PHOENIX — Baseball and Arizona have gone together since 1929 when the Detroit Tigers became the first team to hold their spring training in the Valley when they held their preseason workouts and games at Riverside Park in Phoenix.
However, it would not be until 66 years later that a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise would call Arizona home full-time.
In the 28 years since the Arizona Diamondbacks have had their share of big moments, 12Sports is taking a look back at 20 of the most notable, starting at the very beginning.
March 9, 1995: Major League Baseball awards franchise to Phoenix
About a year and a half after launching a bid to bring professional baseball to the Valley, MLB awarded a franchise that would begin play in the 1998 season to an ownership group led by Jerry Colangelo, who was the majority owner of the Phoenix Suns at the time.
The team's name, 'Diamondbacks' was the result of a fan contest launched by Colangelo in the Arizona Republic.
A new stadium with a retractable roof, called Bank One Ballpark, was built at the corner of 7th and Jefferson Streets, just east of America West Arena (now known as the Footprint Center), the home of the Suns.
March 31, 1998: The Diamondbacks play their first game
The Diamondbacks opened their inaugural season in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,179 at Bank One Ballpark (which was re-named Chase Field in 2005). However, the game did not go as fans hoped, as the D-backs lost 9-2 to the Colorado Rockies. Andy Benes was the Opening Day starter for Arizona and Travis Lee recorded the first hit in D-backs history during the game.
July 11, 1999: Jay Bell makes one D-back fan a millionaire
In one of the most unlikely moments in Diamondbacks history, infielder Jay Bell made one fan a millionaire thanks to a sixth-inning grand slam.
Gylene Hoyle won a radio contest hosted by Shamrock Farms on KNIX and was invited to that day's game between the D-backs and Oakland Athletics. To win the million-dollar prize, she had to predict a player and the inning that player would hit a grand slam.
Hoyle told the Arizona Republic in 2011 that she and her husband chose Bell because he was one of the D-backs' best hitters and that they chose the sixth inning randomly.
The rest, as the saying goes, is history. Bell came through and Hoyle won the million-dollar prize.
September 24, 1999: Randy Johnson pitches a complete game, D-backs win 1st NL West division title
After winning just 65 games in their first season, the Diamondbacks made a huge improvement in year two as they won 100 games and their first division title. Randy Johnson, who signed a four-year, $52.4 million contract with Arizona in December 1998, clinched the division title with a complete game against the San Francisco Giants. However, the Diamondbacks would lose to the New York Mets in the 1999 NLDS.
March 24, 2001: Randy Johnson hits dove with a pitch
2001 was the best season in D-backs history and it began with what may be the most famous pitch in Johnson's illustrious career.
During a spring training game against the Giants at Tucson Electric Park, Johnson hit and killed a dove with a pitch. D-backs catcher Rod Barajas said all he saw at that moment was an explosion.
This has become an iconic moment for Johnson over the years and Johnson even uses a dead bird as the logo for his photography company.
By the way, the batter Johnson was facing when he killed the bird was Calvin Murray, the uncle of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
May 8, 2001: Johnson ties MLB record with 20 strikeouts in a game
Less than two months later, Johnson would pitch one of the best games of his career as he struck out 20 Cincinnati Reds, tying the MLB record (originally set by Roger Clemens in 1986, the record was also tied by Clemens in 1996, Kerry Wood in 1998, and Max Scherzer in 2016).
However, Johnson, who said this game should have been put into a time capsule for people to watch in the future, did not get the win in this game, as it went into extra innings, but Johnson pulled himself out of the game after nine innings.
"I was asked if I wanted to go out there and I saw no point in going out there for the 10th inning," Johnson told the Associated Press at the time. "I surely could have went out there and done it, but what was the point in out out there and throwing 10 innings? I really didn't see it."
June 17, 2001: Tony Womack's emotional Father's Day grand slam
One of the most emotional moments of the 2001 season came on Father's Day.
Just three weeks after the death of his father, D-backs second baseman Tony Womack hit a grand slam against the Detroit Tigers. This was an extremely meaningful moment for Womack, who had tears in his eyes as he rounded the bases.
"It was a big day for me professionally, but personally, it was the greatest day," Womack said after the game. "Because I can just feel my father stuttering trying to tell people what I did today, because you know when my dad gets excited, he kind of stutters."
October 14, 2001: Womack hits walk-off single to win NLDS
The D-backs season almost came to an end in the 2001 NLDS, but Womack came to the rescue.
With the game tied at 1 in the bottom of the ninth, and two runners on base, Womack came to the plate. Manager Bob Brenly originally called for Womack to bunt, hoping to catch the Cardinals by surprise. However, Womack did not make contact, and Midre Cummings was tagged out at home plate for the second out of the inning.
Then, Womack came through with a walk-off single to left-center field that scored Danny Bautista and sent the Diamondbacks to their first NL Championship Series, where they beat the Atlanta Braves in five games.
November 4, 2001: Luis Gonzalez hits walk-off bloop single to win World Series
That would set up the biggest moment in franchise history, as the Diamondbacks took on the New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series.
The D-backs who had home field advantage, won the first two games at Bank One Ballpark, but lost the next three at Yankee Stadium.
Game Six was a blowout victory at home for the Diamondbacks as they beat the Yankees 15-2, setting up the winner-take-all Game Seven.
The Diamondback took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning, but the Yankees scored a run each in the seventh and eighth innings to take the lead.
The Yankees brought in one of the best closers in MLB history, Mariano Rivera, as they looked to win their fourth World Series in a row, but the D-backs were able to break through, scoring two runs, the final one on a walk-off bloop single by outfielder Luis Gonzalez, to win their first World Series.
May 18, 2004: Randy Johnson throws perfect game
The single-greatest pitching performance in D-backs history came in May 2004 at Turner Field in Atlanta as 40-year-old Randy Johnson threw the lone perfect game in D-backs history (the 17th in MLB history).
"Not bad for being 40 years old," Johnson said after the game. "Everything was locked in. A game like this was pretty special. It doesn't come along very often."
This was the second no-hitter of Johnson's career, and it made Johnson the oldest pitcher to ever throw a perfect game. He even got a standing ovation from the 23,381 fans in attendance in Atlanta.
October 6, 2007: D-backs sweep Cubs in NLDS
After winning the NL West for the fourth time in franchise history in 2007, the D-backs took on the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS.
Arizona dominated this series, as pitcher Brandon Webb, who finished second place for the Cy Young Award in 2007, held the Cubs to just one run in Game One, the D-backs offense led the way in an 8-4 win in Game Two, and then pitcher Livan Hernandez also held Chicago to just one run in Game Three.
The D-backs swept the Cubs, earning a trip to the NLCS, where Arizona was swept in four games by the Colorado Rockies.
August 7, 2010: D-backs retire Gonzalez's #20
In 2010, the Diamondbacks retired the first number in franchise history, other than Jackie Robinson's #42, which is retired leaguewide, as they retired Luis Gonzalez's #20.
The five-time All-Star, one-time Silver Slugger award winner, and 2001 World Series and Home Run Derby Champion had 2,591 hits in his 19-year career. Gonzalez hit 354 home runs, had 1,439 RBI, and had a career batting average of .283.
September 23, 2011: Paul Goldschmidt hits go-ahead triple as D-backs clinch NL West title
The D-backs fifth and most recent division title came in 2011 as the Diamondbacks completed a worst-to-first turnaround.
On September 23, First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, then in his rookie season, hit a two-run triple off San Francisco Giants reliever Sergio Romo to give Arizona the lead for good in the 8th inning. The Diamondbacks won the game 3-1, clinching the division crown.
September 27, 2011: Ryan Roberts hits walk-off grand slam vs. Dodgers
Another incredible moment would take place just four days later in the second-to-last game of the 2011 season.
The game went to extra innings tied at one, but the Dodgers scored five runs in the top of the 10th. However, the Diamondbacks made an incredible comeback, capped by a walk-off grand slam by Ryan Roberts.
Roberts celebrated by mimicking manager Kirk Gibson's iconic home run trot from the 1988 World Series as he rounded the bases.
However, Arizona would go on to lose to the Milwaukee Brewers in five games in the 2011 NLDS.
August 8, 2015: D-backs retire Randy Johnson's #51
In 2015, just a week after Johnson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, the D-backs honored the Big Unit by making his #51 the second number to be retired in team history.
October 16, 2016: D-backs name Mike Hazen as Executive Vice President & General Manager
In 2016, the foundation of the current era of Diamondbacks baseball was laid, as Arizona hired Mike Hazen as their Executive Vice President and General Manager.
Arizona hired Hazen from the Boston Red Sox, where he had worked since 2006.
And earlier this week, Hazen agreed to a contract extension to stay with the D-backs.
November 4, 2016: D-backs hire Torey Lovullo as Manager
One of Hazen's first moves was to hire a new manager.
Hazen looked close to home, hiring Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo as the new D-backs manager, the eighth manager in franchise history.
September 4, 2017: J.D. Martinez hits four home runs at Dodger Stadium
One of the biggest moments in the recent history between the D-backs and Dodgers took place in September 2017 as J.D. Martinez, a trade deadline acquisition by Arizona from Detroit, hit four home runs against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
Martinez is one of just 18 players to ever accomplish this feat.
October 4, 2017: Archie Bradley triple in NL Wild Card Game
One of the top playoff moments in D-backs history took place in 2017 when the D-backs took on the Rockies in a winner-take-all NL Wild Card game. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the D-backs brought relief pitcher Archie Bradley to the plate with two runners on base.
Bradley delivered a clutch two-run triple that caused fans to go crazy in the stands at Chase Field. After sliding into third base, Bradley stood up, took his helmet off, stared at the dugout, and yelled, 'LET'S GO!'
The D-backs went on to win the game 11-8, and advance to the NLDS, where they were swept by the Dodgers. This was Arizona's most recent playoff appearance before 2023.
September 11, 2022: Zac Gallen sets new franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings
In 2022, Zac Gallen solidified his spot as the current ace of the Diamondbacks' pitching staff as he broke Brandon Webb's record for consecutive scoreless innings.
Gallen's streak ended at 44 1/3 innings, 2 and 1/3 innings more than Webb. Gallen threw 612 pitches in seven starts over 40 days during his streak, according to Sports Illustrated. His six straight scoreless starts tied an MLB record.
September 30, 2023: D-backs clinch spot in 2023 MLB Playoffs
And finally, we catch up to the current day with one of the top moments from this season, which happened on September 30, when the Diamondbacks ended their six-year playoff drought by clinching a spot in the playoffs.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
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