Padres Archives - Jane Mitchell One on One

25 Memories of the Padres 1998 World Series Season Part Two

jmitchell — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 20:47:53 +0000

25 years ago, in 1998, the Padres were in the thick of a fantastically fun and competitive season. It was the second year of Channel 4 San Diego, the TV home of the Padres, and the creative energy and storytelling were cranking on all cylinders! My role as the pre-game reporter and producer/host of One on One offered an insight to the players as people as well as our heroes. And just like fans or players, when I hear “1998”, I sigh at that mutual feeling of… Wow… what a ride!

So, come along as I share some behind the scenes and personal memories surrounding that magical year when our Padres went all the way to the World Series.

For me, my ‘98 memories take root in ‘97… my rookie baseball year.

I hope my stories spark memories and connections for you as well.

Memory #13: Sept. 12th Lesson #3 from clinching the NL West Division

Review of the first 2 lessons I learned from interviewing players live the night of the clinch (all awesome, by the way!) while being doused with champagne and beer!

Lesson 1: Wear waterproof mascara (to prevent black running down face);

Lesson 2: Wear an extra layer if the Victory T-shirts are white (wet t-shirts not good for live TV)

and now, Lesson 3:… during the heart pounding, swirling, wet, loud, blinding moments of the post-game celebration, take it all in, because it is clear this is what it’s all about. Winning. I got it. Again. Every pitch. Every inning. Every game. Everything. The work. The fun. The focus. It was about getting to the playoffs and a chance to go all the way. It all came together for me; it all made sense. And while I truly loved our Padres, I think I fell in love with baseball again, too.

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Memory #14: The Clinch & Ch 4 Crew

None of what we had the privilege of doing, or any of the highlights and action and emotion shared with viewers would have happened without an outstanding behind the scenes crew. Director Tom Ceterski, Producer Scott Hecht and SO many more photographers, producers, audio and graphics pros, the whole live truck crew and Channel 4 team.

That night, after all the coverage and our adrenaline was still pumping, someone (maybe me? Who documents every moment?), said, let’s get a picture to remember this night. It wasn’t everyone, but what a moment in time.

Looking at that picture reminds me of how every person played an important part, and how saying “thank you” and offering Kudos were important that day and 25 years later.

Memory #15: Post Season Glam: sort of

I knew this team as well as anyone – and in different ways – and was excited to be a Padres post season reporter for each home and away game along with Padres announcer Mel Proctor.

The networks carried the games, but Channel 4 was allowed to do pre- and post-game interviews. We did what’s called “live to tape” segments – 3 or 4 each, quickly, that were popped out of the camera and rushed to the live truck to roll into the show anchored by Dennis Morgigno and Mark Grant. (Yes, this sounds like it was a million years ago, considering our digital world now!)

On the road, we had a lot of technical and logistical “challenges! Namely, in Houston.

Our Channel 4 road team included our boss Dan Novak and photographer Dan Roper. With stories in hand, we had to race to the back of the (old) Astrodome, by the garbage trucks, sit on the ground by them to send our interview tapes from a small deck we jerry-rigged and hooked up to a fiber optic (then, quite state of the art) feed. It didn’t smell good and was far from glamorous, but we didn’t care. We were there.

Memory #16: New Rules: The Naked Truth

From day one I had a self-imposed “rule” to NOT go in the Padres’ clubhouse to talk with the players (unless there was no other option.) I didn’t need to for my style and purpose. And knowing I’d likely be meeting their wives for One on One interviews, I wouldn’t want them to feel uncomfortable, wondering if I had seen their husbands in their underwear… or less!

The 1998 postseason was a different story. While at home, I was still the only woman covering the Padres on a regular basis, on the road with the team for postseason, I joined dozens of media (men and some women) when the locker rooms were “open” 20 minutes after the game. Most players were dressed and presentable for cameras. Still – not my comfort zone.

After game 2 in Houston, I entered for a quick 1-2 minute interview with Tony Gwynn for the post game show in San Diego. He was dressed, sitting at his locker, with the shower area just over his shoulder, to my right. Mid interview, a naked person (who shall always remain nameless!) emerged from the showers, barely covered with a towel, walked around me and photographer Dan Roper, and over to his locker next to Tony, to my left. I was a little distracted hoping he wasn’t even in a corner of the shot (there was no take-2 or editing!)

After I said “back to you in San Diego” I was relieved Dan said the naked player was not in frame. The player (and he may remember this) was, however, amused by my challenging moment. Keeping my eyes at standing eye level, I quietly said I’d let him get dressed and I’d be leaving this unfamiliar territory. Of course, I had to return to the locker room scene many times, but the first time was an eye opener!

Memory #17: Clinch in Atlanta

In the National League Championship Series, the Padres had to return to Atlanta and win just 1 of the 2 games to clinch the title. Young Sterling Hitchcock was given the ball. Watching from a suite (not the press box) it was surreal. He pitched a gem and took the Braves crowd out of the game.

It was so odd. I expected more noise. More… something! But all that mattered, was that last out… a victory… watching Steve Finley make the catch in center field and the Padres clinching. Braves fans left. It was eerily quiet.

After the Championship trophy presentation, interviews and clubhouse celebration, the team and staff returned to the mound for an official photo. I’m not in their picture, but was standing just to the right, with my camera. Every time I see that official picture, I put myself right there.

Memory #18: NYC: The Really Big Apple

For all the times I had been to New York, this trip to Yankee Stadium with the Padres embodied all the words you’d think it would.

Awesome.

The size of Yankee stadium was jaw dropping. History. Walking Monument Park displaying the greats of the game and hearing reflections from our own famous Yankee, Padres radio announcer and friend, Jerry Coleman. Legacy. Banners of their Championships. Many Championships.

Fortunate to have a press pass, at batting practice, I watched Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, Wally Joyner… all the players… looking around, soaking it in. They had worked hard and deserved to be there.

Seems the Press Box was full so we watched from the stands in a block of “visitor” seats high above home plate.

Our Padres t-shirts and colors stood out amid the dark blue pinstripes. For the times the Padres had cheer-able plays (including Tony’s home run!) we were in the minority. I wouldn’t say the neighboring Yankees fans were mean, but certainly not welcoming. Still, what a view and a privilege to just be there.

Memory #19: NYC Lessons from the Locker Room Part 1

For all the fanfare and excitement of being around the World Series stage, some of the behind the scenes work was not so pleasant! It doesn’t compare to the pressure the players faced, but it’s my memory of the intensity of the Yankees territory.

Mel Proctor and I were dividing the post game interviews. I pulled the short straw, assigned to the Yankees clubhouse. After their Game 1 victory, one of the Yankees (whose name I will withhold) had a big game, so I waited politely at his locker until he finished dressing. With microphone in hand, I explained I’d like to do a quick one-on-one for San Diego TV when he was ready. He said, OK.

As I waited for him to be ready, a radio reporter put a microphone close in on his face and started asking questions. I said – nicely - to the reporter, “Excuse me, but I have been waiting for him to be ready.” I assumed the player might actually appreciate manners and my respecting his space while he changed. I was quite surprised when the player said, “stop your fighting or I won’t talk to anyone.” Wow, Dorothy, you are NOT in San Diego, anymore.

The next day, the woman from the Yankees radio station, told me I had made the New York paper. Apparently, my naiveté translated to some fun fodder, saying that a San Diego TV reporter had caused a little stir in the clubhouse. I tried to find that notation with an Internet search, but to no avail.

Memory #20: NYC: Locker Room Lesson #2 with David Wells

Game 2 postgame. I figured I had a shot at interviewing pitcher David Wells about being a San Diego native coming home to play, even though he was the opponent. It made perfect sense to me. A quick two-minute interview on tape. How hard could that be?

Hello, rookie. This is New York. The Yankees. Some in the New York media offered me luck when I queried them about getting Wells for an interview. Still, the naïve, open-minded, nervous but brave TV reporter girl from San Diego that I was, got up the gumption.

The clubhouse seemed oddly quiet considering the Yankees had won. That was their norm; they were all business. At his locker, I said, “hello David. I’m Jane Mitchell with Channel 4 Padres. I was hoping to do a quick interview with you to send back to San Diego for our postgame show -- just about coming back home and what that means to you.”

He sat on his chair, packing his things and did not look at me, as he explained, “No, I don’t have time.” I tried to rationalize, but it would take about a minute and 30-seconds… just real quick.” “That’s a minute and 30 seconds less time I can spend with my family before I go,” he said, “so, no.” Maybe I just should have started interviewing him without asking. That’s how others were doing it, but I thought I would be polite and ask first. I stored that little memory and chalked it up to something ventured, nothing gained.

Later in 2004, when David returned to pitch for the Padres, I relayed the 1998 story. He figured he wouldn’t have done anything differently then. At least he was honest! Between his mellowing with age and my power of persuasion, we embarked on the first of several One on Ones and he remains a favorite character from my ‘98 and beyond!

Memory #21: An Unexpected Gift from Archi Cianfrocco

The tickets, rally cloths, press badges, pictures… tangible reminders of ’98. I have a champagne bottle from each clinch celebration and every time I think I don’t really need them, I put them back on my shelf with a smile. I was there.

I count time, interviews, relationships, pictures, and experiences all as my most treasured keepsakes from my 15 years with Channel 4 Padres. No item is more important than all that.

But one player did do something no one else did: Archi Cianfrocco.

Archi -- the guy with 6 gloves, and a heart of gold -- appreciated our Channel 4 efforts. I did a “mini” One on One feature about him and he made regular cameos on the pre-game show. Such a good guy.

Somewhere along the postseason road, I think heading home from New York, I was handed a batting practice bat in a sanitary sock with my name JANE written in sharpie and told it was from Archi. I didn’t ask for it, so that made it extra special.

In a recent text, he said he remembered the gift, but not the details. That’s enough for me. I’m sure I thanked him then with a hug, and again I say thanks, Archi, for such a nice gesture and memory.

Memory #22: Game 4: A Bittersweet End

The Padres put up a good fight, the white rally rags whirled throughout, but in the end, those darned Yankees were one of the best teams ever and they swept our Padres 2 games in New York and 2 at home. It was sad. I felt the loss, too. The Padres went inside while the Yankees celebrated briefly on the field. The Padres fans… stayed. Some 65 thousand, and soon their heroes returned.

Remarkable. No champagne, but lots of love and tears. I was down on the field by the 9th inning prepared for post-game interviews no matter what happened. With it over, I even had a lump in my throat when talking with Sterling Hitchcock who said, “We wouldn’t have gotten where we are without these people. We just want to say thank you.”

That white poster the Padres later handed out -- with Trevor pointing up at the fans -- is an image that captures not just the moment, but the season. Magical. Bonding. A collective memory of what hard work, heart, talent, and loyalty can achieve. It’s something every player, every fan wants to experience again.

Memory #23: The Parade & A Season of Heroes

Two days after being swept in the World Series, some 100,000 people filled downtown with a spectacular parade for the team. Our incredible crew carried it live, and I was a reporter along the route. Everyone seemed in awe. As a former Yankee and the Padres’ own “Mr. October,” Jim Leyritz said about the Padres parade compared to the Yankees’: “There may have been more people at their parade, but we have more heart right here.”

Now, to capture it all… in a documentary that would be something we all would have to remember the details of the magical season.

It was a collaborative effort. Charles Steinberg from the Padres, Tom Catlin (whom I had hired) and I co-wrote the 60-minute video called “A Season of Heroes” weaving in every element and nuance to capture the season.

For anyone who’s watched it (maybe a few times!) I’m sure you appreciate the detail and love that went into every word, sound and edit. What must be in there, what do we have to leave out?

Charles wrote the music, I narrated it, and Tom, and the Padres’ video team of Chase Peckham and Sandy Gonzalez, edited most of the show. Dan Roper came in to refine the details for two weeks. Long before plans for a documentary, I had booked a trip to France with my mom. So… I left and returned just hours before the big debut.

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Memory #24: The Debut Kiss

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I had been part of the brainstorming session to have the debut of “A Season of Heroes” at a community event sponsored by Cox, the Padres and other sponsors. A grand affair! Several hundred dressed up to watch the documentary on a big screen at the Civic Theatre downtown.

I arrived at the theater; jet lagged but excited to see the final version! I had no doubt it would be great, and it was. But it also featured a surprise.

In the first few lines of the documentary, I say… “who captured our hearts…” and to my surprise it was synced up with footage of my mother blowing a kiss! It was perfect.

The last night of the World Series when I was down on the field with videographer Tom Catlin, I pointed to my mom, and he was recording when she blew me a kiss. Unbeknownst to me, it was his idea to place that 3-second shot in that part of the documentary as a symbolic kiss to the season, and as a sweet tribute to her.

She was so touched, and even now that she’s gone to Heaven, when I think of that year, I feel her love and the joy she had learning about the game and watching me so passionate about my profession. “A Season of Heroes” was later awarded an Emmy for Best Documentary. An honor from our peers felt like extra icing on the cake!

Memory #25: Sweet Reunions

I love sentimental journeys! And the 1998 season and all that it represents is worthy of celebrating and remembering. In 2008, the Padres marked the 10th Anniversary at Petco Park reuniting former players along with Trevor Hoffman, still playing, and Tony Gwynn, a broadcaster. Kevin Towers, Kevin Brown, Greg Vaughn, Dan Miceli… a meaningful list, although missing Cammy who had passed away in 2004.

Our conversations spanned memories and life after the game; a freeze-frame in time, remembering the emotion and people in that magical year.

Ten years later, 2018, another reunion, at Petco Park. This was also the year Trevor was elected into the Hall of Fame and my plans to do a show and travel to Cooperstown were in the works! By this point, I had written my book (2010), said goodbye to Channel 4 (our TV contract ended after the 2011 season), started One on One Productions, and, oh, had a baby!

Lily was 5 when I spent that evening at Petco, reconnecting and taking pictures with so many. Both times I pulled out my National League Championship Series ring that’s tucked away in a special drawer. I was one of the fortunate few on the Channel 4 team in ’98 who had received a personalized official ring -- just like the players’—as a gift from the Padres.

Now it’s the 25th Anniversary season. This “25 for 25” project has taken me back to a journey of a lifetime and reignited my love for the game and its many dimensions.

Thank you for joining me on my memory lane. Fans and viewers have always been so appreciative and kind to me and I appreciate that support so much.

Here’s to looking back and looking ahead for the Padres. I hope everyone will have an experience like ’98 in their lifetime.

The post 25 Memories of the Padres 1998 World Series Season Part Two appeared first on Jane Mitchell One on One.

25 Memories of the Padres 1998 World Series Season Part One

jmitchell — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 20:46:37 +0000

My role as the pre-game reporter and producer/host of One on One offered an insight to the players as people as well as our heroes. And just like fans or players, when I hear “1998”, I sigh at that mutual feeling of… Wow… what a ride!

So, come along as I share some behind the scenes and personal memories surrounding that magical year when our Padres went all the way to the World Series.
For me, my ‘98 memories take root in ‘97… my rookie baseball year.
I hope my stories spark memories and connections for you as well.

Memory #1: My Baseball Love Story

Celebrating the 1998 season, for me, requires rewinding one year, my “Rookie” year in baseball. Preparing for my first spring training, February 1997, everyone said it was so special. Arizona in February, blue skies, crisp air, a fresh start.

Sure. Okay. As the only TV crew there early that first day, it was quiet and nice… but still just a sports complex, right? Then it happened. The door of the weight room opened. Pitchers, catchers, and coaches emerged, walking down the steps on to the red clay track surrounding the field. The click-clacking cleats. Chitchatting voices. The popping of balls smacking gloves. A symphony of sounds. A symphony of spring.

That was it! I got it. A new beginning. It was tangible. I had goosebumps. My heart pounded a little faster. In those few moments, I fell in love with baseball. A memory, a feeling, that I’d come to appreciate even more… as time went on.

Memory #2: Ken Caminiti "I'm back"

Rewind to 1996, just for a moment. Ken Caminiti, with his dazzling plays at 3rd base, sparkling eyes and quiet mystique had captivated fans. So, in 1997, Cammy was top of our list as part of our new Padres TV mission to tell players’ stories. He had just won the National League MVP award and was rehabbing from shoulder surgery. The big question was: would he be ready for Opening Day? But, as a quiet guy, would he have much to say? I was in for a pleasant surprise.

In Houston with a Padres video crew we tagged along during his rehab routine, then to his house for the interview. I started from the beginning of his life, and as we went along, he opened up. I learned he didn’t like baseball as a kid because he got hit with a ball, but then, got used to it! We touched on his rebellious times as a teenager, challenges in the early part of his career, and his faith.

One excerpt:

JANE: Do you have a sense of why this was your year?

KEN: I don't know. I accepted the MVP award a couple nights ago, and part of my speech was God gifted me this year, and He really looked after me.

I had goosebumps. We took our time and he was so humble and sweet. As he held his newborn Nicole, so tiny in his arms, I commented how he had an All-American family. "All American," he laughed, "with the toys, the blind dog knocking over the lights. Yeah, All-American!”

Back in San Diego, I told the planning group about the interview and in a matter of minutes, we decided to make it a half-hour program and I had the green light to travel to his hometown to meet his parents and get great video and pics!

After spring training and many hours of writing and editing, “One on One with Jane Mitchell” featuring Ken Caminiti debuted…. with the reassuring words for fans “I’m Back…”

WOW what a reaction from fans! No one really knew me yet, but they were watching and loved getting to know their hero, what was beneath that rugged exterior.

We were on to something. The first of what would eventually be… 100+ shows.

Memory #3: Getting to know Tony Gwynn

My prelude to the great ’98 is spring training ’97. As the newbie, and yes, a woman reporter and new to baseball, I wondered how I’d be accepted by the players at camp. The real test, for me, was what kind of impression I made on the leader of the clubhouse, Tony Gwynn.

Our first interview at his home went well. I thought. At camp, he acknowledged me. Yay. While I don’t know if he put out a positive word or just said nothing, I had a feeling I was still safe, with no strikes against me. A few days after his show debuted that June, he called out to me with a thumbs up and said, “Good job. Well done.” Tony’s validation boosted my confidence.

It was the start of a professional and authentic friendship with mutual trust and respect. A favorite picture is of Tony and me at Qualcomm Stadium sitting in a quiet dugout at an early batting practice, just talking about baseball and life. I’m blessed to have known him through that ‘98 dream season and tell his story several times all the way to the Hall of Fame and beyond.

Memory #4: One on One with Future Champs

Going into the ’98 season I remember feeling the bond between the Padres and the players deepening… in part, because we were all getting to know some of the icons and current stars on the field and, lucky me, through my One on One show.

A thank you from the guests was always appreciated (and a relief!) but what really surprised me was when players (specifically, one time, Andy Ashby! ) told me THEY had been watching One on One after the game and learning about their own teammates! Wow!

Padres icons and ownership allowed us into their homes for heart and soul interviews, sorting through childhood photos (that I usually had to track down through their parents!), time with their families, showing their hobbies and community work. At that time this was a whole new sports story world! Every person was different, but I had the freedom to do it my way… stats, sure, but beyond the box score, their whole journey. I loved it. So many details. So many late hours! So rewarding!

The sum of the parts is a memory… so happy the story behind the uniform was making an impact and 98’s lineup including Steve Finley, Dave Stewart and Trevor Hoffman added to that. What a One on One roster!

Memory #5: My Rookie Optimism

So how would the not-so-good-on the field ’97 Padres turn things around for ’98?

The optimist in me wanted to know.

So in the October One on One ’97 Retrospective Tony Gwynn said, everyone better come to spring training with “fire in their belly”

and Ken Caminiti told me, everyone needs to look at themselves and say “what do I need to do” to help the team.

This is an important precursor memory of ‘98 because I still didn’t quite get why “everyone” seemed so down. What about the bright spots and that adage, “Wait ‘til next year”? I didn’t want to see the season labeled a total loss and apparently, neither did Tony (who, yes, did deliver another Batting Title season) or Cammy (who had come into the season after shoulder surgery.)

I was moved by their candor and promise of “next year,” and how they shared how grateful they were for the loyal fans at that last game.

Cammy: “… they’re still behind us even after the brutal display of baseball that was presented to them all year. It was a warm feeling I’ve never had before.”

Tony: “Hopefully ‘98 will be a better year because of the experiences we went through in ‘97. I sit here with all the confidence in the world that we’re going to be a quality club.”

Cammy: “Quality and character, we have a winner…”

Memory #6: Trevor Hoffman "It's About Time"

Spring Training, on the road with the team in Arizona, I said hello to Trevor at the hotel. When the subject of One on One came up, I boldly asked, “So when do I get to tell your story?” To my surprise, he said, “Well, it’s about time. I’ve been waiting for you to ask.” I was stunned, but seized the moment and said, “Let’s do it!”

Logistics weren’t easy. We had 1 hour to interview him at his mother’s home in Anaheim after the All-Star break so he could get to Dodger Stadium for that night’s game. In a moment of levity, he leaned back on the couch as if I were a therapist and he was telling me his problems!

Some questions revealed his serious and contemplative sides, and a few weeks later, we spent time with his wife Tracy and baby Brody, and I convinced him to let us videotape him watching the sunset at the beach and follow him on his pre-game routine.

After the show aired, Trevor sincerely thanked me. This was the beginning of a professional friendship; trusting me to update his various chapters all the way to the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Memory #7: Stormy Weather & Bochy's Inspiring Speech

After a rainy spring training, I rejoined the team in Mobile Alabama for an exhibition game with Double A Mobile Bay Bears. When it came time to board the busses for the airport, a huge storm hit. Bad weather grounded us at the ballpark. The players and coaches went back into the locker rooms. The rest of sat on the busses.

The dark sky could have meant gloom and doom… what a way to start the season? Actually, quite the opposite.

Turns out Manager Bruce Bochy used that time to deliver what players later called his “inspiring and motivating” speech, solidifying how he thought they were winners, and that now the players had to believe it.

I don’t have a picture looking out at that rain or the players walking back to the bus, but I know this was a defining moment of the trajectory of the 1998 season.

Memory #8: Kevin Brown: Don't talk!

The off-season trades and signings to build the potential of a championship team included securing dominant starting pitcher Kevin Brown. So, we traveled to Macon, Georgia to learn more about the Ace and what makes him tick.

For being so tall, at 6’4, he didn’t intimidate me (I wasn’t facing him at the plate!). Although, when I asked him about his reputation for being “intense” he called me out, chuckling, “I see you're tiptoeing around that… not sure how to approach that!”

True! As nice and low key as he was with his family at home with Southern Hospitality, I did heed a “warning” about his game day routine: he doesn’t talk… to anyone… and doesn’t want anyone to talk to him!

Fast forward to a very hot March 31, 1998, Opening Day in Cincinnati, and somewhere between my being on the field for batting practice and the pre-game show, we cross paths. Somehow our eyes connect, and I try to look away. I did NOT want to violate his routine or mess up his mojo! But in a flash, he nodded as if, I think, to acknowledge me and how I was respecting his no-talk rule.

Whatever it was, he did not lose his mojo that day (phew!) and he even got a hit, as the Padres won 10-2. What a start to that promising season.

Memory #9: Center Field Star: Steve Finley

Whatever it was, he did not lose his mojo that day (phew!) and he even got a hit, as the Padres won 10-2. What a start to that promising season.

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Memory #10: Dave Stewart's Aura

It was big news when Dave Stewart signed with the Padres to be the club’s pitching coach for 1998. I didn’t know anything about him, until our One on One.

Aside from his magnificent home, the most vivid memory I have of that day has to do with time. As we put on the microphone, he asked how long it would take. I replied it depends how long you feel like talking. Pushing back on his couch, with his feet up, he said he could talk all day. Actually, 3 hours… still holding the record for longest One on One interview!

He opened up about his life and the game. Some topics I’d never have time to include, but he was mesmerizing and thoughtful in relaying things important to him and now, to the Padres.

His pitching philosophy? I can still picture him saying each word slowly and deliberately. “A pitcher’s appearance on the mound during the game might be the first time someone has seen a baseball game, so it is the pitcher’s job to show the fan that the pitcher is baseball, that day.” I was so caught up in his vision and passion I joked, “I’ll pitch for you! Sign me up!” He just had a way of drawing you into his world. No wonder he was so good.

Oh… and he had a hot tub with a skylight above it to look at the stars! Dave Stewart… very cool.

Memory #11: The Battle of Square Footage

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This memory just makes me chuckle about the various personalities on that ‘98 team. While relaying to Dave Stewart that his One on One would be airing that night, it came up that the episode included a tour of the Jacuzzi in his master bathroom.

Mark Sweeney started comparing Dave’s house with his.

With grandiose gestures and well-placed humorous drama, Mark described how Dave, a five-time World Series pitcher, had a big house, a big bathtub with a skylight, that took all day for us to shoot, and yet, “when Jane did a story on me in spring training, it took about five minutes to show the house, the bedroom” and his prized new vacuum!

It underscored the different degrees of their careers and the TV time associated with it so far. Mark would have his time in the spotlight that season, and the fan favorite and I would later share celebratory champagne in our eyes on live TV.

He’d return two more times to San Diego, and we finally did a full One on One show at his lovely home.

Now a veteran broadcaster, Mark Sweeney stands out to me as a special part of ’98.

Memory #12: Lessons from a Postseason Clinch

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No game was as significant or as special to me in 1998 as September 12th.

The Padres needed one win to clinch the West. We wanted it to be Saturday at home so we could carry it on Channel 4.

As the game against the Dodgers went on, it didn’t look good, until Wally Joyner’s hit started a rally in the 7th. I relocated down by the dugout to the grounds crew closet, put on the white NL Division Series Champion T-shirt (under my jacket, not to jinx anything!) and waited, like the other 60,000+ people in the stadium, to see what would happen.

The nail biter ended with a Padres 7-6 come from behind victory over the Dodgers and the stadium erupted!

After a huge player dog pile on the mound, the players ran into the clubhouse, popped champagne and before I even had time to interview one fan, they came running back out to the field to celebrate!

I told the producer in the truck I was in position to get players, and he said go for it! I talked live with Cammy, Trevor, Carlos Hernandez, and Mark Sweeney, among others. I was in the middle of the action. Pure euphoria!

Players poured champagne and beer on my head. I could feel it in my eyes, on my shirt and I looked like a mess, but I didn’t care.

I learned three important things that night.

1: Wear waterproof mascara to a potential celebratory dousing so you don’t have black running down your face.

2: Wear an extra layer in case the victory shirt is white, and you get drenched (Wet t-shirts? Not good!)

and 3… Stay tuned for #3…

The post 25 Memories of the Padres 1998 World Series Season Part One appeared first on Jane Mitchell One on One.