Tony Gwynn fights back tears prior to the final game of his career, in San Diego. Photograph: Lenny Ignelzi/AP
The Hall of Fame San Diego Padres hitter Tony Gwynn died on Monday. He was 54.
Nicknamed 'Mr Padre', the left-hander had a 20-year career in Major League Baseball, all of it with San Diego. He had been on medical leave from his coaching job at San Diego State university, for treatment for cancer.
His agent, John Boggs, confirmed his death.
MLB commissioner Bud Selig said: 'For more than 30 years, Tony Gwynn was a source of universal goodwill in the national pastime, and he will be deeply missed by the many people he touched.'
Between 2010 and 2012 Gwynn, who said he believed his cancer had been caused by chewing tobacco, had two operations on tumours in his right cheek.
On Sunday, Father's Day, Gwynn's son, the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr, was quoted by CSN Philly discussing his relationship with his father.
'I always try to get in an 'I love you,'' Gwynn Jr said. 'For a while that was uncomfortable for me, I don't know why. But since 2010, it hasn't been uncomfortable. It's something I want to make sure I get in because you never know what's going to happen.
'I go through moments during the day where it's heavy on the mind and then I get a little bit of a reprieve during the game or in the batting cage.
'Other than that, when there's downtime, I'm usually thinking about my dad.'
Gwynn holds his Hall of Fame plaque following his induction in 2007. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters
A gifted two-sport athlete at San Diego State, in 1981 Gwynn Sr was drafted in two sports on the same day. He chose the Padres over the NBA's then San Diego (now Los Angeles) Clippers.
A first-ballot entrant to the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 2007, he had 3,141 career hits, a .338 batting average and eight National League batting titles, a joint record. He also won five outfield Gold Glove Awards and played in 15 All-Star Games.
He played in the only two World Series the Padres have reached, in 1994 and 1998.
Post By http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jun/16/tony-gwynn-dies-cancer-padres-hall-fame
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