Taken number one overall in the 1975 Amateur Draft, Gene Richards debuted two years later for the Padres with a solid rookie year, batting .290 and setting a then-rookie record for Stolen Bases (56).  

Richards kept it up for the Padres as a decent leadoff hitter, swiping more bases and batting over .300 twice, 1978 and 1980.  He would also notably lead the NL in Triples in 1981 (12), Singles in 1980 (155), and defensively led all the NL Leftfielders in Assists.

Richards bolted San Diego for San Francisco as a Free Agent in 1984, but he never performed as well for the Giants as he did as a Padre.  With San Diego, Richards batted .291 with 242 Stolen Bases.