The sweet left-handed swing of Tony Gwynn will forever be remembered by Major League Baseball fans, as the Hall of Famer was pronounced dead at 54.
The Los Angeles, California born right fielder was a pure delight during his time with the San Diego Padres. From 1982-2001, Gwynn won eight batting titles, made 18 All-Star appearances, earned seven
Silver Slugger and five Gold Glove awards. On his first year of eligibility, Gwynn was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his distinctions on the diamond field.He was beloved by the city he played for and was dubbed “Mr. Padre” and “Captain Video” for his superhuman highlights on any given night. Since his retirement, it had been reported that he was on medical leave from his job as baseball coach at San Diego State, which was also his alma mater.
Gwynn’s fight against cancer resulted in two operations on his right cheek between August 2010 and February 2012. The second surgery was immensely serious, as surgeons had to remove a facial nerve because it was intertwined with a tumor inside his right cheek. After doing a skin graft using a nerve from Gwynn’s neck to help him regain facial movement, many thought the worst was over.
Unfortunately, the big hitting Hall of Famer, who notched more than 3,100 hits during his career, has died at age 54 following his bout with salivary gland cancer.
To commemorate his legacy, Twitter brought out their most kindest words, fondest baseball moments
, and rare baseball cards. We spotlight these heartfelt tweets for your perusal. Enjoy!What were your most fondest memories of “Mr. Padres,” Tony Gwynn? Speak on it in the comments section below.