NewsRockies to pay tribute to Bichette
Ceremony will be on 15th anniversary of historic homer
Dante Bichette is still in the franchise top 10 in many categories. (Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty)
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
03/12/10 3:45 PM ET
TUCSON, Ariz. -- One of the most popular Colorado Rockies of all time is getting his day. The Rockies announced Friday that the team will honor slugger Dante Bichette's career in a pregame ceremony at Coors Field on April 26. The event, which will be held prior to the Rockies vs. D-backs game that evening, is scheduled to take place on the 15-year anniversary of Bichette's historic game-winning home run in the first regular-season game played at Coors Field. Bichette had a 14-year Major League career, including seven seasons in a Rockies uniform (1993-1999). He retired prior to the 2002 season after spending the previous season with the Boston Red Sox. In all, Bichette made four All-Star teams and hit .299 (1,906-for-6,381) with 274 home runs and 1,141 RBIs in 1,704 career games as a member of the Angels (1988-1990), Brewers (1991-92), Rockies, Reds (2000) and Red Sox (2000-01). Bichette hit at least 20 home runs in eight consecutive seasons from 1993-2000, while also averaging 114 RBIs per season in that eight-year span. He earned Silver Slugger honors as an outfielder and was the runner-up in the National League's Most Valuable Player voting in 1995, when he led the league with 40 homers and 128 RBIs. Bichette made the NL All-Star team for three consecutive years, from 1994 to 1996, and again in 1998. He finished third in the NL in hitting in both 1995 (.340) and 1998 (.331). Several of Bichette's career highlights came while wearing a Rockies uniform. Perhaps his biggest moment was in the inaugural game at Coors Field, on April 26, 1995. In that game, an 11-9 victory vs. the New York Mets, Bichette hit a game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the 14th inning. With that swing, Bichette earned a spot in Rockies history; he and Clint Barmes remain the only Rockies players to hit walk-off home runs on Opening Day, and Bichette, Ryan Spilborghs and Omar Quintanilla are the only players in franchise history to end a game of 12 or more innings with a home run (Bichette did it twice: also, Aug. 20, 1996, vs. St. Louis, 13 innings). One of the most accomplished players in Rockies history, Bichette hit .316 (1,278-for-4,050) with 201 home runs and 826 RBIs in 1,018 games for Colorado. He continues to rank among the franchise top 10 in the following categories: games played (fourth), at-bats (fourth), runs scored (third), hits (third), doubles (third), extra-base hits (third), total bases (third), multihit games (third), home runs (fourth), RBIs (third), walks (ninth), stolen bases (third), batting average (sixth) and slugging percentage (sixth). Bichette also ranks second on the franchise's all-time list in outfield assists (73), trailing only Larry Walker (94) in that category. Only Matt Holliday has started more games in left field than Bichette (539), and only Walker and Brad Hawpe have amassed more starts in right field (424 games). An original Rockie, Bichette was acquired by Colorado from Milwaukee in exchange for outfielder Kevin Reimer on Nov. 17, 1992. Bichette's tenure in Colorado ended on Oct. 30, 1999, when the Rockies sent him to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds and right-handed pitcher Stan Belinda. When Bichette left Colorado, he was the all-time franchise leader in games, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles and RBIs. Additionally, his six grand slams for the Rockies were tied with Andres Galarraga for the franchise record at that time.Doug Miller is a national writer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
