50-year-old rock star tears up at MLB playoff game — only Millennials will understand

Watching. Waiting. Commiserating.

That's what Blink-182 singer and guitarist Tom DeLonge was doing alongside thousands of his fellow San Diego Padres fans Tuesday night, as the team fought to keep its postseason hopes alive.

'Can't imagine the feeling.'

Some crying in baseball

The Padres were leading the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Having lost the first two games, San Diego needed a win to avoid elimination.

That's when "All the Small Things," Blink-182's 1999 hit, came blasting through the speakers at Petco Park.

It has become a tradition at Padres home games whenever the team leads heading into the bottom of the eighth. Thousands of fans sing along, and Tuesday night was no exception.

But this time, the cameras found DeLonge himself in the stadium. The singer and guitarist appeared to tear up as the crowd sang his song. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought. Then he joined in, waving a rally towel and singing into the camera.

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Hometown heroes

"What a cool moment here in San Diego," one of the announcers remarked.

"Blink-182, especially for those of us of a certain age, we all know they have an extensive, very impressive catalog of late '90s and 2000s pop-punk music," he continued. "But to be in the ballpark when 43,000-plus are singing one of your biggest hits to you — can't imagine the feeling."

DeLonge grew up in Poway, just outside San Diego, where Blink-182 formed in 1992. He's been a devoted Padres fan ever since, with the band's rise to fame coinciding with one of the most successful periods in the team's history.

In 1998, the Padres won the National League pennant and reached the World Series for only the second time. Unfortunately, they ran into the New York Yankees, who swept them in four games.

The following year, Blink-182 released its breakthrough album, "Enema of the State," featuring "What's My Age Again?," "Adam's Song," and "All the Small Things." The album sold millions of copies and helped make the band one of the biggest names in pop-punk.

While Blink-182 went on to fill arenas around the world, the Padres struggled to repeat their 1998 success.

They didn't return to the postseason until 2005 and then endured another drought after 2006, finally making the playoffs again in 2020. They reached the National League Championship Series in 2022, losing to Philadelphia, but haven't been back to the World Series since 1998.

The team has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, reaching the playoffs five times in seven seasons, although that elusive first World Series championship remains out of reach.

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Longtime fan

DeLonge has been there for the ups and downs. He's a frequent visitor to Petco Park and has even recorded himself reacting in disbelief as the crowd sang his band's biggest hit.

In a 2023 interview, DeLonge described what the tradition meant to him.

"It's magical," he told reporters. "It's an honor. ... I'm a massive Padres fan."

DeLonge went so far as to suggest he was probably the team's number one fan, although he did have some "comments" about which Blink-182 songs should be played at sporting events.

Tuesday night offered a pretty strong argument for sticking with this one. The Padres held on to beat Milwaukee 4-3, forcing a fourth game in the series tonight.

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