OT: RIP Tony Gwynn

[brianp-beme]

I was a lifetime Dodgers fan even after having moved to San Diego for years. Tony was a big part of me gradually switching my allegience to the Padres--I loved the way he hit and played the game.

Even before I made the switch I was appluading whenever he got a hit when the Dodger came to town. And I love the fact the way he decided to become the manager for SDSU. I know the baseball community will miss him, but so will San Diego--he was practically royalty there.

Brian

[deadballfreaK]

I just heard the news and it makes me feel like throwing up. I knew he had cancer, but had the idea that he caught it in time and was in recovery. I am actually crying as I try to type. He was one of the truly great. Like Stan Musial you can't find anyone with a bad word to say about him. Wasn't he the one who practically invented watching video tape?

[bbsports]

All the net 54 members are right about Tony. He was one of the best natural hitters in the game & a great ambassadors to the game of baseball. According to reports, Gwynn had cancer in his right cheek, possibly caused by chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco is as bad as smoking tobacco. Some of baseball fans out there remember a player in the 1960's name Bill Tuttle, who was big tobacco chewer in his playing days & he passed away from mouth cancer.

[deadballfreaK]

Originally Posted by bbsports

All the net 54 members are right about Tony. He was one of the best natural hitters in the game & a great ambassadors to the game of baseball. According to reports, Gwynn had cancer in his right cheek, possibly caused by chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco is as bad as smoking tobacco. Some of baseball fans out there remember a player in the 1960's name Bill Tuttle, who was big tobacco chewer in his playing days & he passed away from mouth cancer.

I did not know he was a chewer. I was a coal miner for 31 years. Also a smoker. You can't smoke underground so I took up the disgusting chewing habit. It was pleasurable, but after doing it about 15 years I developed several bad sores in my mouth. Luckily at a routine 6 month checkup at my dentist, he was alarmed. He made me go see a doctor and it was the beginning of cancer. I gave up tobacco completely both smoking and chewing and I recovered pretty quickly. I'm sure that dentist saved my life.

[itjclarke]

Totally shocked and saddened, Gwynn was as classy a super star as their was. Not sure how long it will be until the next person retires with a lifetime BA of .330+.. but guessing a while. RIP Mr. Gwynn.

Separately, with regards to chew and cancer in his mouth, I had not idea he was dealing with this. I do definitely remember Gwynn regularly playing with a big wad in his mouth though. Glad this has been finding its way out of the game... at least compared with 20 or more years ago.

[deadballfreaK]

Watching The tony tribute on the MLB network.What a great!