(May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014)
Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn passed away this morning at the age of 54. He played his entire career with the San Diego Padres, retiring in 2001 with a .338 batting average and 3141 hits. Gwynn sailed into the Hall of Fame in 2007 with a 97.6% of the vote, the seventh-highest percentage ever. He led the league in hitting eight times, hits and singles seven times, and was selected to fifteen All-Star games. In two World Series, he batted .371. After his playing career, Gwynn became the head coach for the San Diego State Aztecs baseball team.
I’m a little dumbfounded by Gwynn’s death. I watched him play. I rooted for him. He was an enjoyable player and a fan favorite, regardless of your team affiliation. He smiled a lot, hit a lot, and there was little reason not to like him—no scandals, no attitude problems. Tony Gwynn was a fine athlete, and from all accounts a classy person.
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