Oh, what a night it was, April 8, 2004.
Sean Burroughs dropped a single to left field to score Khalil Green and give the Padres a 10th inning, 4-3 walkoff win over the Giants in the first game ever at Petco Park.
Over the years, this place has changed a bit. It’s a lot more brown and gold, and a lot less blue and white. The video boards are much more plentiful. And bigger. And in color. Gallagher Square has evolved into a concert venue and a fan-gathering spot.
All those updates have helped the ballpark build its identity and develop a palpable charm. Petco has certainly become a place baseball fans absolutely love to see and enjoy.
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“Are you kidding me? You come out here and it's just such a special place, so beautiful,” says Padres manager Mike Shildt, who’s managed at every level of pro ball and seen literally every stadium in the country. “I mean, clearly, the weather helps with that. It has a presence to it. It's got a great feel. Aesthetically beautiful, it’s also comfortable and intimate. It's just it's a special place. I usually walk out earlier to get a little walk in and appreciate it.”
As the ballpark has grown, the area around it has matured, too. Plenty more tall buildings surround this jewel in the East Village. It's even created a new breed of Padres fan. In fact, let's go back to that walkoff W 20 years ago.
There was an 11-year-old from El Cajon who took a keen interest in that game. His name was Joe Musgrove, who remembers many nights sitting in this ballpark that's gone under a few renovations over the years.
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“I remember the park being a lot bigger,” said Musgrove, who is referring to seeing it through a child’s eyes AND the fact it’s become a little less pitcher-friendly over the years. “We had season tickets in right field for the first couple of years. My dad split it with his four brothers, and we got a handful games every year that we would go to. But that was the most exciting thing for me as a kid, getting through the school day so that you can run home and change and come down to the game. So, you know, pretty cool to be playing here in this park 20 years later.”
Musgrove said that experience of growing up at the yard helped him become the big leaguer he is today. If he could walk out and talk to that elementary-schooler, what advice might he impart to him?
“You got a pretty good road coming up ahead of you, so just continue,” Musgrove said. “I think my dad really did a good job, my mom as well. But my dad was like my hero, my idol, my baseball coach, my everything growing up. So, he always stressed the importance of hard work and effort and just keep doing things the right way and good things will fall in place for you. And they sure have.”
Nothing stirs nostalgia quite like baseball. Here’s to another two decades at America’s Finest Ballpark, and the next kid whose experience here turns them into a San Diego All-Star.
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