When the Colorado Rockies step up to the plate in their final game of the season on September 29, fans are going to pour their hearts into belting out a simple phrase of “Tonight!” from the song “Your Love” by The Outfield.

For the uninitiated, it may seem like a silly tradition that Rockies fans have enjoyed over the years, but to those who live and breathe Colorado baseball, it’ll serve as an outward expression of love for one of the franchise’s greatest players.

On Monday, during the Rockies’ final off-day of the regular season, franchise staple Charlie Blackmon announced on social media his intent to retire after the 2024 season. The announcement clinches the fact that Blackmon will spend his entire 14-year career in a Rockies uniform.

pic.twitter.com/JAGgw8KO1o

— Charlie Blackmon (@Chuck_Nazty) September 23, 2024

Drafted in 2008 in the second round by the Rockies out of Georgia Institute of Technology, Blackmon quickly moved through the minor league system. Twice drafted as a pitcher, Blackmon made the move to the outfield before the Rockies took him, setting him on a path as one of the greatest outfielders in franchise history.

Blackmon made three injury-shortened trial runs to begin his Rockies career from 2011-2013. Each time he was called up he would find some rather fruitful success because he saw his time cut short. Blackmon would finally get a more solid stretch of playing time in 2013 and in 82 games that season slashed .309/.336/.467 with 25 extra-base hits, including six home runs, one of which was an absolute blast to Eutaw Street in Baltimore.

Blackmon wouldn’t officially cement his 10-year stint as a lineup staple for the Rockies until their home opener at Coors Field in 2014 where he went 6-for-6 with a home run and three doubles. He joined Ty Cobb, Jimmie Foxx, Edgardo Alfonzo, and Shawn Green as the only players in MLB history at the time to have six hits, five RBI, and four extra-base hits in a single game.

Over the next 10 years, Blackmon displayed reliable production and longevity enabling him to become the team’s career leader in triples with 67. His 1,797 hits, 2,942 total bases, 333 doubles and 1,618 games played, among other accomplishments, rank second in team history only to Hall of Famer Todd Helton.

Easily recognized by his signature beard that debuted in 2014 and his mullet a few years later, Blackmon was one of the great personalities in the game of baseball. Most notable was not only his intellect but his dry wit and sense of humor that made him a beloved icon among fans and players alike.

From the time he wore fishing waders during a team on-field casting competition in spring training in 2018, to his in-game interview during the All-Star Game, Blackmon regularly showed off his unique personality and perspective of the game.

However, beyond his personality, Blackmon was still an excellent player during his peak years. 2017 will do down as one of the best seasons by a leadoff hitter in baseball history. He not only won the batting title that season with a .331 AVG but also became the first player in history to lead the major leagues in hits (213), runs scored (137), triples (14), and total bases (383) in the same season. He also set an MLB record for most RBIs out of the leadoff spot in a single season with 102 while belting 37 home runs. He played a big role in helping the Rockies reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009 and ended up finishing fifth in the NL MVP voting.

In 2018 Blackmon closed out a season in which he slashed .291/.358/.502 with 29 home runs and 70 RBI in 156 games by hitting for the cycle in the final game of the season to help the Rockies force a game 163 matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers for the division title.

Another of Blackmon’s most incredible and historic performances came during a four-game set against the Padres in June of 2019. Blackmon became the first player in the Modern Era (since 1900) to record 15 hits in a four-game series, and just the third player with 15 hits in a single series since World War II. He also just came shy of being the first player since 1925 to record four straight four-hit games but came away with just three in the finale of that series.

Speaking of the Padres, Blackmon ends his career having slashed .301/.360/.525 with 35 home runs and 105 RBI in 192 games against San Diego, including 13 home runs at Petco Park, the best overall marks against any other NL West opponent.

Over the course of his career, Blackmon was named to four All-Star teams and participated in the Home Run Derby in 2017 where he narrowly lost to Cody Bellinger in the first round. He is also a two-time Silver Slugger. Among active players, he ranks sixth in AVG (.292), seventh in hits (1,797), ninth in runs scored (991), and first in triples (67).

While it’s typical for players to struggle against same-handed pitchers, Blackmon proved to be quite effective against southpaws. Against lefties, he slashed .303/.361/.460 and while his power numbers were greater against righties, Blackmon proved capable of battling split discrepancies.

In 2022 he reached 10 years of service time, becoming just the second Rockie in franchise history to accrue all of his service time with the team, joining Helton.

Blackmon’s career will be defined by his dedication and hard work that served as a connecting bridge for Rockies history. He played with Helton, the longest-tenured Rockie of 17 years, and the youngest tenured rookies of today such as Seth Halverson.

While he wasn’t the elite player of the game during his career, Blackmon was universally praised for his ability at the plate. His 83% contact rating during his career ranked eighth among all players as does his 89.9% contact rate on pitches in the strike zone. It became quite common for Blackmon to put together quality at-bats consisting of multiple foul balls until he got the pitch he wanted.

Blackmon’s influence on the Rockies will continue to live on through the players he called teammates. Social media was flooded with current and former teammates praising and thanking Blackmon for his contributions throughout his career.

His knowledge and dedication to the game is something all Rockies hitters can strive to emulate. Out of obscurity, Charlie Blackmon carved a name for himself in the annals of baseball history, and while he may never get into the Hall of Fame, he will go down as one of the best Colorado Rockies in history and will surely have his number enshrined with the likes of Helton and Larry Walker when all is said and done.

Blackmon is the embodiment of the phrase, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” For the Rockies and all the fans in Colorado, Blackmon is one of the true legends.

Charlie Blackmon Appreciation Post 👏 pic.twitter.com/aF4zexsUKa

— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2024