Two of San Diego’s most beloved citizens are being remembered at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park: Jerry Coleman and Tony Gwynn, a pair of Padres legends.
The museum’s Inside|OUT exhibit behind glass in the atrium contains artifacts honoring the memory of two all-time San Diego baseball heroes.
Both Jerry Coleman and Tony Gwynn were a big part of my youth. They helped develop my own love for the San Diego Padres.
They were two amazing people, whose positive influences were greatly missed by all of San Diego when each passed.
I attended the memorial services of both. If you’d like to relive the services at Petco Park, where so much love was expressed, click here and here.
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Baseball is being celebrated at the San Diego History Center. While the 2026 season gets underway, the Inside/Out exhibit in the museum’s atrium summons happy baseball memories.
Artifacts and ephemera from the San Diego History Center’s collection are front and center. Most of the memorabilia on display concern the San Diego Padres and professional baseball in our city. Tony Gwynn, Jerry Coleman, the San Diego Chicken and others are lovingly remembered.
There are multiple objects from the 1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at San Diego Stadium (pre-Jack Murphy Stadium). Padres players Dave Winfield and Rollie Fingers contributed to the National League victory.
I noticed one shelf celebrates Alice “Lefty” Hohlmayer, a longtime Bonita resident who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1946 to 1951. She was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2005.
Very cool!
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It’s the morning of Opening Day for the San Diego Padres, and the excitement has begun!
Reporters are in the Gaslamp Quarter commentating and interviewing fans. The Ben and Woods sports radio show is broadcasting from Baja Rick’s to a crowd of Padres fans!
With less than a week to go until Major League Baseball returns, it was fun to see the San Diego History Center had a pop-up baseball exhibit in their atrium today. Most of the displays concerned the San Diego Padres. (The team’s Home Opener is at Petco Park next Thursday!)
All sorts of historical photographs and artifacts could be viewed by visitors. There was a fun quiz (I got 3 of 3 questions correct and a high five), plus creative activities for kids.
It was fun to see old photos of Ted Williams, Tony Gwynn and the San Diego Chicken.
I remember listening to Jerry Coleman and Dave Campbell on the radio during the Padres amazing 1984 season. I was a young man way back then. I also enjoyed years of listening to Ted Leitner, and going to games now and then. So many good memories…
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The 2026 Major League Baseball season is about to begin! The Home Opener for the San Diego Padres is next Thursday!
I noticed, while walking near Petco Park today, that the latest set of Padres player banners have been put up on street lamps in East Village.
This year there’s a huge addition: Mason Miller! He’s arguably the best closer in all of baseball. Did you watch him pitching for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic? He’s got a flamethrower arm. Wow!
Go Pads! Let’s make the playoffs again this year, and go all the way!
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A new exhibit was recently introduced to the Sullivan Family Baseball Research Center on the 8th floor of San Diego’s Central Library. Filling two display cases are a bunch of Padres player bobbleheads!
How cool is this?
There are Padres past and present, including Ted Williams, Tony Gwynn, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Jackson Merrill and many more. The one exception I noticed is a bobblehead of Hamilton (Ham) Porter from the classic baseball movie The Sandlot.
The figures on display, I was told by a librarian, are only a small part of the extensive bobblehead collection owned by Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) member Oscar Murrieta.
Head up to the 8th floor of the Central Library for a better look!
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Anyone walking in downtown San Diego can see how the city is preparing for another Major League Baseball season. With signs, banners, loads of merchandise in shop windows–everyone is getting ready to enjoy exciting Padres games at Petco Park!
Can you believe it? Last year, the San Diego Padres had the second highest ballpark attendance in all of Major League Baseball. Not only do we have the best ballpark, we have the best fans!
I took these photos in East Village and the Gaslamp Quarter yesterday morning. With a month to go until Opening Day (March 26), more fun downtown sights will certainly materialize.
It looks to be another great season! Let’s make the playoffs and fight for a World Series appearance!
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Check out this super cool Padres mural painted last year behind Harbor Town Pub in Point Loma!
The artist is Jack Stricker (@jackstrickerart). The artwork depicts Padres baseball heroes Trevor Hoffman, Tony Gwynn and Ken Caminiti holding baseballs, bat and glove while dressed in long brown robes like friars!
I noticed this mural while walking near a bus stop waiting for my ride to Cabrillo National Monument.
I spoke to a friendly guy opening the bar, and he said Harbor Town Pub is the place you want to be watching Padres games. He also said it would be really cool if Trevor Hoffman came down to see the mural himself!
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