Tony Gwynn passes

One of my absolute favorites growing up. He was pure class.

RIP, Gwynn. Kids, take this as a sign that you shouldn't dip.

Giant Moose wrote:RIP, Gwynn. Kids, take this as a sign that you shouldn't dip.

"Gwynn has had three procedures to remove noncancerous growths from his parotid gland since 1997. In 2010, Gwynn was diagnosed with cancer of a salivary gland and had both lymph nodes removed.[120][121] Gwynn attributed his cancer to the dipping tobacco habit that he had since playing rookie ball in Walla Walla in 1981.[122]

After his playing career ended, Gwynn's weight peaked at 330 pounds (150 kg), and he underwent adjustable gastric banding surgery in 2009 in an attempt to lose weight. He did not closely adhere to the diet, and his weight loss began to stall. His weight problem led to a slipped disc in his back that affected a nerve down his leg in 2010. He needed a walker before he had the damaged disc removed to cure the pain while walking. Later, he experienced a loss of taste for food during radiation therapy for his cancer, and he lost 80 pounds (36 kg) while being limited to a liquid diet. He regained 80 pounds (36 kg) after he resumed eating solid foods.[123] Gwynn died on June 16, 2014 after battling cancer of a salivary gland. He was 54 years old.[124]"

Sounds like a rough end, RIP Tony Gwynn.

That sucks. Great hitter. Even better person.

"Roger Angell in The New Yorker, May 2, 1988: "At times, Gwynn seemed almost apologetic when he talked about his hitting; he sounded like a man with an inherited fortune—the great gift was there, all right, but perhaps it was not quite deserved—who preferred to dwell on some bit of work he was paid to do." Earlier in the piece, Angell wrote that Gwynn seemed "congenitally incapable of a frown.""



Pure class.

Watched him later in his Career in SD while I was in the service. They had him in RF. Mofo could still hit though.

Wow, did not know of his health issues.
Another clear example of the fact, Cancer Sucks.

"Tony Gwynn dominated Greg Maddux in 107 PAs: .415/.476/.521 and he NEVER K'd against him."

Rocinante wrote:Watched him later in his Career in SD while I was in the service.  They had him in RF.  Mofo could still hit though.

After his first 2 years when he played all 3 outfield positions, he played RF for the rest of his career.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/batter_vs_pitcher.cgi?batter=gwynnto01#gotresults&batter=gwynnto01&min_year_game=1982&max_year_game=2001&post=1&opp_id=&throws=any&opponent_status=&c1criteria=PA&c1gtlt=gt&c1val=25&c2criteria=&c2gtlt=eq&c2val=0&orderby=onbase_plus_slugging&orderby_dir=desc&orderby_second=Name&orderby_dir_second=desc&ajax=1&submitter=1&z=1

steveschneider wrote:"Tony Gwynn dominated Greg Maddux in 107 PAs: .415/.476/.521 and he NEVER K'd against him."

Wow that is an incredible stat.

Punisher98 wrote:

Wow that is an incredible stat.

He dominated Smoltz and Glavine too.

This is the best write up I've found on him.

https://sports.vice.com/article/the-humility-of-tony-gwynn

He played the game the right way.

My favorite Tony Gwynn quote when an SI reporter asked him about his weight:

"You don't see skinny guys hitting like me".

Gwynn was San Diego's hitting machine from the day he shows up at Sand Diego State.

He was a great hitter. Maybe the most well known dipper in the big leagues.

FS1 put together a video to remember TG. Man that guy was just a great guy, and a great player. The world is a little darker today without him..............

He had 434 K's........IN 9,288 AT BATS!!! Just amazing. Great player and from all accounts even a greater person.

The creepy fact of the day. Tony Gwynn had one 3 K game his entire career. All 3 K's were by the also recently deceased Bob Welch.

[url= http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/lad/video/v33778113/?partnerId=as_lad_20140617_26120366] http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/lad/video/v33778113/?partnerId=as_lad_20140617_26120366[/url]

Vin Scully remembering Tony Gwynn.

Notorious GiB wrote:He had 434 K's........IN 9,288 AT BATS!!!  Just amazing.  Great player and from all accounts even a greater person.

The creepy fact of the day. Tony Gwynn had one 3 K game his entire career. All 3 K's were by the also recently deceased Bob Welch.

Avila gets 434 K's in a three-game series

Reading more about Gwynn yesterday and today, it surprised me to learn of the whole Jack Clark situation out in San Diego.

Wow, what an asswipe Clark was (and still is). Pretty much got the entire team to turn on Gwynn, constantly ripping the guy in the papers and to other teammates. Clark of course a few years later files bankruptcy cause his dumbass couldn't stop spending money on cars.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v33770083/?source=MLB&c_id=mlb&tcid=facebook_embedded_player

Tony Gwynn walking through some of his battles with pitchers and his preparation. He left little to chance.

Also, this stat is mind blowing.

"Highest Batting Average With Two Strikes, career, min. 1000 PAs:

1. Tony Gwynn, .302
2. Wade Boggs, .262
3. Todd Helton, .262
4. Juan Pierre, .262
5. Luis Polonia, .261
6. Ichiro Suzuki, .260
7. Joe Mauer, .257
8. Albert Pujols, .257

steveschneider wrote:http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v33770083/?source=MLB&c_id=mlb&tcid=facebook_embedded_player

Tony Gwynn walking through some of his battles with pitchers and his preparation. He left little to chance.

Also, this stat is mind blowing.

"Highest Batting Average With Two Strikes, career, min. 1000 PAs:

1. Tony Gwynn, .302
2. Wade Boggs, .262
3. Todd Helton, .262
4. Juan Pierre, .262
5. Luis Polonia, .261
6. Ichiro Suzuki, .260
7. Joe Mauer, .257
8. Albert Pujols, .257

That's weird. I would've thought Tom Veryzer and Aurelio Rodriguez would've been way up there.
/sarcasm

http://deadspin.com/i-was-tony-gwynns-bat-boy-1592123043?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Tony Gwynn remembered by the San Diego Padres bat boy.