The Diamondbacks reunited more than 30 members of their 2001 World Series championship team at Chase Field for a weekend celebrating a historic title and the memories that continue to connect generations of fans.
Twenty-five years after the Arizona Diamondbacks captured their first World Series championship, Chase Field became a place where generations of fans could relive one of the most defining moments in franchise history.
Saturday’s 25th anniversary celebration brought together members of the 2001 championship team, current players, coaches and thousands of fans for a day filled with baseball, nostalgia and memories that stretched from the early morning into the final pitch.
The festivities began before the gates opened with a D-backs Celebrity Baseball Camp, where former 2001 World Series champions Jay Bell, David Dellucci, Erubiel Durazo and Matt Mantei served as featured coaches for a sold-out camp for youth baseball players ages 7-12.
The celebration continued at Talking Stick Resort with a 25th anniversary autograph session featuring Miguel Batista, Byung-Hyun Kim, Damian Miller, Reggie Sanders and Tony Womack.
Meanwhile, outside Chase Field, fans began lining up hours before the gates opened, eager to receive a piece of Diamondbacks history.
The first 25,000 fans through the gates received a commemorative 2001 throwback jersey. For some, the giveaway became an even more memorable experience when they discovered that the person handing them their jersey was a member of the championship team.
Dellucci, Greg Colbrunn, Durazo, Mike Morgan, Mantei and Miller surprised fans at the gates, greeting them and handing out the jerseys as they entered the ballpark.
The celebration reached its emotional centerpiece before the game with a reunion of the 2001 World Series champions.
Former D-backs broadcaster Greg Schulte returned as master of ceremonies and helped guide fans through a retelling of the team’s historic run to its first championship.
The pregame ceremony featured a special video narration looking back at the 2001 season and reflecting on the 25 years that have passed since the Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees in a dramatic seven-game World Series.
More than 30 players and coaches from the championship team were in attendance.
Each member of the 2001 team was introduced individually and walked down a red carpet onto the field, giving fans inside Chase Field an opportunity to see the players who helped create one of the most memorable chapters in franchise history.
A reunion 25 years in the making
The ceremony featured manager Bob Brenly and coaches Bob Melvin, Dwayne Murphy, Glenn Sherlock and Chris Speier, along with a long list of players from the championship roster.
Among those introduced were Miguel Batista, Danny Bautista, Jay Bell, Nick Bierbrodt, Troy Brohawn, Greg Colbrunn, David Dellucci, Erubiel Durazo, Robert Ellis, Steve Finley, Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace, Randy Johnson, Byung-Hyun Kim, Mike Koplove, Albie Lopez, Matt Mantei, Damian Miller, Mike Morgan, Bret Prinz, Armando Reynoso, Erik Sabel, Reggie Sanders, Curt Schilling, Junior Spivey, Todd Stottlemyre, Greg Swindell, Bobby Witt and Tony Womack.
The final introductions brought one of the afternoon’s most anticipated moments.
Schilling was the last member of the team to walk onto the field. He carried the weight of a quarter-century of memories with him as he made his way down the red carpet before hoisting the 2001 World Series trophy once again.
Then the bullpen doors opened.
Johnson emerged and walked toward his longtime teammate and co-Most Valuable Player from the 2001 World Series.
Standing together once again, Johnson and Schilling raised the championship trophy, recreating an image that D-backs fans had not forgotten.
For a moment, 25 years seemed to disappear.
The pregame celebration also included a ceremonial first pitch from Brenly and a special performance of the national anthem by Jesse Maguire.
An oversized American flag covered the field as 150 Advantage Members, community and corporate partners, along with members of the 2001 team and coaching staff, participated in the ceremony.
Chase Field goes back to 2001
When the game began, the Diamondbacks continued the celebration by transforming the ballpark into a tribute to the team’s championship season.
The old scoreboard returned for an old-school feel, while the in-game presentation incorporated elements designed to transport fans back to 2001.
Even the music took a trip back in time.
D-backs players walked to the plate to songs from the 2001 era, adding another layer of nostalgia to a night already filled with reminders of the franchise’s history.
Throughout the game, in-game hosts Vanessa Ramirez and Mike Bauer interviewed members of the championship team, giving fans an opportunity to hear firsthand memories from the players who experienced the 2001 World Series.
The former players reflected on the significance of returning to the ballpark 25 years later and the connection they continue to share with D-backs fans.
“It’s a lot of great memories, special moments and we’re grateful for the fans and the memories,” Gonzalez said.
Schilling reflected on the bond between the team and its supporters, saying the fans are like family.
Johnson described the celebration as a generational experience, noting how meaningful it was to see a packed Chase Field continuing to support the team while remembering the championship era.
A storybook ending
The celebration of the 2001 championship came on a night when the current Diamondbacks had an opportunity to create a memorable moment of their own.
Arizona faced the Yankees in a game that carried the intensity of a postseason matchup.
With the score tied late, Pavin Smith delivered the final chapter.
Smith launched a walk-off home run, breaking the tie and sending the Diamondbacks to a 5-3 victory in storybook fashion.
The celebration that began by looking back at the franchise’s past ended with the current team giving fans a moment to remember.
For one night, Chase Field connected generations of Diamondbacks baseball — from the championship team of 2001 to a current club still fighting for a place in the postseason.
Twenty-five years after Arizona’s first World Series title, the memories remain.
And on Saturday night, a new one was added.♦︎
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