San Diego Padres: Remembering Tony Gwynn

Today, the late San Diego Padres legend Tony Gwynn would have been 56 years old. Let us take a look back at his incredible career.

Tony Gwynn was a legend in San Diego even before he put on a Padres uniform. A two sport star at San Diego State University, Gwynn still holds several Aztecs records for assists, and was twice named to the All-WAC Second Team. However, it was in baseball where Gwynn became a star, despite not receiving any scholarship offers for that sport.

Drafted by the San Diego Padres in the third round in 1981, Gwynn made his major league debut the following year. Hampered by a wrist injury in 1983, Gwynn blossomed into a star the following season, making his first All-Star team and winning the Silver Slugger award while finishing third in the MVP vote.

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That set Gwynn’s career in motion. When he retired in 2001, Gwynn had recorded a stellar .338/.388/.459 batting line with 3141 hits, 543 doubles and 319 steals. His impressive batting eye not only led him to be able to put the ball seemingly wherever he wanted during his prime, but also helped him to strike out only 434 times during his career.

Not only was Gwynn one of the greatest hitters in baseball, but he was arguably in the top three after World War Two. He has the highest batting average in the Expansion Era, and is the only player since that time to hit .350 or higher in five consecutive seasons, while batting .300 or better in every season aside from his rookie year. He won eight batting titles, a mark only surpassed by Ty Cobb. The greatest player in Padres history, it is easy to understand why he will always be associated with the ball club.

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Unfortunately, Gwynn succumbed to complications from cancer almost two years ago. However, he left behind a legacy that not only included his excellence on the diamond, but his infectious smile and love of the game.