Bud Black was all in on all things San Diego baseball when he transferred from Lower Columbia College to play for Jim Dietz at San Diego State in 1978. The big league team in town was only a decade old but on its way to posting its first-ever winning season. A fellow native of Longview, Wash. — Padres catcher Rick Sweet — left tickets to a handful of games for the Aztecs’ new left-handed pitcher.
Dave Winfield. Gene Tenace. Randy Jones. Gaylord Perry. Rollie Fingers.
Those were Black’s Padres before the 2007 team became Black’s Padres.
“Once I got to San Diego I was all Padres,” said Black, who made his managerial debut on this date — April 3 — in 2007.