History of San Diego Padres in Timeline

The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. Established in 1969 as an expansion franchise, they compete in the National League (NL) West Division. Their home games are played at Petco Park. The team's name, "Padres," which is Spanish for "fathers," pays tribute to the Franciscan friars who founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769. The team adopted the name from the Pacific Coast League team that arrived in San Diego in 1936.

1936: Arrival of Pacific Coast League Team

In 1936, the Padres adopted their name from the Pacific Coast League (PCL) team that arrived in San Diego.

1936: Arrival of the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League

In 1936, the Padres adopted their name from the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League, a minor league team that arrived in San Diego.

1937: PCL Title Win

In 1937, the San Diego Padres minor league franchise won the Pacific Coast League (PCL) title, led by Ted Williams.

1962: First Appearance of the Swinging Friar

In 1962, the Swinging Friar, designed by 19-year-old Carlos Hadaway, first appeared on team programs for the home opener. At the time, the Padres were still a member of the Pacific Coast League.

1969: Padres Franchise Record

From 1969 through 2025, the Padres have an overall record of 4,217–4,789–2 (.468).

1969: John Demott First PA Announcer

In 1969, John Demott was the San Diego Padres' first public address announcer.

1969: Original Logo

In 1969, the Padres' first logo depicted a friar swinging a bat while standing in a sun-like figure with San Diego Padres written on the exterior of it.

1969: Padres Join Major League Baseball

In 1969, the San Diego Padres joined Major League Baseball (MLB) as one of four new expansion teams.

1969: Expansion Franchise Founded

In 1969, the San Diego Padres were founded as an expansion franchise, joining Major League Baseball (MLB).

1969: Retention of Swinging Friar

In 1969, the Swinging Friar mascot was retained when the Padres joined Major League Baseball.

1971: Tan Uniform Introduced

In 1971, the Padres introduced a second tan uniform, this time with the city name, as a road alternate before it became the primary road uniform.

1972: Uniform Change to All-Gold

In 1972, the Padres switched from flannel to polyester and radically changed their uniforms to all-gold for both home and road games.

1974: Ray Kroc Ownership

In 1974, Ray Kroc became the owner of the San Diego Padres.

1974: Return to Traditional Uniforms

In 1974, the Padres returned to wearing traditional uniforms, including script "Padres" lettering in front of the home design.

1975: Randy Jones All-Star

In 1975, Randy Jones was an All-Star.

1976: Randy Jones's Cy Young Award and Number Retirement

In 1976, Randy Jones won the Cy Young Award. His number 35 was later retired by the Padres in 1997.

1976: Randy Jones Wins Cy Young Award

In 1976, Randy Jones won the first Cy Young Award for the San Diego Padres.

1976: Pullovers Introduced

In 1976, the Padres ditched the buttons in favor of pullovers for their home uniform. Also, they switched to a brown uniform top for road games featuring gold sleeves and gold letters.

1978: Brown and Gold Uniforms

In 1978, the Padres introduced new uniforms with brown sleeves and gold letters for home games, and a gold alternate with brown sleeves and letters was also released.

1979: The Kid from Left Field Film Release

In 1979, the San Diego Padres were portrayed in the NBC made-for-TV film "The Kid from Left Field," starring Gary Coleman.

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1980: Addition of Orange to the Palette

In 1980, the Padres introduced orange into their color scheme. The team's updated uniforms featured the removal of contrasting colored sleeves and chest numbers. Orange accents were incorporated into the letters and striping of the home uniforms, as well as the trim and striping of the road uniforms. The caps also received an update, showcasing orange trim on the "SD" logo and within the gold panel.

1984: Graig Nettles Joins the Padres

Graig Nettles joined the San Diego Padres in 1984.

1984: Ray Kroc Honored

In 1984, Ray Kroc was honored with his initials displayed on the front of the pressbox.

1984: Addition of "RAK" to left sleeve

In 1984, the Padres honored Ray Kroc, the team's owner since 1974, by adding the initials "RAK" on the left sleeve of their uniforms.

1984: World Series Appearance

In 1984, the Padres made it to the World Series, but lost.

1984: First NL Pennant

In 1984, the San Diego Padres won their first National League pennant, though they lost the World Series the same year.

1984: Garvey's Home Run in NLCS Game 4

In the 1984 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 4, Steve Garvey hit the game-winning two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs, leading to the Padres winning the series.

1984: Garvey's Home Run Commemoration

Prior to moving to Petco Park, Steve Garvey's number was commemorated at San Diego Stadium on the wall behind the spot where his winning home run in the 1984 NLCS cleared the fence.

1985: Switch to Script-Like Logo

In 1985, the Padres transitioned to a script-like logo featuring the word "Padres" written in an upward slant. The team's colors were also changed to brown and orange, a combination that lasted through the 1990 season.

1986: Return to Buttoned Uniforms

In 1986, the Padres returned to traditional buttoned uniforms designed by Sidjakov Berman & Gomez. The home uniforms featured the script "Padres" in front, while the road uniforms displayed the "SD" logo on the left chest. Brown letters with orange trim and brown pinstripes adorned both uniforms. The "RAK" initials were removed from the uniform. An all-brown cap with the orange "SD" logo was used.

1987: Graig Nettles Tenure Ends

Graig Nettles tenure with the San Diego Padres ended in 1987.

1988: Steve Garvey's Number Retirement

In 1988, Steve Garvey became the first player to have his number retired by the San Diego Padres.

1989: Introduction of Scripted Logo in Gray Ring

In 1989, the Padres introduced a scripted Padres logo set within a gray ring. The ring featured the words "San Diego Baseball Club" and had a striped center.

1990: Brown and Orange Colors Last Through Season

In 1990, the Padres' team colors of brown and orange remained in use through the end of the season.

1991: Logo and Color Updates

In 1991, the Padres updated their logo, changing the ring color to silver and the Padres script from brown to blue. The team's colors were also changed to a combination of orange and navy blue.

1991: Blue and Orange Color Palette

The blue and orange color palette was worn by the Padres between 1991 and 2003, including the franchise's most recent run to the World Series in 1998.

1995: Kevin Towers Becomes General Manager; Ken Caminiti Wins MVP Award

In 1995, Kevin Towers became the general manager for the Padres, and under his leadership, Ken Caminiti became the first Padres player to win the MVP Award.

1995: Marine Recruits Visit Games

Since 1995, Marine recruits from the nearby Marine Corps Recruit Depot have regularly attended San Diego Padres games during Military Appreciation Day.

1996: First Annual Military Appreciation Event

In 1996, the Padres became the first national sports team to host an annual military appreciation event.

1996: Team Logo Added to Left Sleeve

In 1996, the team logo was added to the left sleeve of the Padres' uniforms. The home uniform kept the navy blue pinstripes and lettering. The road uniforms eliminated the pinstripes and added the city name in navy blue block letters with white trim and orange drop shadows. A navy cap with the "S" in white and "D" in orange was used with the uniform.

April 15, 1997: Jackie Robinson's Number Retired

On April 15, 1997, exactly 50 years after Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color line, the No. 42 he wore with the Brooklyn Dodgers was retired throughout Major League Baseball.

September 5, 1997: Andy Ashby's Near No-Hitter

On September 5, 1997, Andy Ashby took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, marking the closest the Padres had previously come to achieving a no-hitter.

1997: Stadium Expansion

In 1997, at San Diego Stadium, Steve Garvey's commemorative number disappeared during the stadium's expansion.

1997: Unveiling of Navy Blue Alternate Uniform

In 1997, the Padres introduced a navy blue alternate uniform, featuring the team name in navy blue with orange drop shadows. It included orange numbers at the back and white piping along the chest, neck, and sleeves.

1997: Padres-Mariners Rivalry Designated as "Naturalized Rivalry"

In 1997, the unusual rivalry between the Padres and the Seattle Mariners was designated as one of the 15 "naturalized rivalries" when interleague play began. The teams have played every year since, except for 2017.

1998: Removal of Swinging Friar Logo

After the 1998 season, the swinging friar logo was removed from the left sleeve of the Padres' navy blue alternate uniform, being replaced in favor of the team's primary logo.

1998: Second NL Pennant

In 1998, the Padres achieved their second National League (NL) pennant with Trevor Hoffman, but were swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series.

1998: World Series Appearance

In 1998, the Padres made a second appearance at the World Series, but lost again.

1999: Padres failed to win a single playoff series

Between 1999 and 2019, The Padres failed to win a single playoff series.

1999: Bruce Binkowski's Tenure Ends

Bruce Binkowski, the longest-serving public address announcer in the San Diego Padres' history, remained in the role until the end of the 1999 season.

1999: San Diego Padres Hall of Fame Founded

In 1999, the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame was founded.

1999: Addition of White Chest Numbers

In 1999, white chest numbers were added to the navy blue alternate uniform.

2000: Primary logo lasted until 2000 season

In 2000 the team's primary logo lasted until the end of the season on the left sleeve of the Navy blue alternate uniform.

2000: Camouflage Jersey Debut

In 2000, the Padres began wearing a camouflage jersey to honor the military.

2001: Dave Winfield's Number Retired and Hall of Fame Induction

In 2001, Dave Winfield's number 31 was retired, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, choosing to wear a Padres cap on his plaque.

2001: Jerry Coleman Honored

In 2001, Jerry Coleman was honored with a "star on the wall" in reference to his trademark phrase, "Oh Doctor! You can hang a star on that baby!"

2001: Introduction of Alternate Home White Uniform

In 2001, the Padres began wearing an alternate home white uniform, featuring the same design as the primary home uniform but without pinstripes and orange trim. Navy blue piping was added. An alternate navy cap with the white "SD" logo was used with the uniform. After the 2001 season, the alternate home white uniform became the primary, leading to the retirement of the pinstriped uniforms.

2001: Pinstripes return to Padre home jersey

In 2020, pinstripes returned to the Padre home jersey for the first time since 2001.

2002: Mariners failed to make the playoffs

Between 2002 and 2021, the Mariners failed to make the playoffs.

2002: Relocation of Retired Numbers

In 2002, the retired numbers were moved and inscribed on the outfield fence at San Diego Stadium.

2003: Logo Change

In 2003, the Padres logo was completely changed with the new logo looking similar to home plate with San Diego written in sand font at the top right corner and the Padres new script written completely across the center. Waves finished the bottom of the plate. Navy remained but a sandy beige replaced orange as a secondary color.

2003: Blue and Orange Color Palette

The blue and orange color palette was worn by the Padres between 1991 and 2003, including the franchise's most recent run to the World Series in 1998.

2004: Frank Anthony PA Announcer

From the opening of Petco Park in 2004, the PA announcer for the San Diego Padres was Frank Anthony.

2004: New stadium and logo change

In 2004, between the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Padres changed stadiums, and the logo was updated.

2004: Road Uniform Wordmark Style

In 2004, the Padres began using the San Diego wordmark style on the road uniform, which lasted until 2011. In 2017, the script on the road uniform reverted to the San Diego wordmark style that was used from 2004 to 2011.

2004: Tony Gwynn's Number Retired

In 2004, the Padres retired No. 19 in honor of Tony Gwynn, widely considered the greatest Padres player ever.

2004: Move to Petco Park

In 2004, the San Diego Padres moved into their current stadium, Petco Park.

2004: Unveiling of Retired Numbers

In 2004, the retired numbers display was unveiled midseason at Petco Park, though the numbers were not ready for the park's opening.

2004: Sand-colored road jerseys

In 2020, the shade of the sand color is noticeably darker than the sand-colored road jerseys worn from 2004 to 2010.

April 2005: Marines Hosted by the Padres

Through April 2005, the San Diego Padres had hosted over 60,000 Marine recruits as part of their extensive military outreach program.

2005: Postseason Appearance

From 2005 to 2025, the San Diego Padres reached the postseason six times.

2006: Padres Games Aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7

From 2006, Padre games were aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7.

September 2007: KBOP-CA Changed Format

Until September 2007, Friday and Saturday San Diego Padres games were seen in Spanish on KBOP-CA channel 43, until that station changed to an all-infomercial format.

2008: Camouflage Jerseys for Every Sunday Home Game

Starting in 2008, the Padres began wearing camouflage jerseys for every Sunday home game.

2009: Removal of San Diego from Logo

In 2009, the text "San Diego" was removed from the top right corner of the Padres' logo.

2010: Sand colored road jersey for first time since 2010

In 2020, The team featured a sand-colored road jersey (also with pinstripes) for the first time since 2010.

2010: Trevor Hoffman Retirement

Trevor Hoffman retired from playing after 2010, as MLB's career leader in saves with 601, including 552 with the Padres.

2010: Padres Games Aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7

Until 2010, Padre games were aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7.

2011: Change to Digital Camouflage Design

For 2011, the Padres changed the camouflage design to a more modern "digital" design, using the MARPAT design after receiving permission from then-Commandant James Conway, and dropped the green from the lettering and logo of the jersey. Green was replaced by a sand-olive color (also in the cap worn with the jersey).

2011: Trevor Hoffman's Number Retired

In 2011, Trevor Hoffman's No. 51 was the most recent number to be retired by the Padres.

2011: Road Uniform Change

In 2011, the Padres' road uniform was changed to a grey base, and the navy and sand caps were used exclusively with the navy alternates. After the season, the alternate navy cap was retired.

2011: End of San Diego wordmark style

In 2011, the San Diego wordmark style on the road uniform ended. In 2017, the script on the road uniform reverted to the San Diego wordmark style that was used from 2004 to 2011.

2012: Bally Sports San Diego Assumed Rights

In 2012, Bally Sports San Diego (formerly Fox Sports San Diego) assumed the rights to the San Diego Padres under a 20-year deal, replacing Cox Cable's 4SD.

2012: Peter Seidler Becomes Owner

In 2012, Peter Seidler became the owner of the San Diego Padres.

2012: Peter Seidler Ownership Begins

In 2012, Peter Seidler began his ownership of the San Diego Padres.

2012: New Primary Logo Unveiled

In 2012, the Padres unveiled a new primary logo, featuring the cap logo inside a navy blue circle with the words "San Diego Padres Baseball Club" adorning the outer circle. The "swinging friar" logo was recolored navy blue and white and was added to the left sleeve of the home uniform. Another secondary logo features the Padres script carried over from the previous year's primary logo below the depiction of Petco Park in sand and above the year of the team's first season (EST. 1969); this design was added to the team's road and navy alternates. All uniforms also added piping around the chest, neck and sleeves.

2013: Frank Anthony PA Announcer

Until 2013, the PA announcer for the San Diego Padres was Frank Anthony.

April 19, 2014: Alex Miniak Announced as PA Announcer

On April 19, 2014, Alex Miniak was announced as the new Public Address announcer for the San Diego Padres.

September 5, 2015: Ferrell Takes the Field Premieres at Petco Park

On September 5, 2015, the HBO movie "Ferrell Takes the Field," featuring Will Ferrell playing ten major league baseball spring-training games in one day, including with the San Diego Padres, premiered at Petco Park.

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2016: Addition of Second Camouflage Jersey

For 2016, coinciding with hosting the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the Padres added a second camouflage jersey, this time in navy blue.

2016: Garvey's Homer Ranked No. 1 Moment

In 2016, The San Diego Union-Tribune ranked Steve Garvey's Game 4 homer as the No. 1 moment in San Diego sports history.

2016: Padres Portrayed in Pitch

In 2016, the San Diego Padres were portrayed in the one-season Fox television series "Pitch," starring Kylie Bunbury.

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2016: Relocation of Retired Numbers Display

In 2016, the retired numbers display at Petco Park was relocated to the Ring of Honor on the upper deck façade.

2016: Introduction of Navy Blue and Gold Color Scheme

In the 2016 season, the Padres adopted a navy blue and gold color scheme, reminiscent of the 2016 All-Star Game logo. The home uniform was patterned similarly to the alternate navy uniforms, featuring gold trim on the piping and letters. An alternate navy cap with the "S" in white and "D" in gold was also introduced. Additionally, a new brown and gold alternate uniform was added for Friday home games, along with an updated gold-paneled brown cap.

2017: Padres Become Sole Major League Franchise in San Diego

Following the relocation of the Chargers to Los Angeles in 2017, the Padres became the only franchise in the four major American professional sports leagues in the San Diego sports market, strengthening the rivalry and San Diego's animosity to Los Angeles sports in general.

2017: New Color Scheme and Jerseys Revealed

For the 2017 season, the Padres revealed a new color scheme and new jerseys for the second straight year. The gold was scrapped from the home uniform and the team reverted to a navy blue-and-white combo. The word Padres returned to the front of the home uniform, but with a new script, while the script on the road uniform reverted to the San Diego wordmark style it used from 2004 to 2011. The navy blue alternates remained intact minus the left sleeve patch. The brown and gold alternate uniform from the previous set was retained, with the addition of the "SD" on the left sleeve.

2017: Padres-Mariners Rivalry: The Only Year Without a Game

In 1997, the Padres-Mariners rivalry was designated as one of the 15 "naturalized rivalries" when interleague play began. The teams have played every year since, except 2017.

2017: Entercom Acquired Radio Rights

In 2017, Entercom acquired the radio rights to the San Diego Padres, and the broadcasts were carried by 94.9 KBZT.

January 2019: Announcement of Return to Brown and Gold Colors

In January 2019, the San Diego Padres announced that the original brown and gold colors would return for the 2020 season.

2019: Padres failed to win a single playoff series

Between 1999 and 2019, The Padres failed to win a single playoff series.

2019: Padres alternated the navy camouflage jersey with a Marines style.

In 2019, The Padres alternated the navy camouflage jersey with a Marines style which were used through 2019.

August 20, 2020: Grand Slams in Four Consecutive Games

On August 20, 2020, the San Diego Padres became the first team in MLB history to hit a grand slam in four consecutive games.

2020: Camouflage Jersey Colors: Green and Sand-Olive

From 2020 to 2023, the Padres used two different camouflage jersey colors: green and sand-olive, both with the current Padres logo.

2020: Los Angeles Wins NLDS

In 2020, Los Angeles won against San Diego in the NLDS post season.

2020: Unveiling of New Uniform Designs Featuring Brown and Gold Colors

In 2020, the San Diego Padres officially unveiled the new uniform designs featuring brown and gold colors on November 9. The team featured brown and gold on each of the three unveiled jerseys, including the return of pinstripes to the Padre home jersey for the first time since 2001 and a sand-colored road jersey (also with pinstripes) for the first time since 2010. Alternate non-pinstriped sand pants are paired with the brown alternate jersey. The shade of the sand color is noticeably darker than the sand-colored road jerseys worn from 2004 to 2010. An all-brown cap with "SD" in gold was also released.

April 9, 2021: First No-Hitter

On April 9, 2021, Joe Musgrove threw the first no-hitter in San Diego Padres history against the Texas Rangers, ending the longest no-hit drought by a team in MLB.

2021: Padres Radio Broadcasts on KWFN 97.3 The Fan

As of the 2021 season, the San Diego Padres' radio broadcasts in English are carried by KWFN 97.3 The Fan.

2021: Mariners failed to make the playoffs

Between 2002 and 2021, the Mariners failed to make the playoffs.

2022: San Diego Wins NLDS

In 2022, San Diego won against Los Angeles in the NLDS post season.

2022: Padres Join Teams Wearing Nike's City Connect Uniforms

In 2022, the Padres joined 13 other teams in wearing Nike's "City Connect" uniforms. The primarily white uniform featured pink, mint green and yellow accents on the letters and sleeves, and has "San Diego" written in a graffiti style. The left mint sleeve contained a recolored version of the "swinging friar" logo in pink and yellow. The all-mint cap featured the pink interlocking "SD" in front. The uniform intended to pay tribute to the San Diego–Tijuana bi-national metropolitan area, highlighting San Diego's long-standing relations with Tijuana in Baja California, Mexico.

2022: Increase in Team Merchandise Sales

In 2022, the return to brown and gold uniforms has coincided with an increase in team merchandise sales, with the Padres ranking in the top 10 in MLB team merchandise sales at U.S. sports retailer Lids during the 2022 season.

May 2023: MLB Takes Over Padres Broadcasts

In May 2023, MLB took over production of the San Diego Padres' regional broadcasts after Diamond Sports Group missed a rights payment, retaining the commentators and employees.

May 31, 2023: Padres' Telecasts via PADRES.TV

As of May 31, 2023, the San Diego Padres' regional telecasts are produced by MLB and distributed via local channels and the PADRES.TV subscription service.

November 14, 2023: Death of Peter Seidler

On November 14, 2023, Peter Seidler, owner of the Padres, passed away at the age of 63.

November 2023: Peter Seidler Death

In November 2023, team owner Peter Seidler died.

2023: Camouflage Jersey Colors: Green and Sand-Olive

From 2020 to 2023, the Padres used two different camouflage jersey colors: green and sand-olive, both with the current Padres logo.

2023: Death of Owner Peter Seidler

In 2023, Peter Seidler, owner of the Padres, passed away.

March 23, 2024: Peter Seidler Memorial

On March 23, 2024, the San Diego Padres held a public memorial and celebration of life for team owner Peter Seidler.

2024: Dylan Cease throws no-hitter

In 2024, Dylan Cease threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on July 25.

2024: Los Angeles Wins NLDS

In 2024, Los Angeles won against San Diego in the NLDS post season.

2024: Manny Machado Overtakes Home Run Record

In 2024, Manny Machado overtook Nate Colbert as the long-time home run leader for the San Diego Padres.

February 6, 2025: John Seidler Approved as Control Person

On February 6, 2025, MLB owners approved John Seidler as the Padres' control person.

November 2, 2025: Dia de los Muertos Teaser for City Connect 2.0

On November 2, 2025, coinciding with Dia de los Muertos, the Padres released a teaser video on social media featuring WWE superstar Dominik Mysterio. The video showcased a White hat bearing an Orange "S" and Navy Blue "D" and bill placed on a traditional Day of the Dead altar, teasing the City Connect 2.0 uniform coming in April 2026.

2025: 19 Winning Seasons

As of the 2025 season, the Padres have had 19 winning seasons in franchise history.

2025: Rivalry Officially Recognized as "The Vedder Cup"

Starting in 2025, the rivalry between the Padres and the Seattle Mariners was officially recognized as "The Vedder Cup", with the winner of the series being awarded a trophy designed by Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder.