Padres pitchers surprised Emerson Elementary students with free books and visited senior living residents during Friday’s community tour before Saturday’s FanFest.

SAN DIEGO — Emerson Elementary students thought they were gathering for a routine Scholastic Book Fair assembly on Friday morning. Instead, they got the surprise of a lifetime.

San Diego Padres pitchers Joe Musgrove, Jason Adam, Mason Miller, Nick Pivetta, Michael King, Yuki Matsui and Ty Adcock walked into the room, ready to read stories and meet with students as part of the team’s citywide community tour ahead of Saturday’s FanFest.

But the real home run came when fourth and fifth-graders shopped with the players for three books each, all donated by the Padres Foundation.

“The Scholastic Book Fair was one of our favorite things as kids,” Musgrove said.

Paul, one of the students who met the Padres pitchers, was so overwhelmed with emotion that he needed a moment to catch his breath.

“I was the same kid in tears when a professional athlete came to my school,” Musgrove said. “It’s nice to experience that joy from a different perspective.”

As students flipped through baseball encyclopedias, joke books and dinosaur stories, Musgrove emphasized the importance of reading.

“Especially nowadays with social media, getting into a book every now and again is good for you,” he said.

Padres pitcher Jason Adam was impressed that some students were already reading at an eighth-grade level.

For new relief pitcher Ty Adcock, it was his first community event as a Padre. He recalled reading Percy Jackson books as a kid.

“You can take away all your material stuff, but knowledge and the ability to educate yourself will take you further in life,” Adcock said.

For students like Paul, who plays baseball himself, the experience was more than just meeting famous athletes; it was about building connections.

“This is crazy for me,” Paul said.


From kids to seniors

Later Friday, the players visited Merrill Gardens, a senior living community in Bankers Hill.

Residents thought they were filming a Padres fan video. When the players walked in, the shock and excitement on their faces was immediate.

“I felt like I was either going to faint or pee,” Barbara Allen said with a laugh.

The 89-year-old fans shared stories of following the team since the Friars played at Lane Field decades ago.

Padres fan, Harry Cozad, told Musgrove, “You’re gonna win at least 15 to 20 games this year.” 

Musgrove replied, “That’s what we need.”

The community tour featured multiple routes throughout San Diego, with CBS 8 following the pitchers’ stops.

FanFest takes place Saturday at Petco Park starting at 10 a.m. Click here to claim your free ticket.