Since Fox Sports and MLB didn’t honor Tony Gwynn tonight during the All-Star Game, here’s my tribute. It’s my photo collection from being in the city of San Diego on the day he died.
Tony Gwynn, who accumulated 3,141 hits during his Major League Baseball career passed away today at the age of 54. Gwynn was “Mr. Padre”, as he spent his entire entire career there. He was drafted by both the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Clippers out of San Diego State in the same week. So he’s Mr. San Diego in edition to being Mr. Padre. He tops the top ten list of all time Padres.
Tony Gwynn batted .300 in each of his last 19 seasons, an MLB streak second only to Ty Cobb’s. Cobb is the only player in MLB history to have more batting titles. His No. 19 was retired by the Padres in 2004, and a statue was erected in his honor at Petco Park. The west side of which is bordered by Tony Gwynn Drive.
Im actually in #SanDiego on vacation today. #RIPTonyGwynn #MrPadre pic.twitter.com/YzLoqPau9x
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) June 16, 2014
The picture above is from bar/restaurant “Dick’s Last Resort” in the Gas Lamp District.” Coincidentally, I was vacationing today in San Diego, and I made my way down the ballpark when I heard the news. The Padres are away at Seattle tonight, but I got inside Petco and took some somber photographs.
With us here in the #Padres dugout tonight at Safeco Field #MrPadre pic.twitter.com/0sv5P0ffai — San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 17, 2014
The Tony Gwynn statue in the park in between the Petco Park outfield and the Fox Sports building:
Here are some photos of the scoreboard at Petco Park, next to the historical Western Metal Supply company. They pay tribute to Tony Gwynn with his #19 on the jumbotron today.
Gwynn had just signed an extension to be a baseball coach at San Diego State. His son, Tony Gwynn Jr. currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also a frequent guest on talk shows across the world. Banks has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including NFL.com, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, ESPN, Washington Times, NBC and the History Channel. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)