Padres Camo Memorabilia

I love watching Padres home games on Sunday afternoons. Proudly calling themselves the "Team of the Military," San Diego was one of the first teams to actively celebrate the military, actually inviting service members of the Marine Corps (a given, with the Recruit Depot just up the Pacific Coast Highway), as well as the Navy and Coast Guard to these games.

 

In 2000, the Padres began wearing Vietnam-era "Jungle" camouflage uniforms as part of Military Appreciation Day, and eventually, as part of thise Sunday home games celebrating the military. In 2006, they switched over to the "Desert Camouflage Uniform," and from 2011-2017, they began wearing "Marine Digital" uniforms sporting the camouflage pattern of the Marine Corps combat uniforms.

 

This year, it was the Navy's turn for recognition, as they switched over to that service's blue camo pattern. However, it seems its only worn on the Sundays they host Navy personnel at the game.

 

A few years back, my wife (God Bless her) got me a San Diego Padres Marine Corps camo jersey with my nickname ("McDuff") and number "36" on it. She also had the Tony Gwynn memorial black patch sewn onto it, following his death, in 2014. This year, she got me the Navy blue jersey, which is now part of the half dozen Padres jerseys in my closet.

 

While I haven't seen any memorabilia cards with the Navy blue jerseys yet, I have managed to find a few pieces of cardboard with nice-sized Marine Corps camo swatches on them.

 

For its 2016 release, Topps Triple Threads made a well-appreciated run with Padres military camo swatches. Recent COMC purchases have included this Wil Myers Topps Triple Threads Unity Jumbo Relics (#UJRMWR) (S/N 21/36) and Tyson Ross Topps Triple Threads Unity Jumbo Relics Emerald (#UJRTYR) (S/N 05/18).

Myers also rocks a smaller version of the camo in my collection, with this 2017 Topps Heritage Clubhouse Collection Relics (CCRWM) card.  One of the earliest Marine Corps camo cards I've been able to find is this 2014 Jesse Hahn Panini National Treasures (163) (S/N 96/99).

 

The biggest swatch of all, comes from the 2016 Travis Jankowski Immaculate Collection Immaculate Jumbo Materials (#42) (S/N 20/99). Jankowski has recently come off the Disabled List and is ready to begin a rehab stint in the minors. I hope we'll see him soon in a Padres unfiorm again, but I'm not sure where the center fielder would fit in the outfield right now.

 

I have another 2016 James Shield Topps Triple Threads Unity Auto Jumbo Relics - Silver card I've purchased (but not yet shipped), along with a couple of others on my COMC watch list, as well. I've also been occasionally checking E-Bay, but so far, this is as good as it gets.