If Peter Seidler had never bought the Padres and turned them into a relevant franchise, he would still have had a seismic impact on San Diego. Seidler worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others in his adopted hometown. For those efforts, on Thursday the San Diego Rotary Club named him Mr. San Diego.
Many people were considered. Many people were deserving. But when the Selection Committee got together to consider candidates?
"There was really no debate. There was really no discussion. Peter was the overwhelming choice, not just because of all the things he did with his treasure, but what he did because of his time and his talent," says Dave Oates, former San Diego Rotary Club President.
We know what Seidler did for the Padres organization, pouring millions of dollars into the team to make it competitive and Petco Park to make it one of the best stadiums in America. What he did away from the field, however, was truly amazing.
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"He launched the Tuesday Group where, every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m., folks would gather to talk about how we can best impact what's going on with the homelessness crisis in San Diego County," says Michael Brunker, himself the 2019 Mr. San Diego.
Seidler was known for walking around neighborhoods talking to people without homes trying to figure out what they needed and how the issue could be addressed. He helped start the Lucky Duck Foundation, dedicated to figuring out a solution.
The Mr./Ms./Mrs. San Diego Award is one of the most prestigious honors a San Diegan can earn. It was first handed out in 1952. This is the first time it has been awarded posthumously, although Seidler did know about it before his passing. Now, the work he started is being carried out by a group of people he inspired.
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"You'll hear a lot of people talk about, '"'We're going to continue doing your work and make things happen again,' but then it disappears," says Brunker. "But he was the kind of guy who left you with the impression that you must do the work. And so there's so much work to be done. He always reminded us of it. The job is not over. Peter wasn't finished by no means, and his death was certainly not the end of Peter Seidler, because his legacy is going to live on to all of us that knew him and will continue that legacy into perpetuity."
Seidler helped the Jackie Robinson YMCA open a brand new athletic field and worked with the Monarch School in San Diego, helping unhoused children with their educations. He was also a founding member of the Stand Up to Cancer Legacy Endowment Circle dedicated to fight the disease that, sadly, took his life.
For Seidler's family, this is a day to celebrate a man who always had a smile, and tried to leave one with everyone he came across.
"It's a recognition of how much he loved San Diego and how much San Diego loved him back," says his younger brother Tom Seidler. "We're honored to celebrate him today and be in the company of a lot of good people. He was inspiring when he was with us and he still inspires us today. We feel his presence and I think that helps us, knowing he's with us in spirit."
Perhaps the best way to describe the way Peter felt about people came from his wife Sheel, who knew him better than anyone. She was around on many of the phone calls and offered a bit of insight to the soul of the man:
"I still talk to Peter. I don't know what anyone thinks about that, but it works for me. I asked him, what should I tell everyone Honey? And I think one observation I have of how he did business is: you can always afford to be kind, no matter what conversation you have been having or who it's with."
A wonderful lesson from a wonderful human being. To help carry on Seidler's legacy, you can learn more about the Lucky Duck Foundation here and the Monarch School here.
