Tony Gwynn Career Hits Record
Mr. Padre: A lifetime .338 hitter and the heart of San Diego baseball.
Anthony Keith Gwynn Sr. (May 9, 1960 – June 16, 2014), nicknamed "Mr. Padre", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 20 seasons (1982–2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. He won eight batting titles, was a 15-time All-Star, and won seven Silver Slugger Awards and five Gold Glove Awards. Gwynn stayed with the Padres his entire career and played in the only two World Series appearances in San Diego franchise history. He retired with a .338 career batting average and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.
Quick Facts
- Player
- Tony Gwynn
- Franchise record
- Most Career Hits
- Batting titles
- 8
- Hall of fame induction
- 2007
- Jersey number retired
- 19
Lore & Background
Gwynn attended San Diego State University, where he played both baseball and basketball. He was selected by the Padres in the third round of the 1981 MLB draft. He made his major-league debut in 1982 and won his first batting title in 1984. Gwynn pioneered the practice of recording and studying video to improve his hitting, earning the nickname "Captain Video." He became the head baseball coach at his alma mater after retiring and was an outspoken critic of performance-enhancing drugs.
Reader's Guide
Gwynn is widely considered the greatest player in Padres history. He regularly accepted less money to remain with the small-market team and became a civic icon for San Diego. His number 19 was retired by the Padres in 2004. Gwynn died of salivary gland cancer in 2014 at age 54, which increased awareness of tobacco usage in MLB and led to a league-wide ban on the substance for new players in 2016.
Did You Know?
- Gwynn won eight batting titles, tied for the most in National League history.
- He hit over .300 for 19 straight seasons and retired with a .338 career batting average.
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