Team: San Diego Padres
Sport: Baseball
Venue: Qualcomm Stadium
Manager: Bruce Bochy
Championships: None
Background: The San Diego Padres are
a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California.
They are in the Western Division of the National League.
Founded: 1969 (National League expansion)
Home ballpark: PETCO Park (2004)
Former home ballpark: Qualcomm Stadium
(formerly Jack Murphy Stadium) (1969-2003)
Uniform colors: Navy blue, Orange,
and White
Logo design: Gold "SAN DIEGO"
in small capitals and large, stylized white "Padres"
superimposed over an outline of home plate; blue background
with wave design in bottom half of home plate.
Wild Card titles won (0): none
Division titles won (3): 1984, 1996,
1998
National League pennants won (2): 1984,
1998
World Series championships won (0):
none
Franchise History : The Padres actually
arrived in San Diego in 1936. Originally a minor league
team, they won the Pacific Coast League title in 1937
(led by then 18-year old San Diegan Ted Williams).
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In 1969, San Diego joined the ranks of Major League
Baseball as one of four new expansion teams. Despite
initial excitement and a new playing field at San Diego
(now Qualcomm) Stadium, the team struggled, finishing
in last place in each of its first six seasons.
In 1974, with the team on the brink of relocating to
Washington, D.C., Ray A. Kroc (founder of McDonald's
restaurants) purchased the Padres and kept them in San
Diego. He died just before he could see his team win
their first National League pennant in 1984. His wife,
Joan, assumed control of the team until selling it in
1990.
The San Diego Chicken began performing for the team
in 1974. Despite featuring such notable players as Randy
Jones, Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, Tony Gwynn, and Trevor
Hoffman, the Padres have had limited success, going
to the playoffs only three times during their Major
League tenure. The team will mark its 36th year in a
new playing field, PETCO Park, in 2004.
