Blink-182 guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge marked the San Diego Padres’ victory on Wednesday night in a memorable fashion. He gifted catcher Kyle Higashioka his actual guitar used in the iconic music video.
A video shared on X, previously known as Twitter, featured Higashioka in the locker room the morning after the Padres triumphed over the Braves with a score of 4-0. An unidentified voice informed the catcher that DeLonge had attended the game and witnessed him hit a home run.
In acknowledgment of the home run and the Padres’ success, DeLonge left Higashioka with the guitar from the “All the Small Things” music video.
Interestingly, Higashioka had recently learned how to play the intro to that very song, which he demonstrated in another area of the Padres’ facility.
Tom Delonge of Blink-182 gifted Padres catcher Kyle Higashioka the guitar from the ‘All The Small Things’ music video.
Higgy homered in his first at bat tonight pic.twitter.com/3DzWqqh45F
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) October 3, 2024
Shortly after receiving the guitar from DeLonge, Higashioka excelled in the game, hitting another home run in his first at-bat. The Padres secured a 5-4 victory over the Braves, marking their advancement to 2-0 in the series.
This win propelled the Southern California franchise into the next round of the playoffs, setting them up for a series against their rivals, the Dodgers.
DeLonge, a native of Southern California and a devoted Padres supporter, has frequently attended games and expressed his enthusiasm for the MLB team across his social media platforms.
He even shared a video on social media showing him in the stands as “All the Small Things” played over the PA system.
Tom DeLonge throws out the first pitch before last night’s big @Padres win at Petco Park 👽⚾️ pic.twitter.com/qoYCzTKiTU
— blink-182 Italia (@blink182italia) October 2, 2024
This passion for the Padres led to a notable October moment for DeLonge, as he threw the first pitch at the series opener against the Braves.
That set the tone for the Padres’ 4-0 victory, and just a day later, the team continued their winning streak to sweep the series.
In addition to DeLonge, other prominent figures also contributed to the excitement of Game 2. Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk threw the first pitch ahead of the game on Wednesday.
