Colorado Rockies: The Time Zone With A Team

 

The year 1959 was a good one– a very important year for baseball in Colorado. It was the first time a formidable, well-assembled plan was presented for bringing major-league baseball to Denver.

During the late ’50s, the Denver Bears were the Triple-A farm team of the New York Yankees. The team was loaded with future major-league stars including Bobby Richardson, Tony Kubek, Ryne Duren, Mark Freeman, and Marv Throneberry. Ralph Houk was the manager. Denver fans loved their baseball and they supported the team with record attendance among minor-league cities.

Denver was emerging as a major transportation hub as well as a leading financial center in the Rocky Mountain area. Enthusiastic fans in the Denver area were eager to welcome and support major-league professional sports. The Denver Broncos began play in the American Football League in 1960 and the fans hoped a major-league baseball team would soon follow.

Bob Howsam, president of Rocky Mountain Sports, and US Senator Edwin “Big Ed” Johnson, his father-in-law, created a plan to bring major-league baseball to Colorado. Actually, they began to formulate the plan in the early ’50s while the Howsam family was building a successful leadership team, both on and off the field. They met with Branch Rickey, who agreed that there was a need throughout the country for more major-league teams. While Howsam discussed plans with representatives of other major- and minor-league cities, Senator Johnson met with colleagues and friends in Congress. They made lasting friendships and paved the way for future alliances.

In 1958, the city of New York lost the Dodgers and Giants when they moved to California. New York Mayor Robert Wagner and Bill Shea formed a committee to attract another team for the city. They were unable to attract an existing franchise to move to New York. Once they considered an expansion team, they joined forces with Howsam and potential candidates from seven other cities for gaining major-league status. Thereafter, with extensive study and faced with rejection from the existing major-league teams, the eight cities gave their support to the formation of a new major league.

The Continental League was officially organized on July 27, 1959.1 The original members of the league were: Denver, Houston, New York, Buffalo, Dallas-Fort Worth, Toronto, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Atlanta. The new league appeared to be formidable, especially with some wealthy and determined owners and the abundance of talented players in the minor leagues who were capable of playing at the major-league level. But the announcement of the new league was met with strong opposition from the existing major-league teams. National League and American League owners united in opposition and directed Commissioner Ford Frick to appeal to Congress for support. With a negative vote from the Senate, the new league was derailed and eventually terminated. However, with the threat of the new league, the existing major-league teams responded with a promise that eventually all of the cities from the Continental League would someday have major-league baseball.2

Denver’s presentation was important because it set the stage. From then on, Denver became a player in the ongoing game whenever a new city was considered for a major-league franchise. Although it took 33 years, Denver became the seventh city of the original Continental League to have major-league baseball when the Colorado Rockies began play in 1993. What happened during those 33 years of knocking on the door and waiting for a team is a fascinating story, filled with great expectations, some sad and disappointing setbacks, and wild jubilation when the team finally arrived.

The Early Years

The first recorded game of “base ball” in Denver was played on April 26, 1862, when the McNeils Side defeated the Hulls Side, 20-7.3 After the Civil War, as settlers moved west, baseball grew in popularity throughout the mining towns, the farming communities, and Denver, the Queen City of the Plains. Common rivalries grew in popularity as baseball outings became the social and family entertainment throughout the summer. George “Patsy” Tebeau (December 26, 1861- February 4, 1923) and David Rowe (October 9, 1854 – December 9, 1930), who both played major-league baseball, are referred to as the “fathers of Colorado baseball.”4 They were instrumental in developing amateur teams and bringing barnstorming teams to play in Denver. The first professional team was the Denver Browns in 1879 and the first team to play in the Western Baseball League was the Denvers in 1886.5

As Denver’s population increased and the economy grew stronger, youth baseball programs flourished throughout the state. As baseball grew in popularity, there were many sandlot fields and ballparks where the games were played. In Denver, Merchants Park was built in 1922 and provided the site for Denver Post Tournaments and exhibition games involving barnstorming teams. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig played in Denver in 1927 on a barnstorming tour. Baseball in Denver gradually developed a strong grass-roots following and a reputation as a good baseball town as local players developed and the visiting players, who had favorable experiences in Denver, traveled about the country.

 

When Don Baylor was selected to be the Colorado Rockies’ first manager, Rachel Robinson came to Denver to celebrate the inaugural season for the Rockies. Here she is shown with Rockies president Jerry McMorris and Don Baylor. (Courtesy of Roger Kinney)

 

Professional Baseball

After World War II, the Western League was reorganized and began play with eight teams: Denver (farm team of the New York Yankees), Pueblo (Brooklyn Dodgers), Omaha (St. Louis Cardinals), Des Moines (Chicago Cubs), Sioux City (New York Giants), and Lincoln (Philadelphia A’s). The country was in a rebuilding period; the success and the fortunes of all the professional baseball teams rested heavily with the ownership of the local minor-league teams.

The owner of the Denver Bears was a group headed by former Mayor Will Nicholson, his brother Eddie Nicholson, and Colorado financial magnate Charles Boettcher.6 In 1948, Bob Howsam and his family purchased the Bears and moved to a new location in central Denver where they built Bears Stadium.7 Howsam proved to be a knowledgeable baseball entrepreneur as well as a popular and successful businessman. He made friends and loyal supporters throughout the country, and he never lost his zeal or support for Denver’s bid for a major-league team. After the demise of the Continental League, on May 26, 1961, Howsam sold the Denver Bears to Rocky Mountain Sports, Inc., headed by Gerald and Allan Phipps. Shortly thereafter, Howsam moved to St. Louis and later, to Cincinnati, where he was the general manager of the Cardinals and then the Reds. His teams won four World Series before he returned with his family to Colorado.

Gerald “Jerry” Phipps, a legend in his own right, had a genuine love for baseball, the Denver Bears, the Denver Broncos, and his beloved state of Colorado. He hired Jim Burris, former general secretary of the American Association, to be the general manager of the Bears. Burris, a baseball loyalist, became the leader of Denver’s ongoing campaign to attain a major-league team. Whenever an opportunity occurred, he would trumpet the favorable attributes of Colorado for a big-league team. Burris attended major-league baseball meetings every year. While other prospective cities were often represented with elaborate displays and well-organized promotional teams, Denver’s presence was sometimes a lonely affair. Burris, who had a charming sense of humor, used to tell friends that he held the meetings for the Denver delegation in a telephone booth.

Over time, Denver’s presence began to change, and in 1974, the Denver Chamber of Commerce sent four members, Jim Burris, Larry Varnell, Rex Jennings, and Dale Mitchell (a former player with the Cleveland Indians), to New Orleans with a model of Mile High Stadium (formerly Bears Stadium) and a presentation promoting the attractions of Denver.8 For 21 years, Burris continued to “carry the torch” for Denver at the major-league meetings, often escorting supporting members of the Denver delegation.

Destination Denver

In the early 1970s, a formal bid was made to hold the Winter Olympics in Colorado. The International Olympic Committee approved the bid and the Winter Olympics were scheduled to be held in Colorado in 1976. But there was strong opposition to the organizers’ plan. After a heated campaign, the voters rejected the plan and the Colorado Olympics were canceled. (The 1976 Winter Games were instead held in Innsbruck, Austria .)

The Colorado sports scene was shaken for several years. Some people called it a black eye for the state. Promoters were hesitant to submit bids to attract other sporting events. Some hostelries said tourism suffered with Denver becoming known as an airport city on the way to the mountains. In time, the city rebounded and its desire to attract major sporting events was renewed. Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau president Roger Smith vowed to attract major events, including national conventions and sporting events. This eventually led to a successful vote to finance a new Denver Convention Center. Presidents Rex Jennings and Shelby Harper of the Denver Chamber of Commerce created the Denver Metro Sports Committee. This eventually led to support for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA and for the NBA All-Star Game, which was held in Denver in 1984. This in turn led to the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament. held in Denver in 1990. With these successes and the improving economy, sports fans again set their sights on a major-league baseball franchise.

High Hopes – Disappointing Results

When Marvin Davis, a wealthy oil investor, expressed an interest in owning a big-league team and bringing it to Denver, the fans were hopeful for success. There were reports that Davis tried to purchase the Chicago White Sox in 1976 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1977.9 Larry Varnell, past president of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, became the public spokesman for Davis as he made numerous attempts to purchase a team. Varnell said, “One year when I went to the winter (baseball) meetings, Davis said, you find the team, I’ll write the check.”10 In 1985, there were reports that the San Francisco Giants might make a temporary move to Denver to facilitate the construction of a new stadium in San Francisco. There were other rumors involving the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cleveland Indians, and the Minnesota Twins.

Perhaps the closest possibility for a sale came in two stages. First, in 1977-78 when Marvin Davis was negotiating with Charlie Finley to move the Oakland A’s to Denver, Varnell reported that the American League owners were agreeable to a sale to Davis if a settlement could be made with the Oakland Coliseum Authority. After extensive negotiations, the parties could not reach a settlement and the sale was canceled. The second proposal come in 1979-80 when “an official of the Oakland Coliseum made a public disclosure that the Oakland Coliseum would consider a cash offer to allow Finley to break his lease and sell the team to Davis.”11 Rumors circulated that a deal was close to completion. But Marvin Davis denied the rumors and a sale was never completed.

The Denver Baseball Commission, created by Mayor Federico Pena and led by executive director Steve Katich and City Attorney Steve Kaplan, worked in support of Marvin Davis. To gain fans’ support, the commission held a Baseball Symposium and sponsored exhibition games played by visiting major-league teams. In 1984, the commission hosted a display booth at the winter baseball meetings and distributed a daily newspaper extolling Denver’s worthiness for a major-league team.

Marvin Davis eventually lost interest in bringing a team to Denver, and the Denver Baseball Commission shifted support to John Dikeou and his family. The Dikeous had purchased the Denver Bears from Gerald and Allan Phipps in 1984 and renamed the team the Zephyrs. A popular Denver native and a successful businessman, Dikeou assembled a strong management team led by Robert Howsam Jr. and Tom Maloney. The team won the Triple-A championship in 1991. The fans responded, and as the Zephyrs prospered, the momentum for a major-league team gained strength. John Dikeou became the likely and assumed new owner of an expansion team.

 

 

Congress and the Commissioner

In 1985, Peter Ueberroth became commissioner of baseball, succeeding Bowie Kuhn. At that time, baseball owners were dealing with a wide range of financial problems involving the players’ salaries, free agency, and the wide disparity of economic interests among the owners. In l986 Tim Wirth of Colorado was elected to the US Senate. In the spring of 1987, Wirth suggested to Ueberroth that, “Major League Baseball and the Senate could talk to each other about expansion.”12 Extolling the attractions of Denver for a new franchise, Wirth continued to attempt to convince Ueberroth that expansion would be good for baseball and the country. Wirth gained support from other members of Congress, and on November 4, 1987, they formed a Senate Task Force on Expansion of Major League Baseball. Their goal was to have six new major-league teams by 2000.13

For the next two years, Wirth and his colleagues made a persistent campaign for expansion. Commissioner Ueberroth resisted any public commitments to expansion and continued to deal primarily with the financial concerns of the major-league owners, the players, and their union. But in the summer of 1988, while announcing that he planned to step down, he indicated that “expansion was coming in the not too distant future.”14

A. Bartlett Giamatti was selected to succeed Ueberroth in the spring of 1989. Giamatti was popular, dedicated, and a forceful advocate for the traditional values associated with the national pastime. In the summer of 1989, at the owners’ quarterly meeting, they agreed to expand by two teams in the National League.15 Giamatti died of a heart attack on September 1, 1989, just five months after becoming commissioner. Fay Vincent succeeded him.

The Invitation

Shortly after a contract agreement was signed with the Players Association on June 16, 1990, Vincent presented a timeline for all prospective new owners.16 The owners’ Expansion Committee would receive presentations from the applicants by September 30, and the finalists would be announced by the end of the year. The committee would make its recommendation to the major-league owners and the final selection would be made by September 30, 1991.

It soon became apparent that the application would have four major requirements. First, the owners of a new franchise (preferably local people) must be acceptable to the current owners. “This is the fundamental thing to remember in expansion. Cities are never awarded franchises. Owners are rewarded franchises.”17 Second, there must be a new, baseball-only stadium that is first class in all respects. Third, there must be sufficient support from the fans and general public. This meant a support base of at least 20,000 season-ticket holders. Fourth, the entry fee would be $95 million. The applicants needed to agree to all the accompanying conditions regarding the expansion process, including the draft of eligible players, the finance schedule, and the nonparticipation in television revenue for the initial season.

Colorado’s Response – House Bill 1351

In 1988, Pat Grant, a Colorado legislator, had been instrumental in creating a successful district taxing authority to support the cultural arts in the Denver area. Faced with a stalemate over the financing of a new ballpark, Neil Macey, a Denver real-estate entrepreneur and avid baseball fan, envisioned a similar plan as a practical way to finance the planning and construction. Macey envisioned the creation of a five-county authority that would expand the tax base, oversee the project, and impose a 0.01 percent sales tax. Macey took his plan to John Dikeou and Kathi Williams, a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from Adams County. They took the plan to Governor Roy Romer, and after considerable negotiating, they presented Colorado House Bill 1351. With an appeal to all the state legislators who supported major-league baseball, the bill passed the Colorado legislature and sent the measure to the electorate in August 1990.18

The bill created a Colorado Baseball Stadium Authority with a seven-member board responsible for site selection, financial planning, construction, and the ongoing operation of the ballpark. The bill also created an 18-member Colorado Baseball Commission tasked to conduct the election campaign and any activities necessary to support the prospective owners and meet the requirements set by the major leagues’ expansion committee. The commission would go out of existence once its mission was completed.

The Colorado Baseball Stadium Authority

After House Bill 1351 was passed, Governor Romer, with input from Neil Macey and Kathi Williams, began to make appointments to the Stadium Authority and the Baseball Commission.19 All appointments were subject to approval by a committee of the Colorado Senate. Senator Claire Taylor conducted many of the appointment hearings and passed along the recommendations to the governor. Once the seven members were selected and approved, the Stadium Authority began meeting on a regular basis.

At the first meeting, John McHale Jr. was elected chairman. Shortly thereafter, Jack Sperling and Craig Umbaugh of the legal firm Fairfield and Woods were named legal counsel. Lee White, an investment banker, was chosen to be the financial adviser. Since there were minimal funds available for the operations of the authority, in-kind contributions were solicited. Many supporters responded, including Dave Herlinger, president of the Colorado Housing Authority, who provided office and meeting space for the authority.

Under McHale and Ray Baker (who succeeded McHale as chairman), the board began seeking a site for the new stadium. Many sites were considered. With recognition of the large amount of land along the Amtrak rail lines, the site at 20th and Blake was selected on March 13, 1991.20 In addition to the availability of the land for parking, the site had other attractive features: The site was above the flood plain, which would facilitate building the playing field at the lower level, and it was within walking distance of the downtown area and Union Station, the transportation center for the metropolitan area. Shortly thereafter, HOK Sports was selected to be the architectural firm for the stadium.

Once the site was selected and the election neared, the Stadium Authority created an ambitious schedule, making public presentations to all five of the counties in the voting district. The presentations included a display of the plans for the stadium, followed by a “no holds barred” question-and-answer session with the board members. The response throughout the five-county area from those attending was positive and they were asked to seek the support of their neighbors and friends, especially those who would vote in the election slated for August 1990.

As the time neared for the National League expansion committee to visit Denver, the Stadium Authority Board turned its attention to the lease of the new stadium to the owners. John McHale, as chairman of the MLB Stadium District and Steve Ehrhart, then president of the Colorado Baseball Partnership, signed a memorandum of agreement for the lease of the new stadium on March 14, 1991.21 The lease caught the immediate attention of major-league owners and the expansion committee. Carl Barger, president of the Florida Marlins, said, “It’s a great lease. I gotta hand it to those people who negotiated it.”22 With the site and the lease in place, the Stadium Authority prepared to meet with the expansion committee, who were planning to be in Denver in March 1991.

 

 

The Colorado Baseball Commission

The Colorado Baseball Commission was created with 15 members representing all of the five counties in the district. John Dikeou was named chairman and Neil Macey was the executive director. After a difficult start to raise money for its operational needs, cable magnate Bill Daniels and the Greater Denver Chamber of Commerce made substantial contributions to set the campaign on a winning track. United Airlines made a generous contribution to facilitate goodwill visits to six National League teams, the Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Cardinals, Reds, and Cubs. Many supporting companies and loyal fans made monetary and in-kind contributions. A record number of volunteers donated their time and talents to the campaign.

The commission had a wide range of projects to address. One of the first was to create a plan for the sale of season tickets. With help from the accounting firm of Deloitte Touche and the legal firm of Holme, Roberts and Owen, who donated office space and telephone service, they began the season-ticket drive in early May 1990. The conditions for a commitment were well publicized by the media, including a deposit for obtaining a priority number on a first-come (via a telephone call), first-served basis. Priority would be given to season-ticket holders of the Denver Zephyrs, the Triple-A farm team. A team of volunteers would man the telephones, ready to take orders. When the switchboard opened, the telephone calls (including those for the law firm) overwhelmed the system. Callers were desperate in their attempts to make a deposit and obtain a low priority number. Carolyn “Skinny” Writer, a supervisor for the event, said, “It was the most frantic, and the most gratifying experience I could possibly imagine.”23 It took several days to properly record the initial ticket requests and return the telephone system to normal operation. The season-ticket campaign was off to a great start.

At that time, the Denver Broncos had a huge following in the area and dominated the sports pages. Some avid baseball fans were concerned that the Broncos not support the drive for a baseball team. Just the opposite was true. The Broncos were very supportive, and when the season-ticket drive was close to reaching its goal, Rod Buscher, president of John Elway Motors, committed to purchase enough season tickets to surpass the goal of 20,000, putting the drive over the top. Eventually, the sale of season tickets reached 28,250. The success of the drive had a positive impact as the election for the stadium bond issue approached.

The vote was scheduled for August 14, 1990. The campaign theme was simple: The cost of the ballpark would be “a penny on a purchase of ten dollars.” The bonds would be paid off within 20 years. (Actually they were paid off in about eight years.) With the leadership of co-chairmen Larry Varnell and Sam Suplizio, the Colorado Baseball Commission campaigned with public appearances, media coverage, and personal calls to sports fans in the area. The early polls were discouraging because they predicted defeat. Since the election would be held as a primary, not a general election, a smaller than average turnout was expected. Rick Reiter, the campaign adviser, developed a selective plan to target key areas.

As the voting results came in, the celebration party at the downtown Radisson Hotel grew with optimism and excitement as it became apparent that the bond issue would pass. The votes in favor were 187,539, about 54 percent, and the opposing votes were 157,954, about 46 percent.

The votes in Arapahoe and Jefferson Counties were so overwhelmingly favorable that they overshadowed the negative votes in Denver and Adams County. The election was a big step forward. It meant that if Colorado were awarded a franchise, the plan was in place, approved by the electorate, to build a new, first-class ballpark.

The next step was to solidify the ownership and support their presentation to the expansion committee. When John Dikeou withdrew his ownership interest, there was widespread uncertainty about finding a new owner. Several potential ownership groups expressed an interest. The Colorado Baseball Commission informed Governor Romer of the potential problems. He quickly responded, drawing on business leaders, involving Dick Robinson, Jim Baldwin, and Tryg Myhren, to conduct a search and identify the best qualified ownership group. Romer identified the “Ehrhart-Nicklaus” group as the local ownership official leaders on August 23, 1990.24

Paul Jacobs, a Denver lawyer and sports enthusiast, became the driving force to assemble the new ownership group. As potential owners moved in and out of the picture, Jacobs worked night and day to assemble an ownership group with sufficient investment to pay the franchise fee of $95 million and the initial startup costs. The ownership group gained strength and momentum when Peter Coors, representing the Coors Brewery, made a major commitment of $25 million, part of which would be allocated to the naming rights of the new stadium. Several very important commitments followed, including those from Cary Teraji, Linda Alvarado, Bill Fletcher, representing the Rocky Mountain News, Lee Larson, representing radio station KOA, and the Beverage Distributing Company.

Jacobs established a good relationship with National League President Bill White and members of the expansion committee, Doug Danforth, Fred Wilpon, and Bill Giles. Jacobs later became executive vice president and general counsel of the Rockies, instrumental in creating the partnership agreements, the leases, and other initial legal documents.

The Visit

The National League expansion committee visited Denver on March 26, 1991.25 It was billed as “the biggest day in Denver’s baseball history.”26 Before making the trip, the committee had requested that there be no elaborate displays, wining, or dining. They simply wanted it to be a business trip. But the CBC, with the agreement of business leaders, disagreed. This was Denver’s biggest chance and they were going to make the most of it.

Shortly after the arrival at Stapleton Airport, the eight members of the expansion committee were taken on a helicopter tour of the Denver area with a landing on the outfield grass at Mile High Stadium. It was anticipated that the new team would play one or two years at Mile High while the new ballpark was being built. Next the committee went to the governor’s mansion for a festive lunch and a visit with the governor and other dignitaries. As the committee traveled throughout the city, baseball fans, all volunteers, lined the streets with welcome signs and a mile-long petition supporting the campaign for a big-league team.

After lunch, the committee went to the United Bank Center, where about 5,000 baseball fans had gathered to welcome them. As scheduled by Don Hinchey, director of the event, when the committee arrived, the crowd sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” followed by cheers and applause for the visitors. Sportscaster Norm Jones gave a short welcoming address, several of the guests responded, and the crowd continued to sing and cheer for the distinguished visitors. The committee was visibly moved by the enthusiastic reception. “That visit, highlighted by the forbidden rally, sealed the deal.”27 On the way to the business meeting, Doug Danforth of the Pittsburgh Pirates said, “I never get an ovation like this back in Pittsburgh.”28

While the warm reception set a positive stage, the committee still wanted to know the financial condition of the owners. Jerry McMorris, Steve Ehrhart, and Paul Jacobs led their presentations, providing updated information about the ownership and their ability to meet the required financial investment. The meeting lasted about 2½ hours. At the press conference after the meeting, the mood was upbeat with favorable comments from the committee about the owners’ presentation. The expansion committee would continue to evaluate the applicants and a decision would be anticipated later in the spring.

The Announcement

Bill White, president of the National League, came to Denver on July 5, 1991. A crowd of fans, dignitaries and the media gathered at the Denver Hyatt Hotel. White spoke directly: “I am here to tell you that at 10:40 A.M., you officially became a member of the National League.”29 The audience reacted with a boisterous standing ovation. When the celebration calmed, White continued his remarks, indicating that Miami and Denver would be the new franchises, and that he anticipated both teams would be competitive much sooner than expansion teams in the past. Players from the National and American Leagues would be available to the expansion teams and both leagues would participate in the distribution of the funds from the expansion fees. White spoke with confidence that Denver and Miami had the potential to be very successful franchises for the long term.

Shortly after the announcement, John Antonucci, the chairman of the new team, and Steve Ehrhart, the president, set up offices in the United Bank Center and began to hire key personnel for the business operations. Michael Kent, formerly with the Philadelphia Phillies, and Sue Ann McClaren, formerly with the St. Louis Cardinals, joined the organization. Paul Egins, from the Atlanta Braves, was named assistant director of scouting and player development. They announced that purple would be one of the colors for the team, with reference to “the purple mountain majesties” as written by Katharine Lee Bates in the song “America the Beautiful.”

With an effort to reach out to the entire state and the Rocky Mountain areas, they introduced the logo and announced that the team would be called the Colorado Rockies.30 Governor Romer gave special recognition to the governors of Wyoming, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kansas for their support in bringing major-league baseball to the region, at that time America’s only time zone without a team.

The first Rockies banquet, billed as “Colorado Welcomes Major League Baseball,” was held on September 25, 1991, at the Denver Marriott Hotel.31 Jim Wilkins was the general chairman and Commissioner Fay Vincent and Bill White were the honored guests.

In September, Bob Gebhard was selected to be the general manager for the Rockies. At the time, Gebhard was working for the soon-to-be American League champion Minnesota Twins, and it was agreed that he would not come to Denver until after the World Series. The Twins won the World Series and Gebhard arrived one day later, ready to begin a new career in Denver. It did not take long for everyone in the organization to recognize his devotion and commitment to building a championship organization.

New Leadership

Jerry McMorris became the chairman, president, and CEO of the Colorado Rockies on January 26, 1992.32 He assumed the leadership position after he, Oren Benton, and Charlie Monfort purchased the stock in a buyout agreement from Steven Kurtz and Paul Jacobs. Confronted with extensive legal problems, Michael “Mickey” Monus and Antonucci left the team after Monus was charged with embezzlement and fraud at Phar Mor. Kurtz and Jacobs purchased the stock from Monus and Antonucci, and held it during the interim period.

As the transition of ownership moved forward, McMorris set his sights on selecting key personnel, commencing business operations, and making preparations for the selection of coaches and players. General manager Bob Gebhard hired Pat Daugherty to head the scouting department and veterans Larry Bearnarth and Dick Balderson joined the staff.

Gebhard drew up elaborate plans for himself and his scouting staff to cover the entire country in preparation for the draft of players and the formation of the Rockies’ farm teams. It was reported that “Pat Daugherty’s 15 scouts traveled 198,105 miles by car and watched 2,250 high school and college games in the continental 48 states and Puerto Rico.”33

In February, KOA Radio was selected to be the flagship station for the Rockies. Jeff Kingery and Wayne Hagin would cover the play-by play. KWGN Channel 2 was chosen to be the television station with veteran announcer Charley Jones. Alan Roach was selected to be the public-address announcer. Frank Haraway, with over 50 years’ experience, was selected to be the official scorer.

In March, the Rockies announced that they would hold spring training in Tucson, Arizona. Their home field there would be Hi Corbett Field, former home of the Cleveland Indians. The Pima County Sports Authority agreed to make major improvements to the field and the supporting facilities.

In the June major-league draft, the Rockies chose John Burke, a Colorado native and pitcher for the University of Florida, to be their number-one draft selection.34 He would eventually join the other Rockies rookies to play for the Bend Rockies in the first organized game, June 16, against the Boise Hawks in the Class-A Northwest League. The Bend Rockies won the game, 6-4, with a grand slam by catcher Will Scalzitti.

In June, the Rockies held a tryout camp at the University of Denver. With the Rockies coaches and staff participating, the tryout camp was very popular with the local fans and participants. On July 4 the Rockies introduced their home and away uniforms. With purple pinstripes, the home uniforms were distinctive. The away uniforms were gray and black.

On October 27, Gebhard named Don Baylor to be the Rockies’ first manager. Baylor was quickly put to work preparing for the expansion draft. The draft was held on November 17. Denver’s Currigan Hall, site of many conventions and public events, was packed with an estimated 10,000 fans who came to watch the event, taking place in New York, Miami, and Denver. Alan Bossart of the Rockies staff created an elaborate venue, complete with a stage, numerous TV screens, and Rockies decorations throughout the hall. Secrecy and security surrounded the preparations before the announcement of the player selections.

Denver won the coin-flip and would select first. General manager Bob Gebhard selected David Nied, pitcher from the Atlanta Braves.35 Marlins general manager Dave Dombrowski selected Nigel Wilson from the Toronto Blue Jays. Gebhard also announced the signing of Andres Galarraga as a free agent. In a surprise announcement, Galarraga and Nied, who were kept in hiding prior to the announcement, appeared on stage for their introductions. The crowd went wild and shouted for joy as the players were surrounded by fans and members of the media. Throughout the evening, as additional players were selected, the fans continued to welcome the new team with wild enthusiasm.36

Spring Training

After the players, coaches, and managers were selected, Gebhard and the staff turned their attention to spring training. Major improvements at Hi Corbett field were underway, including additional seating, improved clubhouse facilities, extended practice fields, and improved media facilities.

Several weeks before spring training, manager Don Baylor and players David Nied and Eric Wedge went on the first Caravan trip throughout the Mountain Time zone. They visited Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, and many cities in Colorado. It was a promotional trip for the coming season and a time to thank the fans for their support in attracting a franchise. Many people had moved to the region from throughout the country where they had previously enjoyed major-league baseball. They knew what they were missing. Now it was time for them to change their allegiance and become fans of the Rockies. The annual Caravans proved to be a big success and have continued over the years.

The pitchers reported to Tucson about February 22 and the position players reported by February 27. The players needed to become acquainted with their teammates and coaches. To add a little levity to the situation, pitcher Bryn Smith handed out name tags to his teammates. The players responded with clever additions and exchanges, which confused some unsuspecting fans and media writers.

Once the team began practicing, the focus turned to preparation for the coming exhibition games. Veteran Don Zimmer was hired as bench coach and veteran Larry Bearnarth became the pitching coach, giving the team confidence that they would be ready to play at the major-league level.

The first exhibition game was played on March 6 against the San Francisco Giants. The opening game ceremony began with a flyby performed by the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base aerial team. The Sons of the Pioneers sang the national anthem. A crowd of 7,726 was on hand to see the Rockies win, 7-2.

The first regular-season game was played on April 5 in New York against the New York Mets. The first home game followed on April 9 at Mile High Stadium against the Montreal Expos before a record crowd of 80,227.37

The founding of the Colorado Rockies is a unique story involving many people from all walks of life, uniting and working together to enrich the quality of life with the major-league baseball experience. Colorado Rockies baseball is a game for all ages, all nationalities, and all creeds. It is a reflection of our national heritage, the bedrock of our common values, and involves the constant struggle to play the game, win or lose, to the best of one’s ability. And now, throughout the Rocky Mountain area, it is a cherished part of our history – and our future lives, to be shared throughout the ages.

ROGER L. KINNEY is a Colorado native and he won three varsity letters playing baseball at the University of Colorado. He is a past President of the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Kinney was the Director of the Colorado Baseball Commission and he served on the Board of the Denver Metropolitan Stadium Authority. He was the first employee of the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club, where he served as the Director of Community Relations and the Executive Director of the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club Foundation. He retired from the Colorado Rockies in 2004 and now lives in Colorado where he enjoys coaching, writing, playing catch with his seven grandchildren, and rooting for the Rockies.

 

Metropolitan Stadium Authority Board Members

(who served prior to April 1, 1993)

Ray Baker, Chairman Dan Muse

John McHale, Past Chairman Jack Shapiro

Debra Brody Joe Talarico

Steve DelCastillo Penfield Tate

Edmundo Gonzales Dean Quamme

Josie Heath Max Wiley

Roger Kinney

Colorado Baseball Commission Board Members

Sam Suplizio, Co-Chairman

Larry Varnell, Co-Chairman

Neil Macey, Past Director

Roger Kinney, Director

Helen Anderson Bob Howsam,

Gary Antonoff Robert Howsam Jr.

Odell Barry James Murray

John Benitez Trygve Myhren

Joe Blake Sue O’Brien

Robert Bows Chris Paulson

Irv Brown Jim Turner

Chris Christiansen Gil Whiteley

John Dikeou Kathi Williams

Jim Harrington Zee Ferrufino

Don Hinchey

Denver Baseball Commission Members

Federico Pena, Mayor

Steve Katich, Chairman

Dean Bonham, Vice Chairman

Jerry Arca Eloy Mares

Jim Burris| John McHale

Forrest Cason Bill Michaels

Don Carlsen Sherm Miller

Craig Caukin Dan MuDeb Dowling

Mike Raabe

Richard Fleming Bob Russo

John Gawaluck Elwyn Schaefer

Tom Grimshaw Carl Scheer

Bruce Hellerstein Rob Simon

Dave Herlinger Steve Stern

Don Hinchey Irv Sternberg

Neil Hinchman Ruben Valdez

Steve Kaplan Larry Varnell

Willie Kellum Steve Welchert

Elena Metro Kroll

Dan Kubby

Bob Litchard

MLB Visitation Team Members

Don Hinchey, Chairman

Carolyn Writer, Vice Chairman

Alan Bossart Robert Howsam Jr.

Lew Cady Chuck Javernick

Tom Clark Doug Kinney

Butch Cosby Ken Reed

Mike Flaherty Roger Smith

Lana Fry Michelle Strauss

Kevin Hannon Joe Talty

Linda Hantman Howard Weese

Ed Henderson Nancy Holst

 

Notes

1 Robert Lee Howsam, My Life In Sports (Denver: Bob Jones, 1999), 44.

2 Howsam, 46.

3 Jay Sanford, Before the Rockies (Denver: KEM Publishing, 2016), introduction page.

4 Sanford, 1.

5 Matthew Kasper Repplinger II, Baseball in Denver (Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2013), 7.

6 Alan Gottlieb, In the Shadow of the Rockies (Niwot, Colorado: Roberts, Rinehart Publishing, 1994), 12.

7 Gottlieb, 13.

8 Mary Kay Connor, Dick Connor Remembered (Golden, Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing, 1995), 122.

9 David Whitford, Playing Hardball (New York: Doubleday Press, 1993), 26.

10 Whitford, 26.

11 Irv Moss and Mark Foster, Home Run in the Rockies, The History of Baseball in Colorado (Denver: Publication Design, Inc., 1995), 26.

12 Whitford, 58.

13 Whitford, 59.

14 Whitford, 70.

15 Moss, 41.

16 Whitford, 77.

17 Whitford, 84.

18 Whitford, 51.

19 See Appendix for a full list of appointments.

20 “Rockies Timeline,” Rockies.com, accessed April 23, 2017, colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/history/timeline2jsp.

21 Whitford, 124.

22 Whitford, 87.

23 Personal interview with Carolyn Writer, June 12, 1990.

24 Moss, 51.

25 Norm Clarke, High Hard Ones (Denver: Phoenix Press, 1993), 151.

26 Clark, 151.

27 Gottlieb, 23.

28 Clarke, 154.

29 Moss, 62.

30 Benjamin M. Leroy, Colorado Rockies (Madison, Wisconsin: Quiz Master Books, 2008), 8.

31 Carolyn Writer, Colorado Welcomes Major League Baseball, Banquet Program (Denver: Hirschfeld Press, 1991), 1.

32 Colorado Rockies Inaugural Media Guide, 1993, 3.

33 Moss, 70.

34 Leroy, 8.

35 Leroy, 12.

36 Leroy, 13.

37 Leroy, 13.

ROUND 3
27	Brad Ausmus	c	New York Yankees
28	Marcus Moore	p	Toronto Blue Jays
29	Armando Reynoso	p	Atlanta Braves
30	Steve Reed	p	San Francisco Giants
31	Mo Sanford	p	Cincinnati Reds
32	Pedro Castellano	ss	Chicago Cubs
33	Curtis Leskanic	p	Minnesota Twins
34	Scott Fredrickson	p	San Diego Padres
35	Braulio Castillo	of	Philadelphia Phillies
36	Denis Boucher	p	Cleveland Indians