OT--not sure which forum to put this under, but Tony Gwynn died...

[RF2044]

...at age 54.

Class act--what a shame.

 

[longtimefan]

...at age 54.

Class act--what a shame.

All those years of chewing did him in.

Fortunately, the use has decreased greatly over the past decade.

 

[MSOrange]

Wow really sad. He did seem like one of the really good guys.

That being said, never could understand how people that depend on their bodies and physical health as athletes would chew. But it's an addiction

 

[jekelish]

I never even realized he had cancer. Unbelievable.

 

[billsin01]

Dude hit .361 with 2 strikes and had 34 multi-k games ... in a 20-year career. Absolutely phenomenal.

 

[jekelish]

By the way, worth noting on this board that to this day, Gwynn still holds the game, season, and career assist records from when he played point guard at San Diego State.

 

[ebucklewis]

By the way, worth noting on this board that to this day, Gwynn still holds the game, season, and career assist records from when he played point guard at San Diego State.

yes - he went to the Aztecs as a point guard - didn't start playing baseball in college until soph year. played under Smokey Gaines..

 

[jekelish]

Jayson Stark (SU's own) just retweeted an amazing stat about Gwynn.

In his career, against Smoltz, Glavine, Maddux, and Pedro in their primes, Gwynn struck out...


THREE TIMES.

That is absolutely absurd.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Jayson Stark (SU's own) just retweeted an amazing stat about Gwynn.

In his career, against Smoltz, Glavine, Maddux, and Pedro in their primes, Gwynn struck out...


THREE TIMES.

That is absolutely absurd.

And batted something sick like .360, including over 0.400 against Maddux.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Dude hit .361 with 2 strikes and had 34 multi-k games ... in a 20-year career. Absolutely phenomenal.

Doesnt even make sense.

 

[ebucklewis]

Hit .415 with no strikeouts in 94 at-bats against Greg Maddux and .444 with one strikeout in 72 at-bats against John Smoltz. The only pitcher to strike him out more than six times was Nolan Ryan, and he still hit .302 (with nine strikeouts) in 63 at-bats against him.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/16/tony-gwynns-hall-of-fame-career-by-the-numbers/

 

[Briancuse]

Wow I forgot that he was even sick, what a shame, he went way to early. What a hitter.

 

[GFTakedown]

Maybe young kids need to think twice about dipping. MLB needs to ban the use during games completely. Never understood how they can allow it during games.

 

[LennX6]

I remember saying to my mother when Bobby Murcer died, "A big piece of my childhood died".
Hell Tony Gwynn didn't come around until I was an adult. He was the type of player I loved. Lots of RBI's on less than normal HR's. Didn't look like a ball player but he sure was. Played with the Padres when they still had those great Brown and Yellow uni's .

 

[br801]

Won four consecutive batting titles from ages 34 through 37 and hit a mere .444 with the bases loaded for his career.

His career high for strikeouts in a season was 40; now guys routinely strike out 40 times in a month.

 

[realorange]

I had a friend who always had a pinch in his lip. His dentist told him that he's worn a hole in his gum and if he kept it up he could plan on having his jawbone removed. He quit that day.

 

[rstone7727]

One of the best slap hitters of all time right along with Rod Carew imho, maybe the two best. My jaw dropped when I heard.

 

[OrangeOnions]

Another amazing stat...

He hit safely in over 75% of the games he played.