SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Legendary San Diego Padres Ted Leitner will transition to a new role with the team as an ambassador for the organization after serving 41 seasons as the primary radio voice of the team.
Leitner, or "Uncle Teddy" as many fans know him as, will begin his role as a team ambassador in 2021 and remain involved with community appearances, speaking events, and team events, according to the team.
"I will miss everything about the Padres broadcast that I have been privileged to be a part of for so many years," said Leitner. "I’ve had the best seat in the house in San Diego for over four decades, and I’ve had the honor of working alongside Hall of Fame broadcasters while watching the greatest players to ever wear a Padres uniform. While the broadcast booth will always be in my heart, I look forward to working more closely with the San Diego community and our loyal fans in the future."
Jesse Agler will serve as the primary play-by-play broadcaster for the team next season, with Tony Gwynn Jr. joining him as a full-time color analyst.
Leitner has been a San Diego broadcaster for 43 years, also serving as the voice of the San Diego State University Aztecs football and basketball teams. He spent 25 years as a sports anchor with KFMB-TV and provided play-by-play for the San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Clippers, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Connecticut.
"Ted is a true San Diego sports icon as his voice is synonymous with Padres baseball," said Padres Owner and Chairman Peter Seidler. "He is respected and beloved by our fans and our ballclub. We are thankful for his 41 years of consistent excellence and deep passion for America’s pastime. We welcome him into his new role in the Padres front office."
In addition to broadcasting, Leitner has served as a host of several important Padres events, including Jerry Coleman Day, team Hall of Fame inductions, the memorials for Coleman and Tony Gwynn, and annual opening day ceremonies.
In 2018, Leitner revealed that he had undergone surgery to remove a golf-ball-sized tumor, which turned out to be benign. A month prior to that surgery, he had a kidney removed after being diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his kidney.
