Forgotten Friars: Dave Winfield

Hall of Famer Dave Winfield might be best remembered for his time with the New York Yankees during the 1980s, but he was an established star before his arrival at Yankee Stadium. In 1973, the San Diego Padres drafted Winfield from the University of Minnesota in the first round, then made him the rare player to immediately begin his pro baseball career in the majors. Winfield was also drafted by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. 

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Winfield was a Padre from 1973 until 1981 before signing with the Yankees as a free agent. His Padre career consisted of just under 4000 at bats, with a .284 average, 154 home runs and 626 RBI. Winfield was also a decent runner during his Padre career, finishing with 133 stolen bases as a Friar. Winfield led the National League in RBI in 1979 with 118. He was a four-time All-Star as a member of the Padres, and finished third in 1979’s National League MVP balloting.

Winfield’s association with the Padres didn’t end with his departure as a player. From 2001 to 2013, Dave was an Executive Vice President and Senior Advisor for the Padres. Winfield still lives in California with his wife and their three children.