San Diego's baseball team. The Padres were notoriously bad intheir first decade of existnce, the 1970s, before winning their first NL pennant in 1984. After having an up-and-down 90s, the Padres appeared to be headed for a decade of failure by
finishing last in the NL West from 2000-2003. However, the team turned things around in 2004, dumping the orange/blue color combination for a new, deep blue/tan combo. This switch was made to signify the organization's turnaround with their new ballpark, PETCO Park. The Padres did indeed play well in 2004, staying in playoff contention until
September's final weeks.
The Padres were originally owned by Ray
Kroc, the original owner of
the McDonald's franchise, but won their first
NL pennant after his death in January 1984.