Tony Gwynn (1982-2001)
There may not be another player as synonymous with his team as Tony Gwynn was with the San Diego Padres.
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Gwynn, in a lot of ways, was the home town kid made good. Born in Los Angeles, he went to San Diego State University before being drafted in third round in 1981. He quickly rose through the system, reaching the majors the next year. It did not take long for Gwynn to prove he was ready.
An eight time batting champion, Gwynn is remembered for his abbreviated run at .400. He was hitting .394, and on a hot streak, when the player’s strike ended the 1994 campaign, and possibly taking away his chance at history. It was the closest anyone had come since Ted Williams in 1941, an impressive feat with the bat.
An eight time batting champion, Gwynn led the league in hits seven times, and had five seasons with 200 or more base hits. He was a 15 time All Star, and won seven Silver Slugger awards. He produced an excellent .338/.388/.459 batting line, hitting 135 homers and 543 doubles. Gwynn had a lot of speed in his younger days, stealing 319 bases. He was also nearly impossible to strike out, with just 434 strikeouts in 10,232 plate appearances.
Tony Gwynn was one of the best pure hitters of his time. He was also the greatest player to wear a San Diego Padres uniform.