Embracing Padres Tradition Slowly Being Adopted by Franchise
Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
In the 49-year history of the San Diego Padres, there is not much to be excited about. Most understand that.
As the most famous of all Padres players used to say, “Hey, we are the Padres.” That was the phrase Tony Gwynn used to explain any misfortune that has befallen this failed franchise. He would, on most occasions, follow that saying with his trademark laugh. The team is considered a joke by the national media, as the winning seasons have been few and definitely far between.
That is the sad truth. There is no way to sugarcoat that. The current regime is hell-bent on changing that belief though. That may be the truth, but the group has failed to completely embrace the past. Good or bad, there are things that need to be remembered about this franchise. Building the Padres Hall of Fame and displaying numerous logos, paintings, and drawings around Petco Park was nice.
But why did it take over 10 years to get anything done? The 2016 MLB All-Star Game certainly helped expedite things in regards to embracing the Padres’ past. That’s just the point. The Padres always seem to need pushing and prodding to get anything done. Time and time again, the fan base or something else has had to step in and educate the team about what is right and wrong.
The recent Giles’ brothers situation is yet another example of this. Why did it take the fan base and outcry from them for the team to separate themselves from two players who are documented domestic violence offenders?
There are several players who deserve huge recognition somewhere in the ballpark; Mark Davis, Eric Show, and Nate Colbert to name just a few. Droves of young Padres fans do not even know who these players are. That is a travesty. Ask Yankee fans about their past. Ask Dodgers fans about their history. They are all educated, no matter the fan’s current age. It is the responsibility of the organization to educate the fans. This doesn’t just happen by accident.
How about the swinging Friar logo? Where is that? One of the best logos in all of baseball and it hasn’t been used in years and years by the franchise. The team is marketing obsessed and yet they don’t utilize a logo that everyone would proudly wear. It makes no sense. Give the fans what they want.
Don’t get me started on the uniforms. It appears we are closer to closure in this matter, but who really knows what is going on in the heads of the front office. To me, the brown signifies tradition. It represents a Padres fan. I prefer the brown, but am more insistent on some consistency than anything else. The team needs to choose a color and stick to it. Decide on a logo and keep it for a long time. Stop the madness with the different logos and color schemes. Build tradition. Build something the fans can be proud of.
Tradition is at the root of baseball. It is at its very heart and soul. Without remembering the past, we are doomed to repeat it. For the Padres, this abysmal rotation needs to end. This circular pattern of doom must cease for the San Diego Padres to become a viable major league team. There are positives to this franchise. There are things to be proud of – not many, but the few should be treasured even more instead of being discarded like yesterday’s trash.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
Agreed, Padres are brown not blue!!! White home uni’s with brown pin stripes BEST uni every, nothing else is close.
Doesn’t Colbert have a pretty spotty history with criminal charges and convictions? I agree with you overall but he probably isn’t someone the Padres need to start associating with more.
He was convicted of bank fraud almost 30 years ago. That’s it. He holds the franchise record for homers. I’m not asking for his number to be retired. But a plaque? A statue? Something recognizing his feat in Atlanta from 1972 (5 homers and 13 RBI in a DH). Do young Padre fans even know who he is? He hit all those homers at San Diego Stadium before the smaller fence was put in. He was the team’s first star.