Frank Hermansen knows baseball. After all, as a pitcher for the Birmingham Barons a line drive knocked him out cold, and he woke up in a hospital with his jaw wired shut.
On Thursday, Hermansen and his wife, Eileen, had no problem expressing their love of the game and the San Diego Padres on Opening Day 2025.
They were among more than 45,500 fans — a record for Opening Day — who streamed into the downtown stadium to watch the home team beat the Atlanta Braves 7-4.
Standing in line outside Petco Park, Hermansen, 77, spoke about Day 1: “For me it’s the smell of the grass being cut, spring training, and just getting active again.”
He added, “Watching the kids (young ballplayers) hurts me because I realize one of us has gotten old.”
Opening Day “is the start,” Hermansen said. “Everybody is filled with anticipation, hoping that good things are going to happen. You see the crowds are usually really into it more in the beginning.”
But as a former pitcher, he has some worries about the Friars.
“I think pitching is going to be a problem, and that’s my concern, you know. It’s tough to beat the Dodgers. They spend so much money, you know. We’ll see.”
Season ticket holders at Qualcomm and now at Petco Park, the Hermansens arrived at the gate early. Eileen said, “We love it. Opening Day is my favorite day of all — the excitement and it’s just ready to go.”
She also is looking around the corner to Monday’s game and the Jackson Merrill bobblehead giveaway. This new iteration will fit well onto her dining room wall of bobbleheads.
The “Snellzilla” is one of her favorites.
Meanwhile, her husband recalled Opening Day 1962 — ands attending the first game ever of the New York Mets.
Hermansen signed right out of high school at 17 to play minor leagues for three years for the Barons and one for the Durham Bulls before being sent to the Baltimore Orioles.
But a high school football injury and repetitive pitching that worsened his shoulder led to his failing the physical.
Moving from New York to Alabama was an “eye opener — let me tell you,” he said, recalling double headers on Sundays wearing flannel uniforms and riding buses sans air conditioning.
He appreciates how tough it is to play in the big leagues. So many games, coming back day after day, jumping on a plane. the Vista resident said, adding: “Flying to another city, maybe you get a day off and then it really wears and tears on your body.”
Hermansen first wanted to be a basketball player, but despite his ability to “jam a basketball,” said he wasn’t tall enough.
“But I had a live fastball, and at that point back then, three pitches were enough: good curve, screwball and a fastball — and mine rose, and I got lucky. The Torre Brothers, Joe and Frank Torre, had an investment in what was the traveling team at that point in time.”
He said he pitched two one-hitters.
Thursday at Petco Park — a sunny, mid-60 degree day — he said: “It’s the start of a whole new year and again we get to come happy,” the former ballplayer said.
John Robinson of Chula Vista, first in line at the Home Plate Gate, also played high school ball.
“It’s a great experience for me and the boys — come out with my family and be able to watch the Padres play.”
Robinson arrived early, wanting to get in on the pageantry, he said. He has been a partial season ticket holder for six years.
Day 1 “just means the excitement of baseball being back in San Diego and being downtown with lots of fans that are like-minded and want to see the game.”
His favorite player is Jackson Merrill.
Baseball has always been part of his life, but an injury canceled his college career.
Born and raised in Massachusetts, he was eager to try the new lobster roll sandwich at the concessions.
Robinson, who once had dreams of making it to the big leagues, said his hopes for a good Padres season are high and expects they can make it to the wildcard playoffs.
“Let’s hope we exceed my expectations,” Robinson said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
