Baseball 100k Workers Ride

99km/3600ft RUSA Populaire

The Saturday ride is the “workers’ ride” for those who would like to avoid the rain forecasted on Sunday.

On September 28, 1941, the Boston Red Sox were preparing for the last day of their season. Playing at Shibe Park against the Athletics, it was going to be a doubleheader on that Sunday. For Red Sox fans, their team would finish 2^nd behind the New York Yankees that season, continuing the Babe Ruth Curse yet again. However, that year a lanky young slugger on the team captured the fans’ imagination: pursuing that monumental achievement in professional baseball by finishing his batting average over 400 for the season. Before the first pitch was thrown on that Sunday doubleheader, his batting average stood at .39955. Then Red Sox manager, the legendary Joe Cronin, suggested to the young player to sit out these last two and protect his record from slipping. Surely by rounding his batting average is effectively .400. However, that young pugnacious slugger refused to allow his record to be settled by mathematically shorthand. He asked to be in the lineup to play. When the last out was recorded that Sunday, he batted 6-for-8 to end the season with an unrounded .406.

This amazing Red Sox player was none other than Ted Williams. Born in San Diego and grew up on Utah Steet just south of University Avenue, he first played little league in the field located between Oregon Steet and Idaho Street in North Park Community Park. He honed his playing skills further when he attended Hoover High School followed by his stint with the Pacific Coast League Padres, then a minor league team back then. Aside from his achievements as a baseball player, Williams set aside his pro career to serve his country in both World War 2 and the Korean War as an accomplished fighter pilot in the Marine Corps.

Williams was the last player to reach the coveted 400 until…

In 1994, the San Diego Padres was in last place in the National League West division. Despite the team’s lackluster record, another player was on a hot hitting streak. From July to August, fans began to take notice of his astounding batting average as it crept toward 400. On August 11, after hitting 3-for-5 against the Houston Astros, his average settled at .394. Sadly that year the negotiations impasse between the Players Association and the owners resulted in a strike that was called on August 12, 1994 leading to the early end of the season. The hope of another player joining the 400 club that year was dashed. Since then, no other player has come close.

That player was the legendary Tony Gwynn, known affectionately as “Mr Padre”. Though an Angelino by birth and early upbringing, Gwynn has been a resident of San Diego since 1977 when he attended San Diego State in 1977. Since the mid-1980s, he settled his family in Poway until his passing in 2014.

Baseball 100k is a celebration of San Diego’s rich baseball history. Starting from AleSmith off of Miramar Rd, you’ll head north on Pomerado Rd to reach Lake Poway where you’ll visit the Tony Gwynn Memorial dedicated to him for his generous contributions to the community during his lifetime.

From Poway, you’ll ride west to 4S Ranch neighborhood where you’ll catch Black Mountain Rd to Kearney Villa Rd to reach North Park where you’ll visit Ted Williams Field in North Park Community Park. Looking out from behind homebase, you can imagine Williams as a little league player working out at batting practice to develop and refine his legendary ability.

From North Park, you’ll descend down Texas St then climb up on Ulric St to make your way back to AleSmith for our post-populaire libation and celebration.

Aside from being an accomplished athlete, Gwynn was also keenly interested in crafting his own beer. In 2007, a mutual friend brought him and the Ziens (Peter and Vicky), owners of AleSmith, together. After several tastings, Tony settled on blend which combined the hoppy kick of an IPA with a nutty richness of a pale ale. The recipe was finalized and in 2014 Tony’s beer was introduced at the Padre Brewfest as “.394”, named after near record setting 1994 batting average.

Please read our accepted proof of passage.