Get to know the Arizona Diamondbacks: 5 quirky things about the NL champions

With Arizona's MLB team playing for a World Series for the first time since 2001, it won't only be diehards watching the Diamondbacks these days.

All eyes will be on the Snakes, learning about this new and improved DBacks squad and the what the franchise is all about. Whether you're a transplant who just moved in from another state, a new baseball fan who's gravitated to the diamond after the 2023 rule changes or a casual fan trying to get to know the organization a bit better — we've got you covered.

Here are five quirky things about the Diamondbacks explained for anyone trying to get up to speed:

Who is the Arizona Diamondbacks player with purple hair?

The Diamondbacks player who has purple hair would be outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. He used to have blue hair when he played for the Toronto Blue Jays, but found even more swagger with his new look. So much more that he was selected as an all-star for the first time here in his first season with Arizona.

During the season fans could buy t-shirts adorned with Gurriel and his spiky 'do, and there were unadvertised giveaways of spiky purple wigs at Chase Field this summer.

Gurriel has another color associated with him: red, as in the red "victory" vests players took turn wearing at times this year after wins.

Who are the DBacks in the 5th inning 'Legends Race'?

The four Diamondbacks represented in the 5th inning "Legends Race" are Randy Johnson, Luis Gonzalez, Mark Grace, and Matt Williams. The race takes place every game at Chase Field, pitting mascots with oversized heads acting as these four players from the 2001 World Series winning DBacks team.

All four of these players hold special places in DBacks lore. For starters, Johnson is the greatest Diamondbacks player of all-time. The 2015 first-ballot Hall of Famer won four straight National League Cy Young Awards with Arizona from 1999-2002. Making five All-Star Games with the Snakes, Johnson was also named co-World Series MVP along with Curt Schilling in 2001.

The most feared left-handed pitcher of all-time, Johnson played eight years of his 21 major-league seasons in Arizona over two stints. He is baseball's all-time strikeout leader among lefties with 4,875 — only Nolan Ryan had more. During his run of four straight Cy Young Awards, The Big Unit won three of his four ERA titles. He not only had a 21-win season in 2001, but also a 24-win season in 2002.

Gonzalez is arguably the greatest DBacks position player of all-time. The outfielder's number 20 is retired alongside Johnson's 51. Gonzalez is most famously known for his walk-off single over Derek Jeter's head in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, but was already a more than well-known commodity in his Diamondbacks career.

"Gonzo" made all five of his All-Star Game appearances as a member of the DBacks, and finished third in National League MVP voting in that 2001 campaign. He also was the Home Run Derby Champion in 2001, and took home a Silver Slugger award after slashing .325/.429/.688 with 57 home runs to go along with 142 RBIs and 128 runs. Gonzalez drove in over 100 RBIs five times in an Arizona uniform, hit over .300 four times as a DBack and scored over 100 runs with the organization in his eight years there.

Grace was also a starting player for the 2001 World Series championship team. "Gracie" sported an .852 OPS in the regular season with the Snakes in 2001, and an .865 OPS in the World Series. The current Diamondbacks broadcaster roped three hits in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, including the single off Mariano Rivera that opened the Arizona ninth-inning rally.

Williams started at third base on the Diamondbacks 2001 championship team, and delivered seven RBIs in the World Series. Williams played six years with the Diamondbacks, and was an all-star in a 1999 season where he finished third in National League MVP voting after crushing 35 home runs and driving in 142 RBIs. He later was an assistant coach with the DBacks for five seasons across two stints in Arizona.

Did you know Merrill Kelly pitched in Korea before MLB?

Kelly, the Diamondbacks right-handed starting pitcher, pitched in the Korea Baseball Organization to develop for MLB. Kelly grinded for four seasons with the SK Wyverns of the KBO before the Scottsdale native made his way to Arizona to pitch for the DBacks. He had a successful career overseas, as he posted a 48-32 record with a 3.86 ERA with the Wyverns.

He has carried his success in Korea over to Arizona, where he has posted a 3.80 ERA over five seasons with the DBacks and was particularly filthy this year. Kelly struck out 9.5 batters per nine innings with the Snakes in 2023 while recording a 3.29 ERA over 30 starts. Even more impressive, his 2023 postseason ERA is down to 2.65 and he's allowed just a .153 batting average in these playoffs.

Why do people call the Diamondbacks the 'Answerbacks'?

People are calling the Diamondbacks the "Answerbacks" because they consistently pull out come-from-behind wins. The term was coined by team TV broadcaster Steve Berthiaume, as time and time again the Diamondbacks battled back to score runs after an opponent had done the same. They all too often have answered back when opposing teams' offenses have punched them in the mouth.

What does 'embrace the chaos' mean?

"Embrace The Chaos" is the Diamondbacks hashtag on social media, and refers to the nature of how they had to attack this postseason. The Diamondbacks were nowhere remotely close to favorites in any of the postseason series they have been in from the start, so they needed to cause chaos by forcing upset series victories. Sure enough, the 84-win DBacks — who earned the last National League playoff spot — proved to be the best team in the league by upsetting three teams who were incorrectly predicted to beat Arizona.

The Diamondbacks are one of the most unique teams in baseball. They won the National League pennant despite spending the fifth-least amount of money on their roster among league teams. Their stadium has a swimming pool beyond the right-center field wall, and have have a popular mascot named D. Baxter, who is not a snake but a bobcat.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The quirks that make the DBacks special, from purple hair to chaos