SI's Best Photos of Tony Gwynn

SI Staff | Jun 16, 2014

SI's Best Photos of Tony Gwynn /

SI's Best Photos of Tony Gwynn

1980

Tony Gwynn didn't begin his career playing baseball at San Diego State, instead opting to play basketball.

1980

Tony Gwynn later credited his days as a point guard for the Aztecs as crucial to developing his notoriously quick swing, thanks to the wrist strength that comes with dribbling, as well as his quick feet.

1984

A success right from the start, Tony Gwynn (pictured here with Steve Garvey) was elected to start in his first All-Star Game in his first full season and he won the NL batting title with a batting average of .351 as the Padres advanced to their first ever World Series.

1986

Tony Gwynn races to first base after getting a hit against the St. Louis Cardinals. His career batting average of .338 is good enough for 16th all time.

1990

Tony Gwynn showcases his quick bat in a game versus the San Francisco Giants. He's 18 on the list of 28 men who have amassed 3,000 or more hits during their MLB careers.

1991

Tony Gwynn spent 20 years in the majors, all with the Padres, finishing with 3,141 hits.

1991

Tony Gwynn was known for his cheerful demeanor, as he happily showed during this photo shoot in the stands at Jack Murphy Stadium. His .338 career batting average is the highest of any player whose career began after World War II.

1991

Not one to be outdone, Tony Gwynn also shows his love of learning here while teaching a class. Gwynn was one of the first to analyze his at-bats. He asked his wife to record his games before road trips so he could watch his at-bats to see what he might have done wrong.

1992

A formidable quartet—Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn, Gary Sheffield and Fred McGriff—that the Padres had at their disposal poses together during the '92 season. Gwynn was far from being the power hitter of the group, so he began hitting for power more often after being chided by Ted Williams for using a "toothpick" of a bat and saying that Gwynn was capable of more than just settling for singles and doubles.

1993

Tony Gwynn poses for the cameras during a photo shoot at Three Rivers Stadium. He reached the 3,000 hit mark in just 2,284 games, the third-fewest amount behind Ty Cobb and Nap Lajoie.

1993

Tony Gwynn rarely struck out. In fact, he had more doubles than strikeouts in his career.

1995

Tony Gwynn wasn't just an offensive threat; he was a defensive threat as well. He won five Gold Gloves for his play in right field.

1995

Tony Gwynn is the Padres' all-time leader in virtually every major statistic besides home runs. Pictured here is one of his 135 home run trots through his career.

1995

The Padres retired Tony Gwynn's No. 19 in 2004, only three years after his retirement.

1997

Tony flashes that sweet smile with his infectious, childish giggle.

1997

Tony Gwynn waits in the on-deck circle before batting against the St. Louis Cardinals. Gwynn won four consecutive batting titles on two separate occasions, giving him a total of eight. Gwynn made history by winning four in a row, becoming the owner of the longest such streak since Roger Hornsby won six in a row beginning in 1920.

1997

Tony Gwynn laughs in the dugout before a game against the Florida Marlins in 1997.

1997

A phenomenal hitter, Tony Gwynn was often compared to Ted Williams because of his penchant for high batting averages.

1999

In a famous moment, two of the greatest hitters in history are pictured together as Tony Gwynn points Ted Williams in the right direction before Williams threw out the opening pitch of the 1999 All-Star Weekend in Fenway Park.

1999

Tony Gwynn collected his 3,000th hit in this picture, during a game between the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos on Aug. 6, 1999.

2001

Tony Gwynn acknowledges the crowd during his final road game at Pac Bell Park against the San Francisco Giants.

2001

Tony Gwynn smiles before the final game of his illustrious career — at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, against the Colorado Rockies.

2007

Sports Illustrated saluted the Hall of Famer with this commemorative issue.

2007

Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. pose as the only two members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2007.

Tony Gwynn didn't stop his association with baseball after his retirement, instead managing his alma mater's baseball team, where he mentored one Stephen Strasburg.

Published Jun 16, 2014

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