History of San Diego Padres in Timeline

The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. Founded in 1969 as an expansion franchise, they compete in the National League (NL) West Division. The team's name, "Padres," which translates to "fathers" in Spanish, pays homage to the Spanish Franciscan friars who established Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769. They play their home games at Petco Park in downtown San Diego.

1936: Arrival of Pacific Coast League Padres in San Diego

In 1936, the Pacific Coast League (PCL) team arrived in San Diego and became the San Diego Padres, from which the MLB team adopted its name. The team's name refers to the Spanish Franciscan friars who founded Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769.

1936: Padres Adopt Name from Pacific Coast League Team

In 1936, the Padres adopted their name from the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League, which arrived in San Diego.

1937: PCL Title Won by San Diego Padres

In 1937, the San Diego Padres minor league franchise won the Pacific Coast League (PCL) title, led by 18-year-old Ted Williams.

1962: Swinging Friar first appeared

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

1969: Padres Franchise History

From 1969 through 2024, the Padres have an overall record of 4,127–4,717–2 (.467).

1969: John Demott becomes first PA announcer

In 1969, John Demott was the Padres' first public address announcer when the team began.

1969: Padres Join Major League Baseball

In 1969, the Padres became part of Major League Baseball (MLB) as one of four new expansion teams, alongside the Montreal Expos, the Kansas City Royals, and the Seattle Pilots.

1969: Padres' First Logo

In 1969, the Padres' first logo depicted a friar swinging a bat with Padres written at the top, standing in a sun-like figure with San Diego Padres on the exterior. The "Swinging Friar" has been used on and off ever since and remains as the mascot.

1969: Padres Founded as Expansion Franchise

In 1969, the San Diego Padres were founded as an expansion franchise and joined Major League Baseball (MLB). The team adopted its name from the Pacific Coast League (PCL) team that arrived in San Diego in 1936.

1969: Establishment year featured

In 2012, a secondary logo features the Padres script below the depiction of Petco Park above the year of the team's first season (EST. 1969)

1969: Swinging Friar retained

The Swinging Friar mascot was retained when the Padres joined Major League Baseball in 1969.

1971: Second Tan Uniform Introduced

In 1971, a second tan uniform featuring the city name was introduced as a road alternate before becoming the primary uniform.

1972: Radical Uniform Change to All-Gold

In 1972, the Padres radically changed their uniforms to all-gold, switching from flannel to polyester, regardless of whether they were playing road or home games. The only difference was the city name on road uniforms and the team name on home uniforms.

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 with a script "Padres" lettering on the home design and chest numbers added.

1975: Randy Jones All-Star Selection

In 1975, Randy Jones was selected as an All-Star for the first time.

1976: Randy Jones Wins Cy Young Award

In 1976, Randy Jones was the club's first Cy Young Award winner.

1976: Pullovers and Brown Uniforms Introduced

In 1976, the Padres ditched the buttons in favor of pullovers for their home uniform and introduced a brown uniform top with gold sleeves and letters for road games.

1978: Brown Uniforms Serve as Template

In 1978, the brown uniforms served as a template for the Padres' next uniform set. The home uniforms featured brown sleeves and gold letters, and a gold alternate with brown sleeves and letters was also released. The full team name, written in a futuristic font, was emblazoned in front, and the swinging friar logo was added to the left sleeve.

1979: The Kid from Left Field film release

In 1979, the San Diego Padres were first portrayed in the NBC made-for-TV film The Kid from Left Field, starring Gary Coleman as Jackie Robinson "J.R." Cooper, a youngster who is passionate about baseball, and puts his knowledge to good use when he becomes the manager of the Padres and helps lead them to the World Series.

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1980: Orange Added to Padres' Palette

In 1980, the Padres added orange to their color palette. The new uniform set removed the contrasting colored sleeves and chest numbers, and orange was added to the letters and striping of the home uniforms and trim and striping of the road uniforms.

1984: Graig Nettles Joins Padres

In 1984, Graig Nettles joined the San Diego Padres and remained with the team until 1987. He is also a member of the San Diego Hall of Champions.

1984: Garvey's Game-Winning Home Run

In 1984, Steve Garvey hit a game-winning two-run home run in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the Chicago Cubs, tying the series before the Padres won the next day. He was named the NLCS Most Valuable Player.

1984: RAK Initials Added to Uniforms

In 1984, the Padres added the initials "RAK" on the left sleeve in honor of Ray Kroc, who had owned the team since 1974.

1984: Padres Lose World Series

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

1984: Padres Win First NL Pennant

In 1984, the Padres won their first National League (NL) pennant, but lost in the World Series.

1984: Ray Kroc Honored

In 1984, the initials of the late owner Ray Kroc were displayed.

1984: Garvey's Home Run Commemorated

Prior to moving to Petco, Garvey's number was commemorated on the wall behind the spot in right-center field where his winning home run in the 1984 NLCS cleared the fence.

1985: Padres switch to script logo and new colors

In 1985, the San Diego Padres switched to a script-like logo and changed their colors to brown and orange.

1986: Return to traditional buttoned uniforms

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

1987: Graig Nettles Leaves Padres

In 1987, Graig Nettles ended his tenure with the San Diego Padres, having joined the team in 1984.

1988: Steve Garvey's Number Retired

In 1988, Steve Garvey became the first player to have his number retired by the Padres, despite playing only five seasons with the team and having a more productive career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

1989: Scripted logo in a gray ring

In 1989, the Padres put the scripted Padres logo in a gray ring that read "San Diego Baseball Club" with a striped center.

1990: Brown and orange colors through 1990

The Padres' colors remained brown and orange through the 1990 season.

1991: Logo updated, colors changed again

In 1991, the Padres logo was updated with a silver ring and a blue Padres script. The team's colors were also changed to a combination of orange and navy blue, and they also wearing blue pin stripes.

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

In 1995, Kevin Towers became the general manager of the Padres. 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 often visit the games en masse during Military Appreciation Day.

1996: First military appreciation event

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

1996: Team logo added to sleeve

In 1996, the team logo was added on the left sleeve of the Padres' uniform.

April 15, 1997: Jackie Robinson's Number Retired Throughout MLB

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 nearly threw a no-hitter, taking it into the ninth inning, which was the closest the team had come to achieving this feat previously.

1997: Stadium Expansion Masks Garvey's Number

In 1997, during stadium expansion, the location of Steve Garvey's number was masked by an overhang.

1997: Interleague play begins

In 1997, the Padres and the Seattle Mariners' matchup was designated one of the 15 "naturalized rivalries" when interleague play began.

1997: Navy blue alternate uniform unveiled

In 1997, the Padres unveiled a navy blue alternate uniform featuring the team name in navy blue with orange drop shadows.

1998: Swinging Friar logo removed

After the 1998 season, the swinging friar logo was removed from the left sleeve of the alternate uniform.

1998: Padres Win Second NL Pennant

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

1998: Padres Lose World Series

In 1998, the Padres made it to the World Series but lost.

1999: Bruce Binkowski's Last Season

By the late 1970s, Bruce Binkowski had taken over as PA announcer, and became the longest-serving public address announcer in the team's history, remaining until the end of the 1999 season.

1999: Founding of the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame

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

1999: White chest numbers added

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

1999: Padres failed to win playoff series

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

2000: Began wearing camouflage jersey

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

2000: Primary logo replaces Swinging Friar

Until the 2000 season, the team's primary logo remained after replacing the Swinging Friar logo the year prior.

2001: Dave Winfield's Number Retired

In 2001, Dave Winfield's number, 31, was retired, and he was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His retirement ceremony celebrated his decision to be the first member of the Hall of Fame to have his plaque depicting him wearing a Padres cap.

2001: Jerry Coleman Honored with Star

In 2001, broadcaster 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: Alternate home white uniform becomes primary

In 2001, the Padres' alternate home white uniform became the primary uniform, leading to the retirement of the pinstriped uniforms after that season.

2001: Return of pinstripes on home jersey

In 2020, brown and gold uniforms returned, featuring pinstripes on the Padres home jersey for the first time since 2001.

2002: Retired Numbers Moved and Inscribed

In 2002, all the retired numbers were moved and inscribed on the outfield fence.

2002: Mariners failed to make playoffs

The Mariners failed to make the playoffs from 2002 to 2021.

2003: New logo design unveiled

In 2003, the logo was completely changed 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.

2004: Team changes stadiums between 2003 and 2004 seasons

Between the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the logo was completely changed when the team changed stadiums, with navy and sandy beige as colors.

2004: Frank Anthony becomes PA announcer

From Petco Park's opening in 2004 until 2013, the PA announcer was Frank Anthony, a radio host with 105.7 XHPRS-FM.

2004: Padres Move to Petco Park

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

2004: Tony Gwynn's Number Retired

In 2004, the Padres retired No. 19 in honor of Tony Gwynn, who played his entire 20-year career with San Diego and won an NL-record eight batting titles.

2004: Retired Numbers Displayed Midseason

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

2004: Road uniform reverted to San Diego wordmark style

In 2017, the script on the Padres road uniform reverted to the San Diego wordmark style it used from 2004 to 2011.

2004: Shade of sand color darker

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 Padres

Through April 2005, over 60,000 marine recruits were hosted by the Padres.

2005: Postseason Appearances

From 2005 to 2024, the Padres have reached the postseason five times but have not returned to the World Series.

2006: Padres Games Aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7

From 2006 to 2010, Padre games were also aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7.

September 2007: KBOP-CA Changes Format

Until September 2007, Friday and Saturday 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: San Diego removed from logo

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

2010: Padres Games Aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7

From 2006 to 2010, Padre games were also aired on XHPRS-FM 105.7.

2010: Return of sand-colored road jersey

In 2020, brown and gold uniforms returned, featuring a sand-colored road jersey (also with pinstripes) for the first time since 2010.

2010: Trevor Hoffman Retires

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

2011: Changed the camouflage design

For 2011, the Padres changed the camouflage design to a more modern "digital" design, using the MARPAT design and dropped the green from the lettering and logo of the jersey. Green was replaced by a sand-olive color

2011: Trevor Hoffman's Number Retired

In 2011, Trevor Hoffman's No. 51 was retired. He retired from playing after 2010, having left the game as MLB's career leader in saves with 601, including 552 with the Padres.

2011: Road uniform changed

In 2011, the Padres' road uniform was changed to a grey base.

2011: Road uniform reverted to San Diego wordmark style

In 2017, the script on the Padres road uniform reverted to the San Diego wordmark style it used from 2004 to 2011.

2012: New primary logo unveiled

For the 2012 season, 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.

2012: Bally Sports Assumes Rights

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

2012: Peter Seidler Becomes Owner of the Padres

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

2013: Frank Anthony's Last Season

From Petco Park's opening in 2004 until 2013, the PA announcer was Frank Anthony, a radio host with 105.7 XHPRS-FM.

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. Miniak was formerly the PA announcer for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, and is the current PA commentator for the MLB The Show series.

September 5, 2015: Ferrell Takes the Field Movie Premiere

On September 5, 2015, the movie Ferrell Takes the Field premiered in Petco Park after the Padres vs. Dodgers game. The movie stars Will Ferrell and features the San Diego Padres.

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2016: Added a second camouflage jersey

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

2016: Garvey's Home Run Ranked #1 Moment

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

2016: Pitch TV Series

In 2016, the San Diego Padres were portrayed once again in the one-season Fox television series Pitch, starring Kylie Bunbury as Ginny Baker, the first female to play in Major League Baseball.

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2016: Retired Numbers Relocated

In 2016, the retired numbers were relocated from atop the batter's eye in center field to the Ring of Honor on the upper deck façade above the press box behind home plate.

2016: Navy blue and gold color scheme

In the 2016 season, the Padres wore a navy blue and gold color scheme, similar to the one used on the 2016 All-Star Game logo. A new brown and gold alternate uniform was also added.

2017: Padres became only franchise

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. The team reverted to a navy blue-and-white combo for the home uniform and the word Padres returned to the front.

2017: Entercom Acquires Radio Rights

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

2017: No game in 2017

The Padres and Seattle Mariners have played every year since interleague play began in 1997, except 2017.

January 2019: Return of Brown and Gold

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 playoff series

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

2019: Marine style jerseys used through 2019

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

August 20, 2020: Padres Hit Grand Slams in Four Consecutive Games

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

2020: Brown and gold uniforms return

For the 2020 season, the Padres reintroduced brown and gold to their uniforms, featuring pinstripes on the home jersey for the first time since 2001 and a sand-colored road jersey (also with pinstripes) for the first time since 2010.

2020: Camouflage jersey colors used

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

2020: Dodgers won 2020 NLDS

In 2020, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the NLDS against the San Diego Padres.

April 9, 2021: Joe Musgrove Throws First No-Hitter in Padres History

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

2021: Radio Broadcasts on KWFN 97.3 The Fan

As of the 2021 season, Padres radio broadcasts in English are carried by KWFN 97.3 The Fan, after having previously been carried by sister station 94.9 KBZT upon the acquisition of the radio rights by Entercom in 2017. Jesse Agler is the primary play-by-play announcer, with Tony Gwynn Jr. serving as color analyst.

2021: Mariners failed to make playoffs

The Mariners failed to make the playoffs from 2002 to 2021.

2022: San Diego won in 2022

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

2022: Padres wear "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, and has "San Diego" written in a graffiti style. The uniform intended to pay tribute to the San Diego–Tijuana bi-national metropolitan area.

2022: Padres merchandise sales increase

In 2022, the return to brown and gold uniforms 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.

May 2023: Bally Misses Rights Payment

In May 2023, Bally Sports, the parent company of Diamond Sports Group, missed a rights payment to the Padres due to Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This caused the rights to revert to the team, and MLB took over production of the Padres' regional broadcasts, retaining commentators and contracted employees.

May 31, 2023: PADRES.TV telecasts

As of May 31, 2023, the Padres' regional telecasts are produced by MLB's local media department and distributed via local origination channels on television providers in the team's regional market, as well as an over-the-top subscription service distributed by MLB.tv. These telecasts are branded as PADRES.TV.

November 14, 2023: Death of Padres Owner Peter Seidler

On November 14, 2023, Peter Seidler, the owner of the Padres since 2012, passed away at the age of 63.

November 2023: Death of Peter Seidler

In November 2023, team owner Peter Seidler passed away, leading to a public memorial on March 23, 2024.

2023: Camouflage jersey colors used

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 Peter Seidler

In 2023, Peter Seidler, who had owned the Padres since 2012, passed away.

March 23, 2024: Public Memorial for Peter Seidler

On March 23, 2024, the team held a public memorial and celebration of life for team owner Peter Seidler, who died in November 2023. His memory was honored with his initials of "PS" inside a gold heart next to Coleman's memorial.

2024: Padres Season Record

As of the 2024 season, the Padres have had 18 winning seasons in franchise history and have an overall record of 4,127–4,717–2 (.467) from 1969 through 2024.

2024: Manny Machado Overtakes Nate Colbert as Home Run Leader

In 2024, Manny Machado surpassed Nate Colbert as the Padres' long-time home run leader.

2024: Dylan Cease Throws No-Hitter

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

2024: Dodgers won 2024 NLDS

In 2024, the Los Angeles Dodgers won the NLDS against the San Diego Padres.

February 6, 2025: John Seidler Approved as Padres' Control Person

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

2025: Vedder Cup recognized

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