padres

Padres is the plural form of padre, a Spanish word meaning father. In Spanish-speaking cultures it is used to refer to biological fathers and male elders, and in religious contexts it serves as a title for priests, often translated as Fathers. The term appears in everyday language as well as in place names and historical references across Latin America and the Philippines.

The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego, California. They compete in Major League Baseball as a member club of the National League West division. The franchise was founded in 1969 as an expansion team. They play home games at Petco Park, which opened in 2004 and is located near downtown San Diego. Team colors have varied over the years, with brown and gold and later orange and navy among the recent schemes. The Padres have won two National League pennants, in 1984 and 1998, and have appeared in the World Series on those occasions, losing to the Detroit Tigers in 1984 and the New York Yankees in 1998. Notable players associated with the franchise include Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, longtime closer Trevor Hoffman, and pitcher Jake Peavy.

In other contexts, the word padres can simply mean fathers in Spanish. It is also used to refer to Catholic priests, especially in Latin American and Philippine communities, where the term is applied to members of religious orders or to priests as a group, sometimes in historical or cultural discussions.