1998- The first
Major League Baseball franchise in the state of
Arizona. Opening day was March 31, 1998 in
Bank One Ballpark in
Phoenix, AZ. They are a
National League expansion team. It was the brainchild of
Jerry Colangelo who also brought the
Phoenix Suns to the valley.
In 1999, Randy Johnson signed a four year contract and came to Phoenix
In four short years, the team went from throwing their first pitch to winning the World Series. First they won the
National League Divisional Series against the
Atlanta Braves. Then they won the
World Series against the
New York Yankees with a spectacular run in the bottom of the ninth inning during the seventh game. This can be described as a
squeaker. They were led to victory by the rookie manager
Bob Brenly.
The
Most Valuable Player award for the series was shared by pitchers
Randy Johnson and
Curt Schilling. Other notable members of the Championship team include: