The punk rocker was fans’ thrill when he opened his home team’s Wild Card game Wednesday night against Atlanta.
San Diego – Petco Park was watching, waiting, on Tuesday evening for Blink-182 frontman Tom DeLonge to throw out the first pitch of the Padres’ 4-0 Wild Card win over the Atlanta Braves. As the Poway native and lifelong Padres fan prepared to take the mound, the crowd erupted into an enthusiastic rendition of “All the Small Things,” which has become Blink-182’s signature song.
DeLonge, 48, grew up in San Diego County where he formed Blink-182 with Mark Hoppus and Scott Raynor while attending Rancho Bernardo High School. In 1994, San Diego-based punk label Cargo Records signed the band to their first record deal and produced their debut album, Cheshire Cat.
But it would be 1999’s Enema of the State that served as the group’s one lift to stardom. Widely considered their best trip into the mainstream punk-rock market, the album included such singles as “What’s my Age Again?”, “Adam’s Song,” and what would become their biggest hit, “All the Small Things.” Despite breaking up and reforming more than once over the years, Blink-182 continues to tour and release new music, including their latest album One More Time… from 2023. Concerts typically close with “All the Small Things.”
In the first of two late night match-ups against the Braves, fans were delighted to see DeLonge come home to open the game. Petco Park sang along as “All the Small Things” was pumped through the loudspeakers, with the crowd filling in the lyrics when invited by the music cutting.
After the song concluded, DeLonge demonstrated true care in throwing out the first pitch, which flew high and long as if blown by a little windmill. Nonetheless, DeLonge kept his head still and joined the crowd for the high-stakes contest.
There would be no need for commiserating. No doubt invigorated by DeLonge’s opening pitch and the crowd’s reception, the Padres turned the lights off on the Braves and carried it home 4-0. They went on to win the second Wild Card game 5-4 the following night.
The Padres now face the LA Dodgers in the best-of-five National League Division Series. However the series turns out, home game surprises like this let fans know they care.
