DIAMONDBACKS HISTORY

The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional Major League Basketball team. The Diamondbacks are based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in the Western Division of the National League. The team gets its name from the poisonous Diamondback rattle snake that is found in the Southwestern US. The Arizona Diamondbacks were founded in 1998 as an expansion of the National League. The Diamondbacks home ballpark is Bank One Ballpark, while the uniform colors worn by their players are, purple, teal, and black. The logo design for the Arizona Diamondbacks is an "A" with one leg of the "A" alternating triangles to suggest a diamondback rattlesnake. An alternate logo is a script "D" in the shape of a snake. Since their inception the Diamondbacks have won three Division Titles in 1999, 2001, 2002; One National League Pennant in 2001; Also one World Series Championship in 2001. On 31st of March, 1998, the Arizona Diamondbacks play their first game against the Colorado Rockies. The Bank One Ballpark is sold out. Colorado wins, 9-2, but not before Travis Lee collects Arizona's first hit, a first-inning single, first homer, first run and first RBI. Arizona celebrated its first victory on 4th of April, 1998, a 3-2 win over San Francisco that evens Andy Benes' record at 1-1. April, 9th, a 3-1 win over Houston gives the Diamondbacks their seventh consecutive victory, equaling the longest winning streak by any expansion team in history. Jay Bell is named National League Player-of-the-Week, becoming the first Diamondback ever to win the award. Before the season ends, he will be joined by Matt Williams, twice, Randy Johnson, twice, and Steve Finley. Williams was also National League Player-of-the-Month for April and Johnson was Pitcher-of-the-Month for July. June, 25th, 1999, Bank One Ballpark plays host to its first no-hitter as St. Louis' Jose Jimenez out duels the Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson, 1-0. The game's only run scores on Thomas Howard's single in the top of the ninth inning. The Diamondbacks notch win No. 100 of the year in the season finale. Bernard Gilkey and Rod Barajas hit back-to-back home runs in a 10-3 win over San Diego at Bank One Ballpark. After leading the major leagues in strikeouts, innings pitched and complete games, Randy Johnson gives the Arizona franchise its first major individual trophy by winning his second Cy Young Award. In 2000, Randy Johnson compiles what might have been the best first month in baseball history, going 6-0 with an 0.91 ERA, three complete games and a pair of shutouts. Diamondbacks set a club record by winning nine consecutive games. They also turn the first triple play in club history in the fifth inning of their game against the St. Louis Cardinals with Mark McGwire at the plate. Randy Johnson records the 3,000th strikeout of his career in Miami. In 2001, Luis Gonzalez earns his second National League Player of the Month Award for batting .417 with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs. He also won the award in April. Randy Johnson is the National League's starting pitcher at the All-Star Game in Seattle. It is the Big Unit's second straight starting assignment and his eighth trip to the Midsummer Classic. Curt Schilling becomes the Diamondbacks' first-ever 20-game winner. The Diamondbacks beat the Brewers, 5-0, to clinch at least a tie for the NL West crown. The Giants fall to the Dodgers later that night, giving the D-Backs their second division title in three years. The Diamondbacks defeat the Braves in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) for their first National League (NL) pennant and trip to the World Series. After three dramatic losses in New York, the Diamondbacks return home and beat the Yankees, 15-2, to set up a decisive Game 7. Luis Gonzalez's soft single to left field scores Jay Bell and caps a two-run ninth-inning comeback as the Diamondbacks beat the Yankees, 3-2, to become the quickest expansion team ever to win a World Series.