Traditional PCL Uniforms Just Might Show Padres’ True Colors

Bits and pieces . . .

So the Padres are going to get away from those ugly brown uniforms and go traditional with blue, orange and white?

Whose tradition?

Have they talked with Father Serra? Or even checked with the good fathers at Father Serra’s mission?

I understand that the old minor league Padres wore those colors, which may be appropriate since the 1990 Padres have played like a minor league team. However, in terms of tradition, very few residents of San Diego in 1991 will remember (or care) about the traditional Pacific Coast League colors.

This is a case of fixing the unbroken. The Padres current uniforms are classy and uncluttered in the tradition . . . a better application of the word . . . of the uniforms worn by teams such as the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers.

Thank heavens, in the interest of tradition, the honchos by committee didn’t go back to the uniforms worn during the 1984 National League championship season. Pass the mustard and hot sauce.

* My definition of not having anything better to do is listening to Roseanne Barr sing anything on the Sally Jessy Raphael Show.

* America’s Finest City may actually work against the Sockers as they try to put together a ninth championship team in 10 years. Surf and sunshine, as we all know, come at a cost.

With the Major Soccer League salary cap slashed once again, this time to $630,000, the cheaper cities become much more attractive places to play . . . and live. A player, particularly a player with a family, can stretch his $30,000 or $40,000 much further in places such as Cleveland, Wichita and Tacoma.

Thus, guys who would like to stay in San Diego, such as George Fernandez and Ralph Black, end up in a financial exile of sorts in Cleveland and Tacoma, respectively.

If the salary cap goes any lower, owner Ron Fowler will have to house his team in a dormitory.

* Remember when there was such chagrin that the Padres were going to have to spend most of the second half on the road?

Doesn’t it seem nice now to get them out of sight for a while?

* Is it just me or does the Charger schedule seem bizarre?

They open the exhibition season next Saturday against Dallas and then open the regular season Sept. 9 against Dallas. What’s more, the Cowboys are going to share UCSD’s training facilities with the Chargers for a week after the exhibition game.

They play the Western Hemisphere Raiders, a division rival, in an exhibition game.

Games 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the regular season are all against teams from the AFC Central.

Three out of four games between Sept. 23 and Oct. 14 will be in the eastern time zone, none thereafter.

They won’t face a division rival, outside of the Raiders in the exhibition season, until Game 7 on Oct. 21 . . . and again it will be the Raiders.

Two thoughts:

1. This schedule had to be put together by the same person who drew the district boundaries for the San Diego City Council.

2. The four games against the AFC Central will set the tone for all that happens thereafter.

* The National Junior Cycling team time trials were in Borrego Springs Friday.

Why?

Was Death Valley closed?

* All this talk about Jack Clark not being a money player because he didn’t hit during the first half of the season may be just a bit ignorant of reality.

It cannot be ignored that Clark spent much of the first half the season recovering from first a bad back and then being hit in the face with a thrown ball during pre-game practice. It’s a little bit difficult to hit from the training room.

Of course, Jack Clark’s biggest home run ever did come after the All-Star break. If I recall correctly, he hit it off Tom Niedenfuer . . . in October of 1985.

Right, Tommy?

* More tradition . . .

San Diego’s entry in the International Hockey League will be known as the Gulls, thus keeping years of mystique intact. You know how it is when you think of hockey in San Diego. Gulls just come to mind.

Come again?

The Gulls were one of four assorted hockey franchises that have not made it in San Diego, in spite of enjoying at least moderate success. Maybe a fresh start might have been more appropriate.

Ah, but you know how traditionalists can be. I suppose they will wear blue, orange and white uniforms.