Happy birthday, Colorado — and Colorado sports.

Leading into the state’s 150th birthday Aug. 1, The Denver Gazette has partnered with the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame to publicize the definitive list of Colorado’s top 150 sports moments.

For Nos. 50 to 1, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian Dave Plati coordinated a 19-member committee to rank in order what they considered the top moments. The No. 1 moment will be revealed July 31. Plati and Broncos icon Jim Saccomano will unveil the list weekly on a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame podcast at coloradosports.org/podcast/.

No. 19 — June 16, 1975

The Denver Nuggets, with the first pick in the ABA Draft, selected “The Human Eraser,” Marvin Webster of Morgan State, passing on North Carolina State’s David Thompson who was selected next by the Virginia Squires. Both were selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Draft. Webster signed with Denver on June 18, and on July 14, Virginia traded the rights to Denver to sign Thompson for Mack Calvin, Mike Green and Jan Van Breda Kolff. Thompson then signed a six-year contract for $3 million, which at the time made him the highest-paid rookie in all of sports.

—Dave Plati, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame historian