The original mural, painted along University Avenue before the start of last season, featured the rallying cry "LFGSD" (Let's F'n Go, San Diego!) in neon lettering, alongside a hand pointing to the sky - a tribute to Manny Machado's signature home run celebration. The mural was defaced with graffiti with the word "Dodgers" and hearts in the Los Angeles team's colors and has since been covered up, leaving a blank green wall in its place.
With a new business, Replay Toys, moving into the space, restoration of the artwork is not an option. The original piece was fully funded by the North Park Main Street Group, but the organization does not currently have the budget to commission a new Padres-inspired mural.
To bring a new piece of public art to the neighborhood, local Padres fans launched a with a goal of raising $5,000. The funds will go toward commissioning artists Chris Konecki and Carly Ealy, who created the original mural, to paint an even larger and more impactful tribute to the Padres. More than $2,000 has already been raised toward the effort.
The new mural is planned for another location along University Avenue, with Konecki collaborating with a local photographer to recreate a memorable Padres playoff moment. The project is expected to be completed in time for Opening Day on March 27.
Padres murals have become a common sight throughout San Diego, many of them celebrating key moments and players in the franchise’s history. Existing works honor legends like Tony Gwynn in City Heights, Trevor Hoffman in Encinitas, and Joe Musgrove in Little Italy and at Grossmont High School. Others commemorate the team's dramatic 2022 playoff run, including a mural in Chula Vista that depicts the that became a good luck charm during the National League Division Series against the Dodgers.
As the fundraising campaign continues, North Park residents and Padres fans alike are uniting to ensure that a new Friar Faithful mural rises in place of the one that was lost.
Originally published on February 19, 2025. Photo byÌýMarco Cazares.
