA announcer for the nearby Colorado Avalanche
hockey team of the NHL
and the Denver Broncos
of the NFL. He also provides voice-overs for local sports introductions in the region, in addition to hosting a local sports talk radio show. He is also one of the voices of the train system
at Denver International Airport
, and has also been heard as the PA announcer at recent Super Bowls. Reed Saunders, 23, was chosen to be the new voice of Coors Field on March 16, 2007.
(1996) featuring Robert De Niro
and Wesley Snipes
.
Later Firsts:
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, is the home field of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company
Coors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
of Golden, Colorado
Golden, Colorado
The City of Golden is a home rule municipality that is the county seat of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Golden lies along Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush on 16 June 1859, the mining camp was...
, which purchased the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
to the park prior to its completion in 1995
1995 Major League Baseball season
Due to the 1994 Major League Baseball strike which carried into the 1995 season, a shortened 144 game schedule commenced on April 25, when the Florida Marlins played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Regular season:...
. The Rockies played their first two seasons, 1993
1993 Major League Baseball season
The 1993 Major League Baseball season was also the final season of two division play in each league, before the Central Division was added the following season, giving both the NL and AL three divisions each....
and 1994
1994 Major League Baseball season
The 1994 Major League Baseball season ended with the infamous players strike ending the season on August 11, 1994.-Strike:As a result of a players' strike, the MLB season ended prematurely on August 11, 1994. No postseason was played...
, in Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the...
before moving to Coors Field, two blocks from Union Station
Union Station (Denver)
Union Station is Denver, Colorado, USA's historic train station at 17th and Wynkoop in the LoDo district. The station first opened in 1881.-History:...
in Denver's Lower Downtown
LoDo
LoDo, Denver is the lower downtown area of Denver, Colorado, the oldest and original settlement of the city of Denver. It is a mixed-use historic district, known for its nightlife, and serves as an example of success in urban reinvestment and revitalization...
(or LoDo) neighborhood. The park includes 63 luxury suites and 4,526 club seats.
Construction
Coors Field was the first new stadium added in a six-year period in which Denver's sports venues were upgraded, along with Pepsi CenterPepsi Center
Pepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...
and Sports Authority Field at Mile High (originally sponsored by INVESCO). It was also the first baseball-only National League Park since Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
was built in 1962
1962 Major League Baseball season
This was the first 162-game schedule for the National League, as they added the Houston Colt .45s and the New York Mets to their lineup, as the NL returned to New York City, after a four-year absence...
.
As with the other new venues, Coors Field was constructed with accessibility in mind. It sits near Interstate 25
Interstate 25
Interstate 25 is an Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway. I-25 stretches from Interstate 10 at Las Cruces, New Mexico, , to Interstate 90 in Buffalo, Wyoming, .Interstate 25 is the main north–south expressway through...
and has direct access to the 20th Street and Park Avenue exits. Nearby Union Station also provides light rail access.
Coors Field was originally planned to be somewhat smaller, seating only 43,800. However, after the Rockies drew almost 4.5 million people in their first season at Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the...
- the most in baseball history - the plans were altered during construction, and new seats in the right field upper deck were added.
The center field bleacher section has its own informal name: "The Rockpile." During the 1993 and 1994 seasons when the team played at Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium
Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the...
, which was a hybrid football/baseball venue, the Rockpile was located in the south stands, which were in dead center field and very distant from home plate. The same design was incorporated into Coors Field, and is located in deep center field up high. The original Rockpile seats cost a dollar each.
During construction, workers discovered a number of dinosaur fossils throughout the grounds, including a 7 feet (2.1 m) 1000 pounds (453.6 kg) triceratops
Triceratops
Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
skull. Because of this, "Jurassic Park" was one of the first names to be considered for the stadium. This later led to the selection of a dinosaur as the Rockies' mascot, "Dinger."
Coors Field was the first major league park with an underground heating system.
Features
While most of the seats in Coors Field are dark greenGreen
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
, the seats in the 20th row of the upper deck are purple
Purple
Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
. This marks the city's one mile elevation point.
The Blue Moon Brewery at The Sandlot is a microbrewery
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
/restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
that is behind the Right Field Stands, with an entrance from Coors Field, and from Blake Street. The brewery is operated by the Coors Brewing Company
Coors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
, and experiments with craft beers on a small scale. Every year, they receive awards at the Great American Beer Festival
Great American Beer Festival
The Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
in many different categories. The popular Blue Moon
Blue Moon (beer)
Blue Moon, a Belgian-style witbier brewed by Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado, was launched in 1995. In Canada it is marketed as the beer Rickard's White and is brewed in Montreal, Quebec. Originally called Bellyslide Belgian White, it was created by Keith Villa, a brewer at Coors Field's...
, a Belgian-Style Wheat beer was invented here, and is now mass produced by Coors. The restaurant is housed in a building that is attached to the stadium. Coors Field has an extensive selection of food items. Selections include sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, Rocky Mountain oysters
Rocky Mountain oysters
Rocky Mountain oysters are bull calf testicles used as food.They are often deep-fried after being peeled, coated in flour, pepper and salt, and sometimes pounded flat...
, Rockie dogs, Denver dogs, Tucson dogs, vegetarian dogs and burgers, and of course all of the usual ball park items.
Behind the center field wall is a landscape decoration that reflects the typical environment of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. This landscape area consists of a waterfall, fountains, and pine trees. After a Rockies home run or win the fountains shoot high into the air.
The park has two large light emitting diode (LED) video displays and one ribbon display in the outfield from Daktronics
Daktronics
Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video board, scoreboards, digital billboards and related products. The company is best known for its electronic LED displays...
. The top display, underneath the "Rockies," measures 27 feet high by 47 feet wide (8.1 m x 14.35 m). The second display measure 33 feet high by 73 feet wide and is used to give lineups and statistics and as a scoreboard. The field also contains several Daktronics
Daktronics
Daktronics is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video board, scoreboards, digital billboards and related products. The company is best known for its electronic LED displays...
ribbon displays, totaling approximately 833 feet in length.
Reputation as a home run-friendly park
Stadium designers speculated early on that Coors Field would give up a lot of home runs. It is by far the highest park in the majors, and designers knew that the low air density at such a high elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
would result in balls traveling further than in other parks. With this in mind, the outfield fences were placed at an unusually far distance from home plate; thus creating one of the largest outfields in baseball today. Because of the large outfield, for many years Coors Field not only gave up the most home runs in baseball, but gave up the most doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
as well.
In its first decade, the above-average number of home runs earned Coors Field a reputation as the most hitter-friendly park in Major League Baseball, earning the critical nicknames "Coors Canaveral" (a reference to Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
, from where NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
launches spacecraft) and "Williamsport" (referring to the site of the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
). Prior to the 2002 baseball season, studies determined that it was more the dry air rather than thin air which contributed to the more frequent home runs. It was found that baseballs stored in drier air are harder and therefore more elastic to the impact of the bat. A room-sized humidor
Humidor
A humidor is any kind of box or room with constant humidity, and ideal temperature, used to store cigars, cigarettes, or pipe tobacco. For private use, small wooden or acrylic glass humidor boxes for a few dozen cigars are used, while cigar shops may have walk-in humidors, sometimes consisting of a...
was installed in which to store the baseballs, and since its introduction the number of home runs at Coors Field has decreased and is now nearly the same as other parks.
Regardless of ball humidity, elevation is still a factor to the game. The ball does slip easier through the thin air allowing for longer hits. In addition, the curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
tends to curve less with the thin air than at sea level leading to fewer strikeouts and fewer effective pitches for pitchers to work with.
Coors Field twice broke the major league record for home runs hit in a ballpark in one season. The previous record, 248, had been set at the Los Angeles version of Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)
Wrigley Field was a ballpark in Los Angeles, California which served as host to minor league baseball teams in the region for over 30 years, and was the home park for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League as well as a current major league team, the later Los Angeles Angels, in their...
in 1961, its only year for major league ball. In Coors Field's first year, the home run total fell just 7 short of that mark, despite losing 9 games from the home schedule (or one-ninth of the normal 81) due to the strike that had continued from 1994. The next season, 1996, with a full schedule finally, 271 home runs were hit at Coors Field. In 1999, the current major league record was set at 303. The annual home run figure dropped noticeably in 2002, and have dropped below 200 starting in 2005. (Yearly totals are from Retrosheet: )
Notable events
The 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 69th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 7, 1998 at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, the home of the...
took place in Coors Field.
In June 2002, the New York Yankees
2002 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2002 season was the 100th season for the Yankees in New York, and their 102nd overall going back to their origins in Baltimore. The team finished with a record of 103-58 finishing 10.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at...
made their first regular season trip to Coors Field. The series was a slugfest, with the two teams combining to score 70 runs. The Yankees won the first two games by scores of 10–5 and 20–10, and the Rockies took the series finale in 10 innings by a score of 14–11.
On July 2, 2003 a three-flight escalator malfunctioned, injuring 30 people. One woman, Peggy Nance, eventually would have to have her leg amputated. Overcrowding and a malfunctioning wire were blamed. The Rockies never admitted to any responsibility.
There have been nine 1-0 games in Coors Field history, as of June 12, 2010. The first 1-0 game at Coors Field was on July 9, 2005, meaning all nine games have occurred since Major League Baseball allowed the Rockies to start using a humidor
Humidor
A humidor is any kind of box or room with constant humidity, and ideal temperature, used to store cigars, cigarettes, or pipe tobacco. For private use, small wooden or acrylic glass humidor boxes for a few dozen cigars are used, while cigar shops may have walk-in humidors, sometimes consisting of a...
on May 15, 2002:
- July 9, 2005, Rockies beat the San Diego Padres2005 San Diego Padres season-Opening Day starters:Played at Coors Field on April 4, 2005. The Colorado Rockies defeated the Padres 12-10.-Notable transactions:*June 7, 2005: Josh Geer was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 3rd round of the 2005 amateur draft. Player signed July 1, 2005.-Roster:-Starters by position:Note:...
- April 16, 2006, Philadelphia Phillies2006 Philadelphia Phillies seasonThe 2006 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 124th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies finished in second place in the National League East, 12 games behind the New York Mets, and three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Wild-Card race. The Phillies were managed by...
beat the Rockies - July 25, 2006, St. Louis Cardinals2006 St. Louis Cardinals seasonThe St. Louis Cardinals 2006 season was the team's 125th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 115th season in the National League. The season started out with a bang, as the team raced out to a 31-16 record by late May...
beat the Rockies - August 1, 2006, Milwaukee Brewers2006 Milwaukee Brewers seasonThe Milwaukee Brewers 2006 season involved the Brewers' finishing 4th in the National League Central with a record of 75 wins and 87 losses.-Offseason:...
beat the Rockies - June 11, 2008, Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants2008 San Francisco Giants seasonThe San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team. Their 2008 season marks their 50th Anniversary in the Bay Area since moving from New York in 1958. It is also their first since 1992 without all-time home run champion Barry Bonds, who was not re-signed following the 2007 season...
- September 14, 2008, Rockies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers2008 Los Angeles Dodgers seasonThe 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers season features the Dodgers celebrating their Golden Anniversary in Southern California under new manager Joe Torre as they won the National League West for the first time since 2004, and returned to the postseason after missing the playoffs in 2007. They swept the...
in 10 innings - September 17, 2008, Rockies beat the San Diego Padres2008 San Diego Padres seasonThe San Diego Padres' 2008 season is a season in American baseball. The Padres are attempting to win the NL West for the 3rd time in 4 years.-Opening Day Lineup:...
- July 6, 2009, Rockies beat the Washington Nationals2009 Washington Nationals seasonThe Washington Nationals' 2009 season was the 5th season for the American baseball franchise of Major League Baseball in the District of Columbia, and the 41st since the original team was started in Montréal, Canada...
- June 12, 2010, Rockies beat the Toronto Blue Jays2010 Toronto Blue Jays seasonThe 2010 Toronto Blue Jays season was the 34th season of Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays franchise, and the team's 21st full season of play at the Rogers Centre. The 2010 season was the first under general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who replaced J. P...
Games 3 and 4 of the 2007 World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
between the Rockies and the Boston Red Sox
2007 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox' 2007 season began with the Boston, Massachusetts-based Major League Baseball team trying to rebound after a disappointing 2006 season, in which they finished third in the American League East behind the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays, and missed the postseason for...
were held at Coors Field. The Red Sox won the World Series at Coors Field in Game 4.
Coors Field may also be used as a future site for the NHL Winter Classic
NHL Winter Classic
The NHL Winter Classic is an annual event held by the National Hockey League on New Year's Day where regular-season games are played outdoors, in areas hosted by NHL teams. Though largely derived from the Heritage Classic outdoor game held in Edmonton in 2003, the Winter Classic has so far only...
should the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
be the host team.
The "Voice" of Coors Field
Alan RoachAlan Roach
Alan Roach is an American sports announcer and radio personality. He currently broadcasts as a sports commentator on KOA in Denver, Colorado.Roach has been a sports announcer since 1990. While working for a radio station in Colorado Springs, he told a Sky Sox official that if they ever needed a...
was the main PA announcer since Coors Field opened in 1995. In the spring preceding the 2007 Rockies season, Roach announced his retirement from his post at Coors Field to spend more time over the summer with his family. He did come back to substitute in 2008. Roach is also the PA announcer for the nearby Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
hockey team of the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL. He also provides voice-overs for local sports introductions in the region, in addition to hosting a local sports talk radio show. He is also one of the voices of the train system
Denver International Airport Automated Guideway Transit System
The Denver International Airport Automated Guideway Transit System is a people mover system operating at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado...
at Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
, and has also been heard as the PA announcer at recent Super Bowls. Reed Saunders, 23, was chosen to be the new voice of Coors Field on March 16, 2007.
In popular culture
Coors Field was featured in the movie The FanThe Fan (1996 film)
The Fan is a 1996 American thriller film starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes. It was directed by Tony Scott and based on the novel of the same name by Peter Abrahams...
(1996) featuring Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
and Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
.
Coors Field firsts
From Inaugural Game, April 26, 1995 (Colorado 11, New York Mets 9, 14 innings):- First Official GameOfficial gameAn official game in baseball, also sometimes called a regulation game, is a game that has progressed beyond the point at which it can be considered complete if necessary. This is approximately the halfway point of the game...
and First Extra Inning GameExtra inningsExtra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat... - First National Anthem: Colorado Children's ChoraleColorado Children's ChoraleThe Colorado Children’s Chorale is a singing group in Colorado that was founded in 1974. The Chorale consists of six choirs: Prep choir, Apprentice choir, Concert choir, Regional Tour choir, National Tour choir, and Transitions choir...
- First PitchPitch (baseball)In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
: 5:38 p.m., Bill SwiftBill SwiftWilliam Charles Swift is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.After graduating South Portland High School, Swift attended the University of Maine. Swift pitched for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and was a first-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners following his senior year at Maine...
to Brett Butler - First First Plate AppearancePlate appearanceIn baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
, First At BatAt batIn baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
, and First HitHit (baseball)In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
: Brett Butler, infield single, 1st inning - First Batter to Ground Into Double Play: José VizcaínoJosé VizcaínoJosé Luis Vizcaíno Pimental is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a backup infielder for most of his MLB career. In , he played a significant role with the Chicago Cubs, having 551 at-bats and being 9th in the National League with 131 singles as well as second in the NL with 9 sacrifice...
(Mets), turned 5-3, Walt WeissWalt WeissWalter William Weiss is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball.Weiss was a member of the National League All-Star Team...
to Andres GalarragaAndrés GalarragaAndrés José Padovani Galarraga is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Colorado Rockies , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels... - First PutoutPutoutIn baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
: Walt Weiss put out Brett Butler at second base (during the double play mentioned above) - First Extra-Base HitExtra base hitIn baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
and First Run Batted In: Larry WalkerLarry WalkerLarry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals...
(Rockies) double in 1st inning - First RunRun (baseball)In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
: Walt WeissWalt WeissWalter William Weiss is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball.Weiss was a member of the National League All-Star Team...
(Rockies), 1st inning - First Flyout and First Sacrifice FlySacrifice flyIn baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
: Dante BichetteDante BichetteAlphonse Dante Bichette, Sr. is a former Italian-American Major League Baseball player. Bichette was a four-time All-Star as a member of the Colorado Rockies.-Career:...
(Rockies), putout by David SeguiDavid SeguiDavid Vincent Segui, is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman. Segui played collegiate baseball for Louisiana Tech University and Kansas City Kansas Community College. During a 15-year baseball career, he played with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Montreal Expos,...
, scoring Joe GirardiJoe GirardiJoseph Elliott Girardi is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager of the New York Yankees. During a 15-year playing career, he played from 1989–2003 for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals...
, 1st inning - First StrikeoutStrikeoutIn baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
: Bill Swift, struck out (called) David Segui, 2nd inning - First Sacrifice Bunt: Bobby Jones (Mets), 3rd inning
- First Home RunHome runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
: Rico BrognaRico BrognaRico Joseph Brogna is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves in his career starting in 1992, and from 1994 to 2001...
(Mets), 4th inning off Swift - First Base On BallsBase on ballsA base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
: Bobby Jones (Mets) walked Bill Swift, 5th inning - First Grand SlamGrand slam (baseball)In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
: Todd HundleyTodd HundleyTodd Randolph Hundley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He is the son of former Chicago Cubs catcher Randy Hundley...
(Mets), 6th inning off Swift - First Pinch HitterPinch hitterIn baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
: John Vander WalJohn Vander WalJohn Henry Vander Wal is a former American Major League Baseball left-handed hitter who played outfield and first base for eight different teams over 14 seasons.-Early life:...
announced for Swift (did not appear), Eric Young pinched for Vander Wal, 6th inning - First Relief PitcherRelief pitcherA relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
: Jerry DiPotoJerry DipotoGerard Peter Dipoto , is a former professional baseball player and an executive who currently serves as the General Manager of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He served as interim GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010.-Early life:Dipoto played high school baseball at Toms River High School North...
(Mets), 6th inning - First Batter to be Hit By PitchHit by pitchIn baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
: Roberto MejiaRoberto MejiaRoberto Antonio Mejía Díaz is a professional baseball second baseman who is currently a free agent. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball between 1993–97, and one season in the Korea Baseball Organization in 2003...
(Rockies) by DiPoto, 6th inning - First Right Field Outfield Assist: Carl EverettCarl EverettCarl Edward Everett III is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently an outfielder for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League. A switch hitter, he played with the Chicago White Sox on their 2005 World Series winning team...
(Mets), Vinny CastillaVinny CastillaVinicio "Vinny" Castilla Soria is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves...
at second base, 6th inning - First Wild PitchWild pitchIn baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
: Mike MunozMike Munoz (baseball)Michael Anthony Munoz , is a retired professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1989-2000.-External links:...
(Rockies), facing Rico Brogna, 7th inning - First Blown Save: Mike Munoz (Rockies), 7th inning; the Mets John Franco and Mike RemlingerMike RemlingerMichael John Remlinger is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Remlinger has played with the San Francisco Giants , New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds , Atlanta Braves , Chicago Cubs , and the Boston Red Sox...
recorded the second and third blown saves in Coors Field history in the 9th and 14th innings of this same inaugural game, respectively - First Pinch RunnerPinch runnerA pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
: Brook FordyceBrook FordyceBrook Alexander Fordyce born is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds , Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles , and Tampa Bay Devil Rays ....
(Mets), 8th inning - First Foul Popfly: Andres Galarraga (Rockies), fielded by Jeff KentJeff KentJeffrey Franklin Kent is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, and is the all-time leader in home runs among second basemen...
- First Left Field Outfield AssistAssist (baseball)In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
: Dante Bichette (Rockies), José Vizcaíno at second base, 13th inning - Intentional Base On BallsIntentional base on ballsIn baseball, an intentional base on balls, usually referred to as an intentional walk and denoted in baseball scorekeeping by IBB, is a walk issued to a batter by a pitcher with the intent of removing the batter's opportunity to swing at the pitched ball...
: Todd Hundley (Mets), by pitcher Mark ThompsonMark Thompson (baseball)Mark Radford Thompson is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He graduated from Logan County High School in Russellville, Kentucky and he then attended the University of Kentucky.... - First Pinch Base HitPinch hitterIn baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
: Jim Tatum (Rockies), 13th inning - First ErrorError (baseball)In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
: Tim BogarTim BogarTimothy Paul Bogar is a former Major League Baseball infielder. Currently, Bogar is the third base coach for the Boston Red Sox.-Playing career:...
(Mets), 14th inning - First Walk-Off Home RunWalk-off home runIn baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
: Dante Bichette (Rockies), three-run homerun, 14th inning
Later Firsts:
- First Stolen BaseStolen baseIn baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
: April 27, 1995, Eric Young and Walt Weiss (Rockies) double steal - First Passed BallPassed ballIn baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
: April 27, 1996, Joe GirardiJoe GirardiJoseph Elliott Girardi is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager of the New York Yankees. During a 15-year playing career, he played from 1989–2003 for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals...
(Rockies) - First TripleTriple (baseball)In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
: April 27, 1996, Andres Galarraga (Rockies) - First Baserunner Caught StealingCaught stealingIn baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
: April 27, 1996, Carl Everett (Mets), by A.J. Sager / Joe Girardi - First Back to Back Home Runs: May 6, 1995, Mike KingeryMike KingeryMichael Scott Kingery , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues, primarily as an outfielder, from 1986–1992 and 1994-1996. Kingery's career high for home runs in a season was 9, set in 1987 while playing limited time with the Seattle Mariners...
and Roberto Mejia (Rockies) - First Center Field Outfield Assist: May 6, 1995, Raul MondesiRaúl MondesíRaúl Ramón Mondesí Avelino is a former Major League Baseball player and the current mayor of San Cristóbal Province in the Dominican Republic. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1994 as a right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers...
(Los Angeles Dodgers), Larry Walker at second base - First Baserunner Picked OffPickoffIn baseball, a pickoff is an act by a pitcher or a catcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder can tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base....
Caught Stealing: May 11, 1995, Dante Bichette (Rockies) at third base, by Terry MulhollandTerry MulhollandTerence John Mulholland is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He threw left-handed and batted right-handed.-Early and personal life:...
(San Francisco Giants) - First Baserunner Picked Off On Base: June 6, 1995, Brian JordanBrian JordanBrian O'Neal Jordan is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and National Football League safety. In the NFL, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, while he played in the MLB for the St...
(St. Louis Cardinals), by Mark Thompson at 1st base - First BalkBalkIn baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. In games played under the Official Baseball Rules, a balk results in a dead ball or delayed dead ball. In certain other circumstances, a balk may be wholly or partially disregarded...
: Marvin FreemanMarvin FreemanMarvin Freeman is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies. He worked as both a starting pitcher and a reliever in his career. He is currently an assistant baseball coach at Rich Central High School in Olympia...
(Rockies), June 7, 1995 - First Complete GameComplete gameIn baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
and First Shutout (and, of course, the first Complete Game Shutout): June 16, 1995, Tom GlavineTom GlavineThomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
(Atlanta Braves) - First Hitting for the CycleHitting for the cycleIn baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
: May 18, 1996, John MabryJohn MabryJohn Steven Mabry is a former Major League Baseball player. He had 898 career hits in 3409 at bats , with 96 home runs and 446 RBI...
(St. Louis Cardinals); 11th natural cycle in MLB history - First No-hitterNo-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
: September 17, 1996, Hideo NomoHideo Nomois a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
(Los Angeles Dodgers); - Unassisted Triple PlayUnassisted triple playIn baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three putouts by himself in one continuous play, without any teammates touching the ball . In Major League Baseball , it is one of the rarest of individual feats, along with hitting four home runs in one game and the...
: April 29, 2007, Troy TulowitzkiTroy TulowitzkiTroy Trevor Tulowitzki , nicknamed Tulo, is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Colorado Rockies.Tulowitzki's arm, range and instincts at shortstop are highly regarded...
(Rockies)
External links
- Stadium site on coloradorockies.com
- Ballpark Digest visit to Coors Field
- Ballparks of Baseball
- Coors Field images and information
- Aerial photo of Coors Field from USGS via Microsoft Research Maps