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1969: Padres Lose Again to Marichal

Tuesday, April 17, 2007
by Geoff Young

April 17, 1969, San Francisco: Giants 5, Padres 4 (box score) Nine games into their existence as a big-league franchise, the Padres scored more than two runs in a game for the very first time. After pouncing on Juan Marichal for two runs in the top of the first inning and adding another in the second, the club from San Diego had the future Hall of Famer on the ropes. Unfortunately, despite collecting six hits in those first two innings, the Padres managed to leave five runners on base. They let Marichal off the hook, and he didn't need a second invitation to make the Padres pay for ...

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1969: Padres Swept by Giants, Fall to .500

Friday, April 13, 2007
by Geoff Young

April 13, 1969, San Diego: Giants 5, Padres 1 (box score) San Francisco's Gaylord Perry toed the slab against Padres opening day winner, Dick Selma. Unfortunately for the home team, Selma never got into a groove. Willie McCovey led off the top of the second with a home run to right, and Hal Lanier singled home another run later in the inning. The Padres fought back for a run of their own in the bottom half. Bill Davis and Cito Gaston knocked back-to-back doubles, but despite loading the bases later that inning, the home team couldn't push across any more runs. The Giants added single tallies in the fourth, ...

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1969: Padres Drop Second Straight to Giants

Thursday, April 12, 2007
by Geoff Young

April 12, 1969, San Diego: Giants 5, Padres 1 (box score) In the first Saturday game at San Diego Stadium, the Padres and Giants drew just 20,356 people. I know this sounds like a terrible turnout, but consider that 12 big-league games were played that day. Of those, only the Reds at Braves and the Expos at Cubs drew larger crowds. Two teams (Cardinals and Tigers) had drawn as many as 2 million people the previous season, and it took them a combined 200 victories and a date in the World Series. Context is everything. To the game at hand, right-hander Al McBean got the call for the Padres. ...

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1969: Padres Suffer First Loss in Franchise History

Wednesday, April 11, 2007
by Geoff Young

April 11, 1969, San Diego: Giants 8, Padres 0 (box score) After a three-game sweep of Houston to open their inaugural season, the Padres welcomed the Giants to town. Led by future Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, and rising young star Bobby Bonds, the Giants had won 88 games the previous season, good for second place in the National League. Still, fewer than 16,000 people came out to San Diego Stadium on this Friday evening. Unfortunately for the Padres, the game ended almost before it began. McCovey and Dick Deitz each drove in first-inning runs to give the Giants an early 2-0 lead. This proved ...

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