Winfield skips over minor leagues to debut for Padres

Five seasons into their existence and weeks after owner Arnholt Smith maneuvered to move his team to Washington, D.C., the San Diego Padres were searching for an identity.

Fans of the young franchise would soon have their faith rewarded by that summer's first-round pick.

Dave Winfield debuted for the Padres on June 19, 1973, without playing a single game in the minor leagues. The left fielder was just the third position player to leap directly to Major League Baseball since the amateur draft was instituted in 1965.

The Padres were not alone in pursuing Winfield, whose sparkling performances as a pitcher made him the Most Outstanding Player of the 1973 College World Series. A power forward for the University of Minnesota’s Big Ten Conference champion basketball team, Winfield was tabbed by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and ABA’s Utah Stars in earlier drafts.

The Minnesota Vikings even selected the hometown talent in the 17th and final round of the NFL Draft, despite Winfield never playing a down of high school or college football. He remains just one of three players drafted by clubs in four professional leagues.

All along, his heart belonged to baseball.

“I remember the playground, and I was Willie Mays or Bob Gibson,” Winfield told the Minneapolis Star shortly before reporting to San Diego. “I really was. I took their names, in my own mind. I could see myself playing in the big leagues all the time.”

Despite a 7-3 defeat that extended San Diego’s losing streak to 10 games, Winfield flashed the athleticism that made him the fourth overall selection in the MLB Draft. In the top of the eighth inning, Winfield recorded an outfield assist as Houston’s Tommy Helms tried to stretch a single into extra bases. The next inning, Winfield singled for his first career hit and started a brief Padres rally.

Winfield quickly found a rhythm as he transitioned to the outfield full time. He recorded hits in each of his first six games, including his first home run on June 21.

“I plan to stay in the majors the rest of my career,” Winfield told the Associated Press following the game. “I didn’t know exactly what to expect when I got here but I know from what I’ve seen that I don’t feel overmatched.”

Winfield finished his rookie campaign with a .277 average in 56 games, then added power to his game with 20 home runs over his first full season in 1974. He was named to the first of 12 straight All-Star Games in 1977 and took home his first Gold Glove Award the next season, one of seven the outfielder would earn.

Winfield signed the richest free-agent deal in professional sports history following the 1980 season, joining the New York Yankees on a 10-year, $23 million pact and further solidifying his status as one of the game’s premier players.

Finishing his 22-year career with 3,110 hits and 465 home runs, Winfield would be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001. His induction would represent another milestone, becoming the first player to sport a San Diego cap on his plaque.

Kourage Kundahl is the director of digital content for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum