Ubaldo Jimenez Throws First No-Hitter In Colorado Rockies History

On April 17, 2010, Colorado Rockies' right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez pitches the first no-hitter in the 18-year history of the Colorado franchise.

Former Colorado Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez, still the only Rockies pitcher to throw a no-hitter.

The 4-0 historic victory over Atlanta at Turner Field was saved in the seventh inning with a spectacular catch by center fielder Dexter Fowler.

Jimenez would walk six batters in the game but also strike out seven, throwing a career-high 128 pitches, 72 for strikes.

Jimenez would go on to win the National League Pitcher of the Month for April, becoming the second pitcher in Rockies history to win a Pitcher of the Month award.

Jimenez became only the second pitcher in MLB history to throw a no-hitter and notch five wins in the month of April.

Colorado Rockies Play First Home Game

On April 9, 1993, the Colorado Rockies play their first home game in franchise history and record their first victory in franchise history, in an 11-4 win over the Montreal Expos.

Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado was the home for the Rockies in their first two-seasons in the MLB.

Denver had long been a hotbed of minor league baseball and many in the area desired a major league team. Following the Pittsburgh drug trials, an unsuccessful attempt was made to purchase the Pittsburgh Pirates and relocate them.

However, in 1991, as part of Major League Baseball's two-team expansion (they also added the Florida (now Miami) Marlins), an ownership group representing Denver led by John Antonucci and Michael I. Monus were granted a franchise; they took the name "Rockies" due to Denver's proximity to the Rocky Mountains, which is reflected in their logo.

They began play in 1993, sharing Mile High Stadium with the National Football League's Denver Broncos their first two seasons while Coors Field was constructed. It was completed for the 1995 Major League Baseball season.

Outside of Coors Field in Denver, Colorado where the Rockies have called home since 1995.

In 1993 they started play in the western division of the National League. Since that date, the Rockies have reached the MLB postseason three times, each time as the National League wild card team. Twice (1995 and 2009) they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. In 2007 the Rockies advanced all the way to the World Series, only to be swept by the Boston Red Sox.

Matt Holliday won the 2007 NLCS MVP award en route to the Rockies first World Series appearance.

In 2007 the Rockies won the Warren Giles Trophy for the National League champions and the Baseball America Organization of the Year award.

The Rockies play their home games at Coors Field. Their newest Spring Training home, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, opened in March 2011 and is shared with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Inside of Coors Field, the home of the Rockies in Denver, Colorado.

The Rockies have only retired one number in franchise history, and that is no. 42, which was worn by Jackie Robinson. His number has been retired league wide in honoring the first African-American baseball player to make it to the Major Leagues.

Though not retired, Larry Walker's number 33 has not been issued since he was traded during the 2004 season after 10 years with the Rockies.

The Rockies have had one MVP, Larry Walker in 1997, when he hit .366 with 49 home runs, 130 RBI, 33 stolen bases, and 409 total bases, en route to becoming the first Canadian player to win the MVP Award. He became and remains the only player to have at least 25 stolen bases and a slugging percentage of more than .700 in a season.

Walker's 409 total bases in 1997 were the most in an NL season since Stan Musial's 1948 season, although the mark was bettered by Barry Bonds in 2001 (411).

Combined with 12 outfield assists, the season remains one of the finest all-around performances in recent baseball history. Even more impressively, Walker's breakout season came just one year after various injuries limited him to 83 games and 272 at-bats, although the NL Comeback Player of the Year award went to Darren Daulton.

The Rockies have also had one Rookie of the Year winner, Jason Jennings in 2002.

The Rockies have boasted 11 different Silver Sluggers including Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, Andres Galarraga, Eric Young, Ellis Burks, Mike Hampton, Todd Helton, Matt Holliday, Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki and Walker.

The Rockies have had one Hank Aaron Award winner in Helton, and five Gold Glove winners including Neifi Perez, Helton, Gonzalez, Tulowitzki and Walker.

The Rockies have had the Manager of the Year Award given to their skippers twice in 1995 to Don Baylor and 2009 to Jam Tracy.

Banks Hits Fifth Grandslam Of Season

On Sept. 19, 1955, Chicago Cubs slugger Ernie Banks hits his fifth grand slam of season, setting a new Major League record.

Banks would finish the season with five grand slams, which was a record until 1987 when New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly hit six grand slams. In 2006 Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner would also hit six.

Banks five grand slams are still a National League record though, only being matched in 2009 by former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols.

Banks would finish his career with 12 grand slams, which is good enough to be tied for twenty-seventh all-time, however, at the time of his retirement Banks was ranked no. 10 all-time in most career grand slams.

At the end of his 19-year career, Banks compiled a .274 batting average in 2,528 games with 9,421 at-bats. He totaled 2,583 hits with 407 doubles, 90 triples, 512 home runs. He would also total 1,636 RBIs, 1,305 runs, 763 walks and 50 stolen bases while striking out 1,236 times.

Six times Banks led the league in games played, with his highest single season total coming in 1960 with 156 games played which led the league. The 156-games was the amount all teams would play in a season without going to a tiebreaker. He led the league in home runs twice, with his highest single season total coming 1958 with 47 home runs. He led the league that year. He also led the league in RBIs twice, with his highest single season total coming in 1959 with 143, which led the league. He also led the league in at-bats in 1958 with 617, which also was his highest single season total.

Banks enjoyed a great career with the Chicago Cubs, filled with awards as he was a 14-time All-Star, including 11 consecutive appearances, with two All-Star appearances coming in 1959, 1960 and 1962, when the league had two All-Star Games a year.

Banks might have had one of the best two-year runs in baseball when he was awarded back-to-back National League MVP Awards in 1958 and 1959. Those same two years he was the National League Home Run Champion and RBI Champion.

Banks was in the MVP voting nine more times, including his rookie year when he was second in Rookie of the Year voting, and sixteenth in MVP voting.

In 1960 Banks won the Gold Glove award and in 1967 he won the Lou Gherig Memorial Award.

In 1977 Banks elected into the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame with 83.8 percent of the vote on the first ballot in which he appeared.

The Chicago Cubs retired Banks iconic no. 14 jersey in 1982.

Jackson Joins Musial and Ruth With Rare Feat

On Sept. 18, 1986, Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson or hits three home runs and collects seven RBIs in one game for the California Angels. His three homers in one game at age 40 put him into a rare group that only included Stan Musial and Babe Ruth.

This was not the first time Jackson had hit three home runs in a single game though. In 1978, in World Series clinching game six. Jackson his three home runs, each on the first pitch off of a different pitcher in each at-bat. With his home run in game five off Don Sutton it meant Jackson had hit four consecutive home runs off of four different pitchers on four swings.

Since Jackson’s historic day another former Oakland Athletic, Jason Giambi joined the club while hitting three home runs in a game for the Colorado Rockies in May of 2011.

Jackson’s career featured 563 long balls, 33 of which came after he turned 40-years of age.

Jackson was named the American League MVP in 1973, and an All-Star 14 times. He was a five time World Series Champion, three times with the Oakland Athletics in 1972, 1973, and 1974, and two times a World Series Champion with the New York Yankees, in 1977 and 1978. He was the World Series MVP in 1973 and 1978.

Jackson was nominated into Cooperstown, baseball hall of fame in 1993 on the first ballot, with over 93 percent of the vote.

Nomo No-Hits Rockies At Coors Field

On Sept. 17, 1996 Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo no-hits Colorado Rockies, 9-0 at Coors Field.

Before coming to the Major Leagues here in America, Nomo pitched in Japan for five seasons racking up a record of 78 wins and 46 losses with a 3.14 earned run average and 1,204 strikeouts. After a successful five years in Japan, where he earned such awards as the 1990 Pacific League MVP, and Rookie of the Year, Nomo moved over to the United States, where he enjoyed a great career in the MLB.

Nomo finished his 14-year career in the MLB with 123 wins and 109 losses, a 4.24 earned run average and 1,918 strikeouts.

Nomo finished his career with two no-hitters, one in the National League and one in the American Leagues, making him only one of five pitchers to ever complete the rare feat.

To date Nomo is the only pitcher to throw a no-hitter at Coors Field in Colorado, as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, against the Rockies. His second no-hitter came at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 4, 2001 as a member of the Boston Red Sox, against the Orioles.