R.I.P. Tony Gwynn

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by Rumble On Rose

That team was great because there were so many memorable individuals. Dave Dravecky, Goose, Kevin McReynolds, Craig Nettles, Terry Kennedy... the list goes on and on. That was a great summer to live in San Diego! I think my cub busters shirt disintegrated at some point.

Carmelo Martinez and Gary Templeton. It was really the only time the Padres bought their talent like the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels and Dodgers do now.

Too bad the Padres ran into buzz saws when it came to the World Series they played in. Both Detroit and New York won more games in 84 and 98 then any other team during those decades.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by otterprods

Yeah I still remember their whole lineup by name too… even the backup catcher who happened to be one Bruce Bochy. But for some reason, I recall very few of their pitchers besides Goose of course (and not just because he's my virtual neighbor now). I remember Eric Show and Ed Whitson, but that's all without looking it up and that may have been from the following year anyways.

Ar any rate, it's pretty undeniable that Garvey was the biggest media star that fall if only due to his big HR in the pennant series (and because he looked like superman). And Wiggins was the biggest sensation, mostly due to his base stealing and excellent leadoff placement, but that was short lived when he went awol in 1985 (or was it '86?). Gwynn was already shaping up as a great hitter in the #3 spot by then, but he didn't really stand out until a little later when it became pretty clear that the hits weren't going to stop any time soon.

I'm always telling my wife if I could be transported one point in time, it would be the summer of '84 to relive my days as a teenager in Coronado with few cares besides how good the waves were and where the padres were in the standings each day.

Fixed.

I was in 8th grade when this all unfolded. It was very exciting.

[otterprods]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

Fixed. I was in 8th grade when this all unfolded. It was very exciting.

Yes, catcher (typo). Me too, 8th grade in '84. My folks called in to a radio show and won the chance to buy a pair of tickets to each game of the pennant and world series, which they sized. I got to go to a couple of them. That was basically when I became a baseball fan for life.

[hitman619]

Originally Posted by otterprods

Yes, catcher (typo). Me too, 8th grade in '84. My folks called in to a radio show and won the chance to buy a pair of tickets to each game of the pennant and world series, which they sized. I got to go to a couple of them. That was basically when I became a baseball fan for life.

Tickets were virtually impossible to get for the cub series and for tiger series.
I remember Our Vice principal won world series tickets from KGB.

[Timmyy]

Another good article: I Was Tony Gwynn's Bat Boy

[Rumble On Rose]

Originally Posted by otterprods

I don't disagree with any of that, but the way I remember it, Steve Garvey and Allan Wiggins got most of the attention that year, deserved or not. Tony's real contribution to the team and the city was only just beginning then and continued in a relatively discreet way over many years. That's what I always loved about Gwynn… his star was never the brightest burning but it went on so steadily for nearly 20 years. I love that you still have your cub busters shirt BTW… mine was probably long gone by fall of '85.

Tony did win the NL batting title that year hitting .351, which automatically put him in with some very elite company. But you are absolutely right, of all those guys Garvey was considered "The Man" in San Diego that year.

[Timmyy]

The love keeps pouring in. I feel very blessed to have seen him play.

Keith Olbermann Tearfully Remembers Tony Gwynn

[otterprods]

I never met Gwynn, not even close, so I have no stories of him to tell. But after I moved to the SF Bay Area and started rooting for the Giants in the mid 2000's, people would question my disloyalty to my former hometown's team. I would tell them that I never really was a Padre fan, just a Gwynn fan. When he retired I had to find a team to root for instead of a player, but it was never the same.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

The love keeps pouring in. I feel very blessed to have seen him play.

Keith Olbermann Tearfully Remembers Tony Gwynn

That Olbermann tribute is awesome. Then when he starts to lose it at the end....... Ugh.


Here are a couple more that really got to me....

When he got word that he made it to the Hall of Fame. As if he wasn't it going to be inducted?

Here's video of Tony Gwynn learning he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame | MLB.com

Just a good read -

I Was Tony Gwynn's Bat Boy

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

That Olbermann tribute is awesome. Then when he starts to lose it at the end....... Ugh.


Here are a couple more that really got to me....

When he got word that he made it to the Hall of Fame. As if he wasn't it going to be inducted?

Here's video of Tony Gwynn learning he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame | MLB.com

Just a good read -

I Was Tony Gwynn's Bat Boy

Great stuff.