Todd Helton's Rockies family and Hall of Fame brotherhood set to come together

COOPERSTOWN, NY — Todd Helton didn’t shy away from a moment on the field, but the next eyes laid on him may make him nervous.

He’ll be inducted with Adrian Beltré, Joe Mauer, and Jim Leyland on Sunday with the 2024 National Baseball Hall of Fame class. Meeting previous classes and his idols may force him into a shell — the 17-year Colorado Rockies veteran doesn’t often get star struck, but seeing Mike Schmidt, Rod Carew, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine will be a test.

“I’m nervous about meeting my heroes,” Helton said on July 12. “We have a player’s-only dinner on Saturday night, and if I’m worried about anything, that is it.”

Helton’s family will be with him, but his new family awaits.

Larry Walker was Colorado’s first to taste the hall. Helton’s idols like Schmidt will join him in Cooperstown, as will some of his most loyal friends.

The Rockies’ party for Helton was initially given a guess of 30 to 40 people, but over 140 reserved their spots quickly. When asked how many would also join for the ceremony, he gave a ballpark guess of “300.”

Helton also brings with him the city that supplied his everyday energy.

Rockies’ fans like Andy and Rhonda Naylor have been season ticket holders since the team started in 1993. They sit in the first row behind the dugout and have become friendly with several players over the three decades including Helton, Vinny Castilla, Nolan Arenado and Ubaldo Jiménez.

A family moment tied the two to Helton.

The couple approached him at the annual Rockies Fan Fest to give thanks and have a quick chat. His accomplishments are numerous, but he quickly deflected the praise to his daughters Tierney and Gentry. It was then that he had two new lifelong fans.

“I walked up to him and said to his daughters, ‘You two must be so proud of your Daddy,’” Rhonda said. “He turned right away and said, ‘I’m more proud of them.’ I have loved him ever since then, and I’ve reminded him every time I’ve seen him.”

Helton credits all of the above — fans, friends, teammates and family alike — for his success in the majors and subsequent Hall of Fame induction. The 307 Baseball Writers’ Association of America members who voted him in were the final step to rewarding the numerous people who helped him through injuries and the everyday fatigue that the game brought.

During the parade, his smile shined a little brighter for the hints of purple among the crowd.

He worked with former teammates and other friends to craft a speech. It figures to harness Helton’s straightforward humor with a mix of gratitude for those who came before him.

Johnny Bench, another new Hall of Fame family member, called to lend some advice too.

His first call was missed after Helton saw a Cincinnati area code and an unfamiliar number. The callback was swift once he listened to the catcher's voicemail. Bench played all 17 of his seasons with the Reds.

“I’m doing my best to slow down and remember everything,” Helton said. “Johnny Bench called me the other day. … He gave me the advice to keep a journal of everybody you meet, your experiences — it’s going to go by so fast.

“I’ll be one of the guys that will be back every year.”

The Naylor family waited alongside their television as the Hall of Fame results were read. They booked the trip when Helton’s votes cleared the 75-percent threshold to get in.

They won’t be back every year, but Walker — a 2021 trip that was canceled due to COVID-19 — and Helton are the exceptions. The latter is the ultimate outlier, worthy of multiple hotel rooms and backup plans to ensure they can attend.

Helton’s real family, Rockies family and bountiful group of former teammates and friends will join his Hall of Fame family this weekend. The one-of-a-kind player won’t forget to appreciate each.

“He’s the best Rockies player ever,” Andy Naylor said. “There will never be another Todd Helton.”