SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Friar nation is mourning the loss of Peter Seidler, the team’s chairman and owner.
Seidler, a two-time cancer survivor, died on Tuesday at the age of 63. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Fans flocked to Petco Park to pay their respects, leaving flowers at the base of a framed photo of Seidler set up on the stairs just beyond Home Plate Gate.
“Seidler just…he meant so much to us, to the community. Wanted to come by and show my gratitude,” said Curtis Anderson, who dropped off a bouquet of yellow roses.
“His contributions are huge right…what he’s been able to do these last few years building this organization and taking the chances and risks that he did to bring in the superstars,” he said.
OBITUARY: Padres chairman and owner Peter Seidler dies
While his contributions were countless, fans say it’s Seidler’s character that they’ll carry with them.
“He’s the kind of guy who was one of us. He felt like a friend even though I never met him or knew him…just the way he presented himself. A true class act.”
“Ever since Seidler took over…it felt like he owned the team like a fan. Not like a person who’s trying to make money. He felt like one of us,” added Jeff Minck.
For Minck, who grew up in San Diego, Padres baseball is far more than just a ball game.
“I woke up and saw the news on my phone…I was really overcome with a lot of emotions. I lost my father at a young age…and I know that Peter Seidler was a father. It brought back a lot of those emotions. Something that always kept me grounded here in San Diego was the Padres,” he shared.
Fans say Seidler was a fatherly figure to many, and that his legacy will live on through a city grateful for what he gave them.
