San Diego Padres

*No Padres pitcher has tossed a no-hit game (although several have come close). In one near-miss, on July 22, 1970, righthander Clay Kirby finished the eighth inning only three outs shy of a no-hitter. But because the Padres were trailing in the game 1-0, manager Preston Gomez sent Cito Gaston up to pinch hit for Kirby with two out in the bottom of the eighth. Gaston struck out. Gomez defended his decision by saying that his job was to win games, but was openly criticized by Bavasi, who lamented not having a no-hit pitcher as a drawing card for the team.
*The Padres have been no-hit several times, most notably on June 20, 1970, by the Pittsburgh Pirates' Dock Ellis, who later claimed that he pitched the game while under the influence of the hallucinogenic drug LSD, a dose of which he ingested before drawing this pitching assignment.
*Nate Colbert is one of two major-league baseball players to have hit five home runs in one day, a feat he accomplished as a Padre.
*In his first home game as the Padres' new owner in 1974, Ray Kroc grabbed the public address system microphone and apologized to fans for the poor performance of the team, saying, "I've never seen such stupid ballplaying in my life." At the same time, a streaker raced across the field, eluding security personnel. Kroc shouted, "Throw him in jail!" Coincidentally, 1974 would be the first season that the Padres would not finish in the National League West cellar (finishing fifth), and brought the promise of an owner who would make the nessasary changes to the organization.
*Between games of a doubleheader with the Cincinnati Reds on July 25, 1990, Roseanne series star Roseanne Arnold delivered a screeching rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, immediately after which she grabbed her crotch and spat on the ground. She was intending to parody those actions of ballplayers which are often caught on camera, but she picked the wrong time to do it, as it appeared to many that she was commenting on the flag and/or the anthem. Had it not been for those gestures, her performance likely would have been written off as simply a poor choice of singer on the ballclub's part, and probably soon forgotten. As it was, her little act drew boos and catcalls from fans and then criticism from players (most notably Tony Gwynn) and even outside quarters, including then-President George Herbert Walker Bush, a former Yale University first baseman and the father of then-Texas Rangers owner and current President George W. Bush.
*In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Tony Gwynn captured his fifth National League batting championship with a .394 batting average, the highest major-league batting average since native San Diegan and former PCL Padres star Ted Williams (the last player to hit over .400 in a regular season) hit .406 in 1941 while playing for the Boston Red Sox. In an amusing coincidence, the uniform number 19, which was worn by Gwynn throughout his Padres career, was also worn by Williams during his tenure with the PCL Padres.
*On April 10, 1998, in a game that is considered by many Padre fans to be one of the greatest in the Ball Club's history, the Padres achieved one of the most thrilling comebacks in recent sports memory. Facing the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Padres rallied back from a 4-2 defecit in the bottom of the 9th inning. With three on, and two out, Steve Finley ended the game in dramatic fashion with a walk-off grandslam against reliever Felix Rodriguez; earning the Padres a 6-4 win and foreshadowing one of the club's best seasons in team history. Ironically, color commentators Mark Grant and Rick Sutcliffe jokingly predicted a grand slam win earlier in that night's telecast. [1]
*On August 6, 1999, in a game against the then Montreal Expos at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, Tony Gwynn collected his 3,000th major-league base hit, a single. He stroked three base hits in that game. Six years earlier on that same date, in a game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, Gwynn collected his 2,000th major-league base hit.
*In 2001, Dave Winfield became the first player to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a Padre.
*On October 7, 2001, in a post-game ceremony at Qualcomm Stadium, Tony Gwynn bade an emotional farewell to the team that had been his only major-league home. He stroked his final major-league hit, a double, in the previous game. He is presently head coach of the San Diego State University Aztecs, his alma mater. He is eligible for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. In the game played that day, Rickey Henderson, who in the meantime had rejoined the Padres, collected his 3,000th major-league base hit, a double. Earlier that year, Henderson eclipsed Babe Ruth's record for most career bases on balls and Ty Cobb's record for most career runs scored.
*Jerry Coleman, former second baseman for the New York Yankees in the 1950s, has been the Padres' play-by-play announcer since 1972, except in one year, 1980, in which Coleman managed the team. He also worked for the Yankees (alongside legendary sportscaster Mel Allen) and the California Angels. Coleman is famous for his phrases "Oh Doctor!" and "You can hang a star on that one!" In 2005, Coleman reduced his broadcast role, allowing longtime partner Ted Leitner to be the Padres' primary announcer. Coleman is also the 2005 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, giving him entry into the broadcasters wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
*The Padres have never had a player hit for the cycle.
*Notable fans of the Padres have included comedian and film actor Jerry Lewis, singers Patti Page and Frankie Laine, former astronaut Wally Schirra, author and syndicated columnist George Will, and former San Diego mayor and California governor Pete Wilson, all of whom have maintained residences in the San Diego area.
*The fictional character of Finn De Trolio of The Sopranos is also a Padres fan.
* The popular comedian Dan Tuller came up with the phrase "Woo Padres" as a way to express pride in his team.

Season-by-Season Records

* San Diego Padres (NL)
* 1969 52-110 .321 6th in NL West
* 1970 63-99 .389 6th in NL West
* 1971 61-100 .379 6th in NL West
* 1972 58-95 .379 6th in NL West
* 1973 60-102 .370 6th in NL West
* 1974 60-102 .370 6th in NL West
* 1975 71-91 .438 4th in NL West
* 1976 73-89 .451 5th in NL West
* 1977 69-93 .426 5th in NL West
* 1978 84-78 .519 4th in NL West
* 1979 68-93 .422 5th in NL West
* 1980 73-89 .451 6th in NL West
* 1981 41-69 .373 6th in NL West
* 1982 81-81 .500 4th in NL West
* 1983 81-81 .500 4th in NL West
* 1984 92-70 .568 1st in NL West Won NLCS vs Chicago Cubs, 3-2. Lost World Series to Detroit Tigers, 1-4.
* 1985 83-79 .512 3rd in NL West
* 1986 74-88 .457 4th in NL West
* 1987 65-97 .401 6th in NL West
* 1988 83-78 .516 3rd in NL West
* 1989 89-73 .549 2nd in NL West
* 1990 75-87 .463 4th in NL West
* 1991 84-78 .519 3rd in NL West
* 1992 82-80 .506 3rd in NL West
* 1993 61-101 .377 6th in NL West
* 1994 47-70 .402 4th in NL West No Postseason due to Player's Strike.
* 1995 70-74 .486 3rd in NL West
* 1996 91-71 .562 1st in NL West Lost NLDS to St. Louis Cardinals, 0-3.
* 1997 76-86 .469 4th in NL West
* 1998 98-64 .605 1st in NL West Won NLDS vs Houston Astros, 3-1. Won NLCS vs Atlanta Braves, 4-2. Lost World Series to New York Yankees, 0-4.
* 1999 74-88 .457 4th in NL West
* 2000 76-86 .469 5th in NL West
* 2001 79-83 .488 4th in NL West
* 2002 66-96 .407 5th in NL West
* 2003 64-98 .395 5th in NL West
* 2004 87-75 .537 3rd in NL West
* 2005 82-80 .506 1st in NL West Lost NLDS to St. Louis Cardinals, 0-3.
* 2006 55-50 .524 1st in NL West (As of 7/30/06)
* Totals 2693-3174 .459 (Not Including 2006)
* Playoffs 11-19 .367 (3-4, .429 in Postseason Series)

Quick facts

PETCO Park, home of the San Diego Padres

:Founded: 1969 (National League expansion):Uniform colors: Navy blue, "sand" (khaki), 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.:Team motto: On A Mission:Local Television: Ch.4 San Diego:Spring Training Facility: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, AZ

Baseball Hall of Famers

* 31 Dave Winfield, OF, 1973-80
* 44 Willie McCovey, 1B, 1974-76
* 34 Rollie Fingers, P, 1977-80
* 36 Gaylord Perry, P, 1978-79
* 1 Ozzie Smith, SS, 1978-81

Above these players only Dave Winfield was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Padre. In 2007, Tony Gwynn will be eligble for election into the Hall of Fame.

Retired numbers

* 6 Steve Garvey, 1B, 1983-87
* 19 Tony Gwynn, OF, 1981-2001
* 31 Dave Winfield, OF, 1973-80
* 35 Randy Jones, P, 1973-80

These numbers are displayed at the top of the batter's eye in center field at Petco Park. The Padres also have a star on the wall in honor of broadcaster Jerry Coleman, for his trademark line "You can hang a star on that one!"

Gwynn, Winfield, Jones, Fingers and Graig Nettles (3B, 1984-87) are also members of the San Diego Hall of Champions, which is open to athletes native to the San Diego area (such as Gwynn and Nettles) as well as to those who played for San Diego teams. David Wells, an area native who pitched for the Padres in 2004, will likely be inducted upon his retirement from baseball, as has Don Larsen, who, like Wells, attended Point Loma High School and pitched a perfect game for the New York Yankees.

Current roster

Championships