I grew up near Scranton, PA, about two hours from both New York City and Philadelphia, and not close enough to either to develop "hometown" loyalism.
As a very young kids collecting football and baseball cards in about 1965 I really liked the San Diego Chargers uniforms so they became "my team". It was actually a good time to be a Chargers fan, in the heyday of Lance Alworth, John Hadl, Gary Garrison, Keith Lincoln, Dickie Post, Paul Lowe, etc...
Four years later a new expansion team started in San Diego, and not having any particular loyalties (I sort of like the Houston Astros...my brother was a Tigers fan, the kids up the street liked the damn Yankees), I latched on and became perhaps the only San Diego Padres fan east of the Rocky Mountains.
36 years later, I laugh when I hear of the long-suffering Cubs and Red Sox fans. You guys surely don't know pain. At least your teams have had many winning seasons and ballplayers to be proud of.
Me?
Let's see...I have Tony Gwynn, Nate Colbert (you know I'm reaching when I have to name a lifetime .250 hitter), Cito Gaston, the pitcher who threw the ball about 40mph (can't recall his name) that nobody could hit for a couple of years.
The highlight of my entire fandom was when my dad took us to Shea Stadium in 1971 or so for a doubleheader between the Padres and the Mets. I was wearing my Padres cap and was the only person in the Sunday crowd of 50,000 who was cheering for San Diego. Somewhat unbeliveably, the Padres won both games, by 3-1 and 4-2. My heros Colbert and Gaston each homered. I was in heaven. My dad was in fear for his life.
But, other than that?
In all those years, ONE World Series, lost to my brother's Tigers. Oh, the pain...the shame!
So, I hope this year's totally mediocre Padres hang onto their under .500 division leadership and pull an October surprise!!!
Lets go PADS!!!!