Tom Pringle (@PadresUK) is a humble dude. He describes himself as a “failed footballer,” and when I asked him to be profiled here, he tried to steer me towards other UK fans, all very worthy in their own right.

But I insisted on Tom for this article because he has endeared himself to the #PadresTwitter community.

Plus, let’s be real. We have Tom to thank for the season Tatis Jr. is having.

This encounter took place when Tom traveled to Arizona in February for Spring Training.

It was also during this trip that Tom asked #PadresTwitter for help in finding good Mexican food in Peoria.

As expected, we gave Tom far more advice than was practical but he did end up loving fish tacos. He also says he’s a “beer guy” and enjoys raising a pint of “Old Hooky” from a local craft brewery.

So, how did a bloke from Tamworth, a borough in Staffordshire, England, become a baseball fan?

My love of all things Americana probably started, I suppose, back in the late 80s when my uncle used to bring me VHS tapes of NFL highlights and Simpsons episodes he had recorded on cable.

I picked the Red Sox as my baseball team [in the late 1990s] and didn’t think anything of it.

It was only when I woke up way too early one October morning [in 2013] and saw baseball on the TV, that I started to watch and take note. It was the World Series and “my team,” the Red Sox, were playing.

Tom began podcasting about baseball with John McGee (@batflips_nerds). He had previously visited San Diego in 2010 and fell in love with the city while watching a Padres game from the Marriott’s Sky Lounge bar. He declared his allegiance to the Padres during the 2018 season, while also regarding himself as an all-around baseball fan.

However, if it ever came down to a WS featuring the Red Sox and Padres, make no mistake, I’m wearing brown.

Tom achieved #PadresTwitter legend status during MLB’s #LondonSeries in June.

That evening I get hammered from some corners of Twitter for not having a Sharpie when Ken was signing my tee.

The next day I got a Sharpie and went on the hunt for Ken.

He managed to track Ken down again. Ken graciously re-signed Tom’s shirt with a Sharpie – amused by Tom’s story of having been mercilessly “berated by a bunch of people on Twitter.”

Tom has made many great connections on #PadresTwitter, including with @lezlieleefrench who regularly sends postcards to him commemorating moments of the season as well as giveaways for his two young children.

Lezlie is the absolute best. I can’t thank her enough. I’m going to be passing on some of my bobbleheads she’s so kindly sent me to other Padres fans here in the UK, so they can enjoy them too! The world needs more Lezlie’s.

Tom admits that his “final score Gif game” is seriously lacking due, in part, to the time zone difference.

However, his Tatis Jr. tweets are always on point.

We’re looking forward to showing you a bloody good time at a Petco meetup someday, Tom. And, meanwhile, we’re chuffed to bits that you’re part of #PadresTwitter!