Who was the San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler who died at 63 years old?

A man who had baseball in his veins, the Padres owner has been associated with the game for several decades and as such will be missed by both those within the franchise and those across MLB itself.

San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler has passed away

According to an announcement from the team on Tuesday, San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 63 years old. In the aforementioned statement, Padres CEO, Erik Greupner spoke of Seidler’s kindness and devotion to his family, qualities that he openly displayed throughout his time with the franchise.

“The Padres organization mourns the passing of our beloved chairman and owner, Peter Seidler,” Greupner said. “Today, our love and prayers encircle Peter’s family as they grieve the loss of an extraordinary husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. Peter was a kind and generous man who was devoted to his wife, children, and extended family. He also consistently exhibited heartfelt compassion for others, especially those less fortunate.” While no official cause of death was given, it’s worth noting that back in September, the team announced that Seidler had undergone an unspecified medical procedure during the month of August and subsequently, would not be in attendance at the ballpark for the rest of the season. It should also be said that Seidler has survived with non-Hodgkin lymphoma on two occasions. Indeed, reports also indicated that it was in fact Seidler’s family who requested that his cause of death remain private.

Remembering Peter Seidler

As mentioned above, Seidler was a baseball man through and through. As the grandson of Walter O’Malley, owner of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950 until his death in 1979, one could say it was destiny that he would follow a similar path. To that end, it came as no surprise when he headed part of a group that bought the Padres from John Moores in 2012. Following the move, Sediler went on to acquire the majority stake in the franchise from Ron Fowler in 2020. Once in charge, Seidler set off on a spending spree that would see the arrival stars such as Xander Bogaerts on a $280 million deal and Manny Machado for $350 million. Unfortunately, his efforts were not rewarded with a World Series title, however, he continued to promote the idea that owners should share i.e., use their own resources to make the team’s effort more fun for everyone.

What else did Peter Seidler do?

Once again, we’re talking about a man who was in love with the game. Aside from his role as owner of the Padres, Seidler was also the founder and managing partner of private equity fund Seidler Equity Partners and sat on MLB’s ownership and investment committees. Understandably, he had a close working relationship with the city of San Diego, organizations, and fellow business leaders which saw him make great strides in tackling the the city’s growing problem of homelessness.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred noted Seidler’s work in his community in a statement:

“I am deeply saddened by the news of Peter’s passing,” Manfred’s statement reads. “Peter grew up in a baseball family, and his love of the game was evident throughout his life. He was passionate about owning the Padres and bringing the fans of San Diego a team in which they could always take pride. Peter made sure the Padres were part of community solutions in San Diego, particularly with the homeless community. He was an enthusiastic supporter of using the Padres and Major League Baseball to bring people together and help others.”

Survived by his wife Sheel and their children, Seilder will now be the subject of an official week of grief for the San Diego Padres. It is understood that no essential business will be handled during this time, which includes the team’s search for a new manager following Bob Melvin’s departure for the San Francisco Giants where he will take on the same role.