Ballpark District in Denver in Denver County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
It's Official: Play Ball in Denver!
The Time Zone Without A Team
| | Milestones in Colorado Rockies History | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2025
1. It's Official: Play Ball in Denver! Marker
July 5, 1991 was the day Denver was selected by Major League Baseball as the new home city of an expansion team to begin play in the National League West Division in 1993. This was a huge win for fans throughout the Rocky Mountain Region after enduring decades of failed efforts to get a team indeed, this would be the first MLB team in the Mountain Time Zone.
After MLB announced that the National League would expand by two teams to begin play in 1993, Denver-area voters approved a 0.1 percent sales tax on Aug. 14, 1990, to finance construction of a new ballpark. On Sept. 18, 1990, the NL Expansion Committee heard Denver's presentation, getting them on the short list along with Buffalo, Orlando, Miami, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Washington, D.C. The NL Expansion Committee visited Denver one last time on March 26, 1991. In that visit, the Colorado Baseball Commission impressed the committee with over 20,000 season ticket deposits from fans across the Rocky Mountain Region.
Then, on June 10, National League President Bill White announced that Denver and Miami were the National League selections for expansion. On July 5, the MLB owners voted unanimously in approval. With that, the Colorado Baseball Partnership was able to officially name the newest National League West team the Colorado Rockies.
Topics. This historical marker
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Location. 39° 45.287′ N, 104° 59.826′ W. Marker is in Denver, Colorado, in Denver County. It is in the Ballpark District. It can be reached from the intersection of 19th Street and Wynkoop Street when traveling north. The marker is located in McGregor Square. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1735 19th Street, Denver CO 80202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Colorado’s Front Range. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Home Opener for the Record Books (here, next to this marker); Keli S. McGregor (a few steps from this marker); Coors Field Opens with a Thriller (a few steps from this marker); Rockies Fastest Expansion Team to the Playoffs (a few steps from this marker); The Blake Street Bombers (within shouting distance of this marker); #33 Larry Walker (within shouting distance of this marker); Incredible 2007 21-of-22 Run to the World Series (within shouting distance of this marker); Merchandise Mart (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Denver.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Milestones in Colorado Rockies History
Also see . . .
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2025
2. It's Official: Play Ball in Denver! Marker
Looking northeast through McGregor Square.
Excerpt: Denver had long been a hotbed of minor league baseball as far back as the late 19th century with the original Denver Bears (or Grizzlies) competing in the Western League before being replaced in 1955 by a Triple-A team of the same name.(Submitted on September 9, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Residents and businesses in the area desired a Major League team. Several previous attempts to bring Major League Baseball to Colorado had failed. In 1958, New York lawyer William Shea proposed the new Continental League as a rival to the two existing major leagues. In 1960, the Continental League announced that play would begin in April 1961 with eight teams, including one in Denver. The new league quickly evaporated, never playing a game, when the National League reached expansion agreements to put teams in New York City and Houston, removing much of the impetus behind the Continental League effort. In 1985, an unsuccessful attempt was made to purchase the Pittsburgh Pirates and relocate them.
In 1991, as part of Major League Baseball's two-team expansion, an ownership group representing Denver was granted a franchise. They took the name "Rockies" due to Denver's proximity to the Rocky Mountains, which is reflected in their logo; the name was previously used by the city'sfirst NHL team. The Rockies shared Mile High Stadium with the National Football League (NFL)'s Denver Broncos for their first two seasons while Coors Field was constructed. It was completed for the 1995 Major League Baseball season.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 20253. It's Official: Play Ball in Denver! MarkerLooking northeast from 19th Street. McGregor Square is in the background.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 78 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 9, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
