This article really made my day being a baseball fan and now a big Tony Gwynn fan too

[Babe3Ruth3]

Leon, you can move this thread if it doesn't conform to the guidelines, I just wanted as many Baseball fans to read it as possible.

I just happened upon this article, it reminded me that people like Tony Gwynn represent what baseball is all about and displayed what a great person/baseball player he really was.

https://deadspin.com/i-was-tony-gwynns-bat-boy-1592123043

[canjond]

Great read!

[Babe3Ruth3]

Great read!

I just finished reading the comments after this article and 2 stuck out as also saying volumes about this man and what he did for the game of Baseball.

1.) "I was about 10 or 11 and my Uncle was in town from San Diego. The Padres happened to be in Philly so my Uncle picked me up and we went down to the Vet to watch the game. It was a Thursday afternoon the place was empty. We had seats down the RF line and during warm-ups Tony happened to be to be playing catch with Fernando Valenzuela. So I just sat their watching these two greats laugh and joke with each other. So they finish up and head into the dugout. Fernando jogs off and Tony comes over asks me if I have a pen signs the ball that he and Fernando were playing catch. He flips me the ball hands my pen back smiles says enjoy the game and jogs off. I will never forget it completely unsolicited and comes and signs an autograph for a kid who was just watching him play catch. The ball sits in a case on my desk where I opened my laptop yesterday only to be saddened by the news. RIP Tony."

2.) "Fantastic story! I'm from Cincinnati and am and will always be a Reds fan, but spent two unbelievable years in the Padres minor leagues. BY FAR the best baseball memory I have in the 30 years I played was one day during spring training I was hitting in a cage off a tee all by myself. Mr Padre happened to walk by after a not so pretty swing and after the Eff Bombs settled (I just couldn't get it that day) I turned around and Tony was lifting the net walking into the cage. He and I spent 30 mins talking about hitting and I got my own personal hitting lesson. I was in awe and he was completely excited talking hitting for 1/2 hour to some kid. Cut from a different mold he was. Truly one of a kind and players today should strive to be more like him...

Now, if I only would have had that lesson at like 15 instead of 22 I may have made it past A ball... :)

RIP - Baseball lost one of the greats!"

[h2oya311]

excellent read. almost got me to tears to hear about human kindness in this way. It was interesting to read the authors opinion about Jack Clark.

[AGuinness]

Anybody who's ever heard Tony's laugh will instantly hear it in their mind when they read this. I did and it is smile-inducing. Thanks!

[jp1216]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=q6sBCxQqPHA

YouTube video

[baseball tourist]

Miss watching Tony play.

[Throttlesteer]

My favorite player...period.

[sreader3]

Great piece. Great tribute.

[FourStrikes]

quote from the article:

"Most 10 year-old boys walk through life searching for a hero"

IMO, of course, my father was MY hero...while I may never have - or personally achieve - their (my father's, or Gwynn's) personal level of success, when it comes to Tony Gwynn, there's a lot about Gwynn that is something to aspire to be...I respect Gwynn, his game, mannerisms, etc., and miss him - as well as my father - dearly, as, despite their vast differences, profession-wise vs. fame-wise, they were both total class acts, something I admire and strive to become.

thanks for posting a great article.

.

[luciobar1980]

Tony Gwynn was the man.

[gregr2]

Really enjoyable article, thanks for posting.

[Exhibitman]

I am so glad MLB named the NL batting title for him.

[clydepepper]

Tony Gwynn died two short months after my Mother...I remember being encouraged to know that she'd have more good company.

[RTK]

I absolutely LOVED watching him hit during my years as a right field bleacher "regular" at Wrigley. His patience at the plate was phenomenal, eventually, more than likely, leading to a "gapper" on either side of the center fielder. I miss those days.

[Leon]

Really enjoyable article, thanks for posting.

+1

[ls7plus]

I met Tony briefly at the All-Star game in Boston in 1999. He was pure class all the way, one of the very best people to ever play the game!!!!!!!

Best to all,

Larry

[Eggoman]

My brother & I met Tony at a show in Baltimore...

My brother coached his 8-year-old son into asking Tony a question about how to pick up a pitcher's release point...

Tony starts to laugh and got this huge smile on his face. He picks my nephew up and sets him on his lap and "coaches" him on release points in terms that an 8-year-old would understand...

The Show and the World stood still for ~10 minutes while Tony went on...

My nephew is 22 years old now and STILL tells the story to all his buddies!

He was just so pleasant to be around.

[clydepepper]

Leon - I hope it's okay for me to say this...seems appropriate for this thread.

If someone you love is addicted to tobacco products, do all you can to help them.