- Peter Seidler had survived two bouts of cancer and underwent a “procedure” in August
- He spent hundreds of millions of dollars searching for a World Series title
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San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler, who spent hundreds of millions of dollars to bring a long-awaited World Series championship to the city, died Tuesday at age 63.
A cause of death was not announced. Seidler, a third-generation member of the O’Malley family that once owned the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, is a two-time cancer survivor.
The team announced in mid-September that Seidler had undergone unspecified medical treatment in August and would be out of the stadium for the remainder of the year.
Seidler was part of a group that purchased the Padres in 2012 and bought out Ron Fowler’s controlling interest in November 2020. Seidler also purchased Rawlings in conjunction with MLB in 2018.
With Seidler’s blessing, the Padres boosted their Opening Day payroll to about $258 million, the third-highest in the majors, after making a rousing run to the NL Championship Series last fall.
San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler has died at age 63, the team has confirmed
Seidler had survived two previous bouts of cancer and underwent a “procedure” in August
Seidler often shrugged off questions about whether the Padres’ heavy spending on players like Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts was sustainable, mentioning how much he wanted a championship parade for a city that had never had one.
“Do I think our parade will be on land or water or both?” he said.
In a statement, Padres CEO Erik Greupner said: “The Padres organization mourns the passing of our beloved chairman and owner Peter Seidler.”
In August, fans at the ballpark held signs wishing their owner and chairman well
Seidler (left) poses with star man Manny Machado after signing a new contract in February
“Today our love and prayers go out to Peter’s family as they mourn the loss of an extraordinary husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend.” Peter was a kind and generous man who devoted himself to his wife, children and dedicated to his extended family.
“He also always showed genuine compassion for others, especially those less fortunate. His impact on the city of San Diego and the baseball world will be felt for generations. His generous spirit is now firmly anchored in the fabric of the Padres.
“Even though he was our chairman and owner, Peter was a Padres fan at heart. “He will be greatly missed.”