Todd Helton earned induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and Knox News literally traveled by plane, train and automobile to cover the ceremony.

The IT outages stranded reporter Mike Wilson in New York, so he kicked it old school and traveled by Amtrak to Upstate New York. There, in the idyllic town of Cooperstown, Helton earned his enshrinement.

A Knoxville native. A standout Vol. Now, a Hall of Famer.

Helton was a force of consistency throughout his 17-year career spent entirely with the Colorado Rockies. A sweet-swinging, slick-fielding first baseman, he posted a career .316 batting average.

On today's episode, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and Mike Wilson unpack Helton’s journey from Knoxville to Cooperstown -- and Wilson’s hectic, circuitous journey there, as well. 

They examine Tennessee’s impact on Helton’s career and why some Vols fans still remember him best as a quarterback.

<a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2024/07/22/todd-helton-speech-baseball-hall-of-fame-tennessee-colorado-rockies/74309798007/" aria-label="Link Todd Helton">Todd Helton</a> earned induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and Knox News literally traveled by plane, train and automobile to cover the ceremony.
The IT outages stranded reporter <a href="https://x.com/ByMikeWilson" aria-label="Link Mike Wilson">Mike Wilson</a> in New York, so he kicked it old school and traveled by Amtrak to Upstate New York. There, in the idyllic town of Cooperstown, Helton <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/2024/07/21/todd-helton-hall-of-fame-tennessee-baseball-colorado-rockies-speech/74387866007/" aria-label="Link earned his enshrinement">earned his enshrinement</a>.
A <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2024/07/19/todd-helton-hall-of-fame-tennessee-baseball-dad-knoxville/74387698007/" aria-label="Link Knoxville native">Knoxville native</a>. A <a href="https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/other-sports/2024/07/21/todd-helton-baseball-hall-of-fame-tennessee-football-helmet-peyton-manning-quarterback/72295225007/" aria-label="Link standout Vol">standout Vol</a>. Now, a Hall of Famer.
Helton was a force of consistency throughout his 17-year career spent entirely with the Colorado Rockies. A sweet-swinging, slick-fielding first baseman, he posted a career .316 batting average.
On today's episode, hosts <a href="https://x.com/btoppmeyer" aria-label="Link Blake Toppmeyer">Blake Toppmeyer</a> and <a href="https://x.com/ByMikeWilson" aria-label="Link Mike Wilson">Mike Wilson</a> unpack Helton’s journey from Knoxville to Cooperstown -- and Wilson’s hectic, circuitous journey there, as well. 
They examine Tennessee’s impact on Helton’s career and why some Vols fans still remember him best as a quarterback.

The Volunteer State is a Tennessee Vols sports podcast covering sports topics from the University of Tennessee featuring The Knoxville News Sentinel's John Adams, Mike Wilson and Blake Toppmeyer. The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessee.

The Volunteer State is a Tennessee Vols sports podcast covering sports topics from the University of Tennessee featuring The Knoxville News Sentinel's John Adams, Mike Wilson and Blake Toppmeyer. The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessee.

A Tennessee Vols podcast from the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee.

The Volunteer State

The Volunteer State is a Tennessee Vols sports podcast covering sports topics from the University of Tennessee featuring The Knoxville News Sentinel's John Adams, Mike Wilson and Blake Toppmeyer.

A most unusual trip to cover Todd Helton's Hall of Fame induction via plane, train, automobile

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