Ballpark District in Denver in Denver County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Coors Field Opens with a Thriller
April 26, 1995
| | Milestones in Colorado Rockies History | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2025
1. Coors Field Opens with a Thriller Marker
Coors Field celebrated its inaugural season opener a little later than expected. The previous season had ended in August with a player strike, and their subsequent negotiations with the owners and MLB delayed the start of the 1995 season. Better late than never.
Immediately upon its completion, Coors Field was the jewel of Lower Downtown Denver and the centerpiece of the newly minted Ballpark Neighborhood, forever impacting the dynamic and economics of the area. The Rockies drew crowds that consistently ranked in the top 10 in all of baseball. Over the decades that ensued, renovations and upgrades have kept Coors Field looking and operating as new as the day it opened.
Back to that inaugural opener, April 26, 1995, it was a cold evening matchup between the Rockies and the New York Mets that went into extra innings and took almost five hours to decide a winner. In the top of the 14th inning, the Mets went up 9-8, but the Rockies got two on base in the bottom of the frame. Up to the plate stepped Dante Bichette, who said later that he was determined to send everyone home. He promptly hit a walk-off home run, dropped his bat, looked at the Rockies dugout and pumped his fist a moment Rockies fans will never forget. These late-game heroics, dubbed Coors Field (or LoDo) Magic, became something Rockies fans would hold
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is April 26, 1995.
Location. 39° 45.292′ N, 104° 59.818′ 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: Rockies Fastest Expansion Team to the Playoffs (here, next to this marker); Home Opener for the Record Books (a few steps from this marker); It's Official: Play Ball in Denver! (a few steps from this marker); Keli S. McGregor (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); Rockies Legend #17 Todd Helton (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 . . .
1. April 26, 1995: The opening of Coors Field and the birth of the Blake Street Bombers
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2025
2. Coors Field Opens with a Thriller Marker
Looking north through McGregor Square.
(by Eriel Barcenas) Excerpt: Fans tend to expect expansion baseball teams to endure several years of subpar ball, but meanwhile enjoy a brand-new ballpark. Rockies fans had to wait two years while a new ballpark was being built. Finally, on April 26, 1995, public-address announcer Alan Roach said, Welcome to Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, and 47,228 fans, along with the ESPN Wednesday Night audience, saw the new ballpark open with a game to remember(Submitted on September 10, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. The 1st ever Coors Field game was a BANGER! (YouTube).
Excerpt: You like runs? Coors Field delivered those from Day 1! Hidden Classics takes you back to the Rockies' very first game at Coors (April 26, 1995), which quickly showed why no lead is ever safe in Denver!(Submitted on September 10, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2025
3. Coors Field Opens with a Thriller Marker
McGregor Square is in the background.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 16, 2025
4. Coors Field
The stadium (1 block north of this historical marker) still looks new today 30 years after the inaugural opening game!
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 110 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 10, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
