Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn dies

ESPN ^ | 6/16/2014

[markman46]

Nate Colbert maybe

[Blue Collar Christian]

I wish more pro athletes would imitate this classy guy.

[Alberta's Child]

This is terrible news. Gwynn was one of the classiest professional athletes of his generation, and perhaps one of the most underrated players in baseball history as well. He was one of the few ballplayers to challenge all-time hitting records that didn't involve steroid-induced performance. His eight batting titles are tied for the all-time National League record with Honus Wagner. And his .338 lifetime batting average ranks #20 on the all time list, which may not seem too remarkable until you realize that Ted Williams is the only player ahead of him on that list who played a single game after 1940.

What a loss for the baseball world, and for humanity. Rest in peace, Tony.

[Alberta's Child]

Don Mattingly got to the point where he couldn't even get hired to sign autographs at baseball card shows anymore. His problem was that he'd sit inside and sign memorabilia for a couple of hours to people who paid for his autograph, then go outside and see a bunch of kids who didn't get in -- and he'd sign autographs for them, too.

Kinda defeats the purpose of charging admission to a card/memorabilia show, right? LOL.

[Alberta's Child]

Don't read too much into those situations, dude.

Reggie Jackson, who had a reputation for being one of the biggest A-holes in professional sports, always took time to sign autographs at Yankee Stadium. He even signed an autograph for me after he had to scold me: "Can you get that thing out of my face?" when I was waving a book at him in a mass of fans next to the dugout. LMAO.

I always found that players were more likely to sign autographs BEFORE a game. The crowds were smaller, they'd usually arrive early for batting and fielding practice, and it just seemed much more like "their time" when it came to this sort of thing.

[pilipo]

That the strike cost Mr. Gwynn the opportunity to hit .400 was the reason I quit on mlb.

I figured that if adding more $$ to already inflated salaries mattered more than the game, they would not get my $$. It was my opinion (albeit a lame one) at the time that the players could have made more hay by finishing the with what very easily could have been a .400 hitter and a 60 HR slugger (Junior). Promoting those achievements and putting fans in seats would have provided great leverage.

Up until that strike I ran a game on myself re: what mlb had become.

[twister881]

Tony lived in my local community — when you saw him, he always had time to say hello, sign an autograph, chat with fans. Never turned anyone down or brushed anyone aside. A prince of a human being.

[twister881]

You caught him at work, which may be why he didn’t honor your request. Tony lived in my community, and I encountered him numerous times — at a restaurant, the gym, shopping mall, etc. — and he was unfailingly polite to me and others who would approach him. He particularly would take time for the young fans, talk to them, sign an autograph. Last five years of his life not pleasant with the cancer, yet he still coached SDSU. Can imagine the disease took its toll on his physical, mental, and emotional states.

[brickdds]

There are unwritten rules for autographs apparently.
A friend of mine’s son (Jason Tyner) played for the Twins Mets and Devil Rays. His dad was telling me he would sign whatever they received at the clubhouse but kept anything he received in the mail and gave away to local kids. I was astonished. Jason is a nice kid but that is a crappy thing to do. Some 10 year old kid may not know the rules and some other kid gets his baseball card.
But some players are happy to accommodate the fans.
Nolan never got too big for his britches and that (along with his peerless achievements) separates him from the chaff.

[OldNewYork]

Rest in peace.

[Impy]

GREAT player and by all accounts one the nicest guys you could ever meet. Too young, cancer sucks. RIP.

[GOPsterinMA]

Agreed.

I feel he was underrated as a player; if he had played in a larger market (NY, LA, CHI, BOS), I think he would have been more of a household name.

[Impy]

Yeah he chose to stay there in San Diego. He could have had more money and fame elsewhere. If he was a Yankee, fuggetaboutit.

Funny how great great hitters don’t need to be “athletic”.

I listened to that feminine hygiene product Keith Olbermann eulogize him and actually felt sorry for the bastard, he was visibly holding back tears.

Anyway, young ballplayers, please stick to gum and sunflower seeds.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/06/17/tony-gwynn-death-reinforces-danger-smokeless-tobacco/qB6UswOzZDfd7b5kNUjzyO/story.html

Clay Buchholz’s comments, not too bright.

[GOPsterinMA]

“Yeah he chose to stay there in San Diego. He could have had more money and fame elsewhere. If he was a Yankee, fuggetaboutit.”

100% right. If he had been a Yankee, for example, he would have been MUCH more famous, certainly outside of the sports world.

“...feminine hygiene product Keith Olbermann...”

Nice combo there!

“Clay Buchholz’s comments, not too bright.”

He’s a G-D idiot, which is just one of the reasons I was calling for BOS to trade him last year even though he was pitching superbly until he “got hurt”. He’s a loser.