Bob Chandler's Tales from the San Diego Padres (Hardcover)

~ (Author), William G Swank (Author) "The Padres broke spring training in 2005 feeling they had an excellent chance to win the NL West..." (more)
Key Phrases: longest hitting streak, postgame show, broadcast team, San Diego, Tony Gwynn, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The San Diego Padres became a National League expansion team in 1969. Through 37 seasons of play, the Padres have never won a World Series, never had a pitcher throw a no-hitter, and never had a player hit for the cycle. They have, however, made it to the World Series twice, had three different pitchers win the Cy Young Award, and had a player tie Honus Wagner for most National League batting titles (eight). They almost lost the franchise to Washington, D.C., had an owner take the public address microphone on opening day to blast his own players, and created national headlines when a nationally-known comedienne performed her version of the national anthem before a game.

Longtime Padres announcer Bob Chandler knows the details behind all of these stories and shares his memories with San Diego baseball historian Bill Swank in an easy-to-read recap of the team´s colorful past. They also look at many other stories: sick and severely dehydrated on the trainer´s table, Ken Caminiti had an IV removed from his arm, ate a Snickers bar, then hit two home runs against the New York Mets in Mexico; the comic relief provided by the San Diego Chicken during the Padres lean years; and how popular Padre Tim Flannery became the mascot - a cross between a dinosaur and an anteater.

Chandler and Swank utilize their numerous contacts to bring fans many inside stories and humorous anecdotes dating back to the team´s actual birth on May 27, 1968. Eight-time batting champion Tony Gwynn and Cy Young Award-winner Randy Jones are among the former players providing insight and inside stories. Chandler´s longtime broadcast partner Jerry Coleman, elected to the broadcasters´ wing of the baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, has written the foreword. A colorful collection of owners, managers, coaches, and players over the years lends themselves to many interesting tales from the dugout, which all adds up to an informative, insider´s look at the behind-the-scenes events that have shaped the history of the San Diego Padres.

About the Author

Bob Chandler is San Diego´s senior sportscaster. He began working in the San Diego television/radio market in 1961 and began covering the San Diego sports scene full-time in 1963. During his career, Chandler has done play-by-play of the NFL´s San Diego Chargers, the NBA´s San Diego (now Houston) Rockets, San Diego State University football, basketball, and baseball, as well as numerous other college and high school sports in San Diego. He has worked for three different TV stations in San Diego, delivering the regular evening sportscasts and interviews. In 1972, Chandler joined Jerry Coleman as the TV/radio broadcasters for the Padres. Associated with the Padres from 1970-2003, he likely knows more than almost anyone when it comes to San Diego baseball. He is a 1961 graduate of San Diego State and lives in the Tierrasanta area of San Diego. Chandler has four daughters and six grandchildren.

Bill Swank is San Diego´s preeminent baseball historian. He has authored or co-authored six previous books, including his award-winning Echoes from Lane Field, the story of the original 1936 Pacific Coast League Padres who played at the foot of Broadway until the termites ate their wooden ballpark in 1957. His most recent two-volume work, Baseball in San Diego: From the Plaza to Petco, covers the journey of baseball from Horton Plaza to Lane Field (1871-1936), and the birth of the PCL (1936) and NL Padres (1969) - until their move back downtown to Petco Park in 2004.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596700246
• ISBN-13: 978-1596700246
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,291,738 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A lifelong Padres fan, and friend of Bob, July 17, 2006

By	Matterhorn Magic "William" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I grew up in San Diego, watching Bob Chandler on old KOGO-TV, when it was Channel 10, and an NBC affiliate. And I've seen Chandler go to a new station, KCST-Channel 39. I've seen Chandler broadcast the minor league San Diego Padres games on that channel.

I recall a game televised from Phoenix's Municipal Stadium in 1968, where the Padres pulled a triple play on a hot summer night, versus the Phoenix Giants (the farm team of the San Francisco Giants). Later on Bob told me that the TV camera was burning that night.

For many years I've enjoyed listening to and talking with Bob Chandler whenever I work at the Padres' games. The book validates his fame to San Diego baseball. There is not a word of dissappointment in his book, and I find most of it humourous.

He works hard at his game. Bob is among the happiest men I know. His book equals fice stars. I enjoyed reading it.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book for All Padre Fans, July 15, 2006

By	Hits Hornsby - See all my reviews

Have you ever heard a bad baseball story? No. They are all good! Most of them I have heard before but they are all good again. I would have liked them to be more in a continuous date pattern from the beginning to the current. I have always liked Bob Chandler as a broadcaster and hearing him do the Padre games on radio and wished that he were still doing them rather than L------er. Bob knows baseball 1st hand so much better and has a very comfortable voice to listen to....I read the book listening to his voice orate the history of the Padres.

4.0 out of 5 stars Not all the tales, July 14, 2006

By	Dennis Karpinen (Oceanside, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a Padres fan, this is the book for your 12 year old son to learn about the team's history. Bob Chandler is just too nice of a person to include many of the juicier details. Still, it had to be part of my collection and I'm glad I made the purchase.