Astros At Padres, September 28, 1950, Dave Winfield Skips The Minors
12 January 2026
Album art features Dave Winfield
The San Diego Padres have lost their last nine games, and with rumours of the franchise moving to Washington, the management is looking for anything to bring the winning ways, and the fans, back to San Diego Stadium.
Is the answer Dave Winfield?
San Diego picked Winfield with the fourth overall pick in the first round draft. Winfield was a pitcher, but the Padres needed bats in the lineup, so they not only put Winfield out to left field, they also brought him straight into The Show. Winfield remains one of the handful of players to accomplish this feat.
Winfield developed into an All-Star with San Diego before moving to the Yankees for a then-record 10-year, $23 million contract, popping up next with the Angels, before heading to the Blue Jays to get a World Series ring in 1992.
We’re winding the clock all the way back to what is Dave Winfield’s first game. The Padres are anchored at the bottom of the National League, 20 games back behind the top spot held by the Dodgers. The Houston Astros are faring much better - third in the League and 4 and a half games back.
Can Winfield’s bat be the spark that lights up the Padres' season?
Ewan Spence and the Classic Baseball Radio team bring you this recreated radio broadcast from 1973. This should not be considered a complete or fully accurate historical record. Nevertheless, this is our story of the game.
We thank Retrosheet, Sports Reference, Sports Logos Net, Tom R Audio, and Crafting The Call.
You can find the boxscore here.
This game was played on June 19, 1973.