If you don't know who this is, you will by the end of the month.
Ahhh February... This is it. The end of Baseball Winter. Non-fans often wonder how there can be so many months of baseball, but after a winter of licking your wounds and reloading for the future, by February, like an unbroken boxer coming out of our corner in the 10th round of a fight where we've already been knocked down four times, Padres fans are raring to go.
So it's the first of the month and the first month of our Baseball Fan Happiness Project. Our theme and goals for this month focus on grounding ourselves in the Padres rich history. With nothing really happening game-wise it's the perfect opportunity for us to get a firm understanding for what it means to be a Padres fan and a baseball fan in general.
Will getting some historical perspective make you happier? Considering the Padres history, maybe not. However, when the Padres win the World Series, you will be glad to have cultivated your knowledge and appreciation of the team. Also, it might help for Trivia Night.
You don't have to do everything that I suggest, though I'd encourage you to come up with alternative resolutions for the month. I also think that focusing on the theme will probably help by osmosis.
So onto the first month... Immersion into the past!
Why focus on the past?
Think about a time when you've voluntarily taken an art history or music appreciation class or film class. You've graduated beyond just "liking something pretty" into wanting to have a deeper understanding of what it is you're consuming.
Part of being a sports fan is immersing yourself in the culture of your adopted team. With the Padres basically always being under the shadow of free agency and a small market, we don't have many stars and there have only been a few highlights, so it shouldn't be hard to learn who those stars were and know the Padres Lore that every Padres fan should know about.
Every February before the season starts, I go through my own little ritual of grounding myself before the games start and I imagine that many of you do the same thing so this may be easy for most of us. If you don't go through a pre-pre-season ritual, you may find that this gets you in the proper mood for enjoying a season of baseball
So here are the projects we're going to undertake. If you have anything you want to add, recommend it in the comments or a FanPost. By the end of the month, our goal will be to have a better understanding of Padres history and a better understanding of baseball history in general. Only by knowing our past can we optimistically look towards the future!
Recommending reading this month:
0 recs | 38 comments
Padres Essential
its in the title of Bill Center’s book. the RICH history of the san diego padres. ALL OF IT in just 192 pages…
justGWYNNbaby - February 1, 2012
jbox and I were looking at that
I’ve never read it and the first thought that came to mind is “What does Bill Center know about being a fan of the Padres?”
The other one which I have read and would have trouble recommending is The San Diego Padres Complete History: 1969-2002.
Dex - February 1, 2012
This is the one I might read
only because it’s the only one on kindle
kevintheoman - February 1, 2012
yeah I saw that... Could it be worth $10?
Maybe you should read it and give the rest of us a review before we invest too much time.
Dex - February 1, 2012
I read the Bob Chandler book.
I dug that. I still own it. I would be willing to loan it to Gaslampballers for their book reports:
http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Chandlers-Tales-Diego-Padres/dp/1596700246
MrDanielX - February 1, 2012
Not sure why I included the link again...
But whatevs.
MrDanielX - February 1, 2012
Absolutely love the Bob Chandler book!
He’s a cool dude too. That is a must read…plus the Bill Swank books are awesome as well. I was given the Bill Center book but have yet to read it, so I don’t know how it is.
SDPads_1 - February 1, 2012
Hurry up and read it
It’s a short month. Gotta know if it’s any good.
Dex - February 1, 2012
Leap year.
Sam (sdsuaztec4) - February 1, 2012
dowloaded the bill center book
I don’t have many opportunities to read, so it might take me a while to finish.
The foreword by Tony The Gwynn was really good though.
kevintheoman - February 3, 2012
ok i'm gonna get it too
let’s regroup before the end of the month.
Dex - February 3, 2012
I just finished reading it
Great book. Very well researched and very informative for someone like me who hasn’t been a lifetime Pads fan and had stuff I needed to catch up on.
athletics68 - February 1, 2012
I would like to kick things off with a review of our Cy Young Award winners
1976: *Randy Jones": Lefty Sinker Ball pitcher, known for legendary quick games. Possibly inventor of the “Sinker” rather than the “Slider” sandwich which is pulled pork rather than Hamburger. Awesome BBQ Sauce. Record was 22 – 14… also second fewest strike outs of all CY award winners. Including relievers.
1978: Gaylord “Ed Harris” Perry: A Padres rental. Was 21-6, generally considered something of a cheater for doctering up his pitches, I assumer with bardol and vagisil.
1989: Mark Davis: One of the “Closer” Cy Young award winners. Managed to complete this feat the year before free agency… got an amazing $10 mil contract from the Royals where he went on to suck. Makes you wish Trevor had won one.
2007: Jake Peavy: Most probably remember this one. Jake was dominate and angry as he overpowered pitchers in 2007. Probably the closest thing to a true ace we had since Kevin Brown, was 19-6.
You are now educated in Padres Cy Young award history.
MrDanielX - February 1, 2012
I will read Bob Chandler's book again.
Axion - February 1, 2012
I think someone should write up some "open-book" exams
Questions that can be pretty easy answered with wikipedia and baseball-reference, but encourage the reader to dig into the history themselves. Its much more fun as a student to learn through discovery.
I’d do it myself, but I’m much too lazy.
kevintheoman - February 1, 2012
Funny, I was looking at the BR birthday database earlier today for February b'days to get some FoC fodder
and I typed up an Ollie Brown post for ten days from now. It doesn’t get any more “in the past” than him.
TheThinGwynn - February 1, 2012
OB is OG
jbox - February 1, 2012
A Gaslampballer tells me I should "touch some old junk"
I am suspicious.
scout1222 - February 1, 2012
..
That explains why I saw Bill Center running from Dex the other day.
SDPads_1 - February 1, 2012
*to
Ron Mexico - February 1, 2012
one thing i'd like to add
how about picking a favorite obscure padre player? i feel like it brings a fan base closer together when they share an affinity (or even just the knowledge that they existed) for someone like chip ambres, paul macunlulty, of hiram bocachica (my personal favorite if simply for the fact that according to his wikipedia he claims to have once killed a lion with a spear.)
staceyaugmon4HOF - February 1, 2012
yeah that's good
It’s kinda what we were intending with old timey time. I may pick somebody at random.
Dex - February 1, 2012
My favorite Random Player:
Jim Bruske. Relief Pitcher in 1997.
His debut was cleaning up after Will Cunnane who was trying disparately to lose a game for us: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN199706230.shtml
I also have a passing fancy with Andy Ashby.
MrDanielX - February 1, 2012
What Random Player am I thinking of ?
Played in the major leagues for 15 seasons, only one with the Padres. One All Star season, but not with us. To help narrow it down, his padres uniform was brown and orange, with pinstripes.
Nater Tater - February 1, 2012
Looking at the roster of this players years.
Lots of Random dudes that I strangely remember, and mostly have autographs from (oh the joys of being a 7 year old living in a Spring Training town)
Nater Tater - February 1, 2012
Huh, I had no idea Dickie Thon was that good in '83.
TheThinGwynn - February 1, 2012
Damn TTG how the eff did you get that?
and yeah i had the same reaction. and we actually got good value for him in 88. $200,000 for 1.8 War
Nater Tater - February 1, 2012
Look how fun this is!
Super happy!!!
Dex - February 1, 2012
88 is a year that always sticks out in my mind
I was 7 and was just coming into the age and mindset to truly appreciate baseball. On a ball given to me by THE GWYNN when I was three, I have autographs from soooo many 80s padres
Nater Tater - February 1, 2012
John Kruk, Dennis Rassmussen, Mark Parent
Larry Bowa, Randy Ready, Tim Flannery, JOEY CORA!! Benito Santiago, and several more. those are just the ones i can see real quickly (oh and of course, THE GWYNN HIMSELF)
Nater Tater - February 1, 2012
'88 is the year I became a Padres fan.
I was 5 & 6 and was also just coming into the age and mindset to truly appreciate baseball as well. I grew up in a house full of ladies who wouldn’t know a catcher’s mitt from a rosin bag so I didn’t know a thing about the game before I went to kindergarten. I’m just glad that kid in my class’s uncle didn’t play for the Dodgers or Giants.
TheThinGwynn - February 1, 2012
something fun - describe a padres game from the past
The day I was born:
Padres were in second place with a record of 50-38. In first place the Braves were 4 games ahead. The Expos (46-41) were in town and had won the first two games of the four game series. 23,788 were in attendance for the Saturday game at Jack Murphy Stadium.
Andy Hawkins started out strong for the Padres going 1-2-3 in the first inning. Not to be outdone, the Expos Bill Gullickson retired the Padres in order in the bottom half.
Expos drew first blood in the second. Walk to Al Oliver. Gary Carter doubles (Oliver to 3B). Warren Cromartie doubles, scoring Carter and Oliver. Tim Wallach singles (Cromartie to 3B). The padres finally get some outs when Chris Speier grounds into a double play (runner scores though). The bleeding finally stops when the pitcher Bill Gullickson flies out.
kevintheoman - February 1, 2012
continued
The padres once again go down in order in the bottom of the second.
The Expos pad their lead in the 3rd with a Single, balk, single.
The padres finally get on base in the bottom of the 3rd with a Broderick Perkins single. Doesn’t amount to anything though.
The Padres only run comes in the 5th with a Sixto Lezcano solo shot.
Bill Gullickson pitches a complete game for the Expos and gets the win. Final score 4 to 1 Expos. Padres with 7 hits and 1 error, Expos with 6 hits and no errors
kevintheoman - February 1, 2012
I can describe my first Padres game in person
It was August 19, 2001 during my 5 California ballparks in 5 days trip, they were playing the Expos on a getaway Sunday afternoon and it was HOT. I was sitting on the first deck at the Murph on the movable seats on the 3rd base side just past the bag, and the metal had heated up considerably. It was already in the high 90’s w/o the hot boxing. I admittedly don’t remember too much about the game itself because as I said I was hot and was under the stands half the game buying XL sodas and spent a large part of the rest of the game watching the out of town scoreboard to see how the A’s were doing.
I do remember Rickey Henderson tried to steal 2nd during the game but got thrown out, Tony Gwynn wasn’t starting which my brother and I thought was lame, and the Pads lost 1-2. However Tony did pinch hit later in the game which was awesome and he did get a hit, though they pulled him for a pinch runner as soon as he got to first. It was the only time I ever saw Tony play in person.
athletics68 - February 1, 2012
Speaking of the past
Looks like the original “PETCO PARK” sign above the scoreboards in left is in the past now. It’s been replaced by a new “petco park” sign. Also the original section signs around the park (along with anything else bearing the 2004-2011 team logo) are coming down and being replaced. Also the video board on the backside of the batters eye is now a thing of the past as it’s been taken down to be presumably replaced with a new model. Lots of little changes going on around the park this week, though no sign of the rumored new jumbotron yet.
athletics68 - February 1, 2012
Just discovered a way
to spit out fifty random images. This season is going to be so cool.
Axion - February 1, 2012
UPDATE:
It’s now 500 random images.
Axion - February 3, 2012
Firsts for me
Day I was born: Padres beat the Mets 1-0. Jerry Mumphrey got the only two Padre hits! Rick Wise got the win.
First game:Tuesday, May 5, 1987, Jack Murphy Stadium we lost to the Pirates 10-8 Barry Bonds and Benito Santiago hit home runs. I loved Benito Santiago…loved him.
First game at Petco: Saturday, September 1, 2007 We beat the dodgers 7-0! Peavy pitched a gem and I almost got in a fight with a dodger fan. I was really drunk but the designated driver tells me it went down like this:
Me: Hey Derek Lowe, you couldn’t pitch a tent!
dodger fan: (walks down a few rows, gets in my face) why don’t you shut the [bleep] up?
Me: Why don’t you find your third place seats and watch your third place team play third rate baseball?
Everyone around: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH SCHAAAAAAAAAAAP!
dodger fan: (walks away)
Me: BEAT L.A. BEAT L.A. BEAT L.A.
turbopan - February 1, 2012
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