Tony Gwynn, the only player for the San Diego Padres to actually spark San Diego’s interest in the sport of Baseball has passed away at the age of 54. Tony was known to embody a combination of two of the rarest assets in professional sports – friendliness and loyalty. Known as friendly to everyone, he was an active member of the Southern California community, and could be found coaching baseball for San Diego State University, or seen in his daily life being a real human being who didn’t just swing a stick for money. Unlike the rest of the 1998 World Series Padres roster, he would stay in San Diego while many of the rest disappeared into the abyss that is Major League Baseball.
He will be missed by generations of San Diegans plagued by a history of poor local sports performances, not to mention he played sports in a city where people choose to participate in activities rather than watch them on television. People who only say negative things in life will continue to have no words to speak of Tony Gwynn, as his fame and good-standing in his community will forever stand hand in hand with his abilities as a baseball player.
Rest in peace to the Padre’s Padre, Mr. Padre himself, Tony Gwynn.
