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SAN DIEGO -- Charlie Hamilton, the Boston Red Sox fan who's cycling to every major league ballpark this summer to raise money for cancer research, reached No. 7 on his list Monday when he rolled into Petco Park.
Hamilton had been in San Diego for a few days, but the Padres were on the road. They returned Monday to host the Colorado Rockies.
"I took the tour a couple of days ago," Hamilton said. "It's pretty nice. The thing that struck me is that I've taken the tour at Fenway and the guy's going, 'This is where Ted Williams hit his final home run.' Here, there's no history yet."
Petco Park opened on April 8, and the Padres played just their 23rd game here Monday night.
"It's a nice facility," Hamilton said. "It kind of reminds me, just the way it's built, of the park in Houston. It's one of the smaller new parks."
Hamilton has cycled 3,772 miles so far. His trip, which started at Atlanta's Turner Field and will end at Fenway Park, is scheduled for 11,000 miles.
He hopes to net $125,000 for the Jimmy Fund, which raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. So far, he's raised only $5,0000.
Hamilton said he's had several flat tires, and was slowed by hills and headwinds in New Mexico and Arizona, which made it tough to keep to his 80-mile-a-day schedule.
"Some days you just don't have it," he said.
He said the highlight has been the generosity of strangers offering help or a place to stay for the night. In San Diego, the manager of a downtown hotel let him stay for free for four nights.
"It's really been pretty touching and changed my attitude about people quite a bit," he said.
Hamilton plans to visit Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Tuesday -- when the Angels play the Red Sox -- and Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.
His trip is scheduled to end on Sept. 26 at Fenway Park for Boston's final home game, against the New York Yankees.
Hamilton had been in San Diego for a few days, but the Padres were on the road. They returned Monday to host the Colorado Rockies.
"I took the tour a couple of days ago," Hamilton said. "It's pretty nice. The thing that struck me is that I've taken the tour at Fenway and the guy's going, 'This is where Ted Williams hit his final home run.' Here, there's no history yet."
Petco Park opened on April 8, and the Padres played just their 23rd game here Monday night.
"It's a nice facility," Hamilton said. "It kind of reminds me, just the way it's built, of the park in Houston. It's one of the smaller new parks."
Hamilton has cycled 3,772 miles so far. His trip, which started at Atlanta's Turner Field and will end at Fenway Park, is scheduled for 11,000 miles.
He hopes to net $125,000 for the Jimmy Fund, which raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. So far, he's raised only $5,0000.
Hamilton said he's had several flat tires, and was slowed by hills and headwinds in New Mexico and Arizona, which made it tough to keep to his 80-mile-a-day schedule.
"Some days you just don't have it," he said.
He said the highlight has been the generosity of strangers offering help or a place to stay for the night. In San Diego, the manager of a downtown hotel let him stay for free for four nights.
"It's really been pretty touching and changed my attitude about people quite a bit," he said.
Hamilton plans to visit Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Tuesday -- when the Angels play the Red Sox -- and Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.
His trip is scheduled to end on Sept. 26 at Fenway Park for Boston's final home game, against the New York Yankees.
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