How “Beat LA” became entrenched in the Dodgers-Padres rivalry

The other day I went into the Dodgers team store and asked if I could purchase “Beat SD” merchandise. Of course not.

On Monday I went to the San Diego Padres team store. I didn't have to ask if I could buy Beat LA merch.

The rack of “Beat LA” shirts stared at me as soon as I walked into the store. There are no other words on the shirt: nothing about San Diego or the Padres. It's a rallying cry at Petco Park, but also a civic mission statement.

The San Diego Padres sell “Beat LA” t-shirts in their team shop.

(Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times)

Above the rack of “Beat LA” shirts: more shirts that say “SD > LA.”

Each shirt costs $49. The Padres host the Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday. In the hours before the game, a team store employee said the jerseys were selling well.

“Like takeout,” she said.

The “Beat LA” chants will be heard all night long, and they will be deafening. But it's a testament to the Padres' inconsistent and underperforming history that four people with ties to the team couldn't agree when “Beat LA” became a big deal.

“I think this is more of a new thing,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who grew up in San Diego County. “I don’t think there was anything like this when I was growing up watching Tony Gwynn.”

Tony Gwynn's son, Padres broadcaster Tony Gwynn Jr., said, “It was one thing, but we didn't get a chance to use it much during that time.”

Gwynn Jr. said he remembers the chants of “Beat LA” when the Padres beat the Dodgers by one game in the 1996 NL West championship.

“Other than that, as far as I could tell, it was really Lakers-Celtics,” he said.

“I don’t think at that point the Padres had established themselves to the point where fans felt comfortable enough going that route. A lot of times it was my dad: people came to see him do his thing against the Dodgers, who he had great success against.”

Steve Garvey, one of the Dodgers' most valuable players, said he remembers chants of “Beat LA” when he played for the Padres from 1983 to 1987. At the time, he said, the Dodgers were more of a national attraction like the New York Yankees, rather than a true rival.

“It has always been a way for the Padres to encourage engagement from the team and the fans,” Garvey said. “Well, this stadium rocks. It’s as loud as anywhere.”

San Diego pitcher Joe Musgrove grew up attending Padres games in the 2000s.

“I was one of those kids chanting it back then,” Musgrove said. “I don’t think there was as much passion back then as there is now, but it’s always been a rivalry.

“If you’re from San Diego, you shouldn’t like Dodger blue as a kid.”

A jersey for sale at the Padres team store prior to the 2024 NLDS against the Dodgers.

(Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times)

The Padres sold a record 3.3 million tickets this year en route to their third postseason appearance in five years. The 1969-born team didn't even sell 2.3 million until 1998, when the Padres made their third postseason appearance in their three decades.

“When I was a kid and even older than me — actually until I got into pro ball — it was the Dodgers, all the time,” Musgrove said. “They had beaten us down for years. At one point it was a rivalry, and then it got to the point where it felt like San Diego was just holding on to something that wasn’t there.”

When the Padres eliminated the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card round last week and advanced to the NLDS against the Dodgers, Petco Park's scoreboard flashed “BEAT LA” before all the Braves had retired to their clubhouse.

Former Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer tweeted: “Padre fans, honest question. Didn’t we finish the #BeatLA chants?”

The San Diego fans love the chants. Baseball is about the fans. The singing remains.

But Hosmer brings up an interesting thought: When the Padres were terrible, a win against LA could improve their season. That shouldn't be the case anymore.

“I think he’s on to something,” said Gwynn Jr. “That doesn’t change the fact that it’s become a more heated rivalry because the Padres have gotten better. But from an organizational perspective, that's always the goal, right? Win a World Series?

“If you want to be mentioned in the same breath as the Dodgers, the Phillies, the Yankees, you actually have to win the title.”

Roberts said: “That’s the whole thing. That's the great thing about rivalries. Even in college football, whether we beat Ohio State, beat Michigan, or beat SC or UCLA is all that matters.

“That shouldn’t be all that matters, should it? It should be about winning the most games. But it’s still fun.”

Musgrove said there is a purpose behind those two words and all the decibels they bring.

“The last couple of years, the path to the World Series has been through these guys,” he said. “Until we can start taking over the division and running the show as far as the division is set, we know this is a team we have to beat consistently.

“We played them a lot better this year. We played hard against them in this series. We have a good chance of winning this thing at home. So we’re excited.”

Padres fans will be cheering on Tuesday. The team will distribute rally towels. What upset me a bit is that the towels don't say “Beat LA.”