#LetLeitnerTweet
Don Norcross has an article up on UTSanDiego about Ted Leitner. The accompanying Twitter conversation surrounding the article brought on the #LetLeitnerTweet movement to get Teddy to join Twitter.
Reading @don_norcross on Padres announcer Ted Leitner reminds me he's not on Twitter: bit.ly/15uqrDF New campaign? #LetLeitnerTweet
— Matthew T. Hall (@SDuncovered) May 10, 2013
Getting Leitner to join Twitter seems like an almost impossible task. First how would he edit his thoughts to 140 characters? Second, Leitner just doesn't seem like the type to embrace any technology after the turn of the century. He'd probably be more apt to listen to a bowel movement than a Twitter movement.
If we're looking to start a campaign than I've got one for you.
Let Leitner into the Padres Hall of Fame
For decades Leitner has been, in my opinion, one of the most polarizing topics in Padres fandom. Though in recent years it seems that Padres fans have softened on their Teddy stance. Now seems the right time to petition the Padres to let him into their Hall of Fame in time for his 35th anniversary of broadcasting next year.
I met Leitner for the first time in 2011:
I told him that we're going to start a grassroots campaign to get him elected into the Padres Hall of Fame. I told him they should have given him the honor on his 30th anniversary, but not to worry because we'd take care of everything and he'd soon find himself among Padres immortals. He laughed and said he appreciated that.
Well I never got around to that grassroots effort, I got busy. Seriously though, for his 35th. Let's do this!
How many Padres games has Leitner broadcast?
No questioning Leitner's enthusiasm Page 1 of 2 | UTSanDiego.com
One thing that cannot be debated about Leitner is his enthusiasm for the job. The man has called more than 6,000 games during his Padres stay, but his enthusiasm sounds more like a rookie’s.
Now as you know I've been slicing and dicing data for the Gaslamp Ballmanac series recently so this stat jumped out at me. I knew right away that there's no way Leitner had worked more than 6,000 games. The Padres just played their 7000th game last September. Leitner started in 1980 a full decade after the team was born. He's missed games too due to other commitments, sickness, etc. You can probably add a few too for the handful of post season games.
@don_norcross By my calculations Leitner has called closer to 5000 games than 6000.There's been 5,267 regular season games since 1980.
— Gaslamp Ball (@gaslampball) May 10, 2013
Here's a count of his regular season games since 1980.
Year |
# of Games |
1980 |
163 |
1981 |
110 |
1982 |
162 |
1983 |
163 |
1984 |
162 |
1985 |
162 |
1986 |
162 |
1987 |
162 |
1988 |
161 |
1989 |
162 |
1990 |
162 |
1991 |
162 |
1992 |
162 |
1993 |
162 |
1994 |
117 |
1995 |
144 |
1996 |
162 |
1997 |
162 |
1998 |
162 |
1999 |
162 |
2000 |
162 |
2001 |
162 |
2002 |
162 |
2003 |
162 |
2004 |
162 |
2005 |
162 |
2006 |
162 |
2007 |
163 |
2008 |
162 |
2009 |
162 |
2010 |
162 |
2011 |
162 |
2012 |
162 |
2013 |
34 |
Total |
5267 |