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Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn: A Celebration Baseball legend Tony Gwynn earned the nickname "Mr. Padre" for the 20 seasons he played for the San Diego Padres. Gwynn also qualifies for the nickname "Mr. Aztec" for the various high-profile roles he has played at San Diego State University: member of the Aztecs basketball and baseball teams during his student years, head coach of the Aztecs baseball team beginning in 2001, and now subject of a major exhibit at the SDSU Library. "Beyond the Batter's Box: The Hall of Fame Life of Tony Gwynn" runs through September 7 in Special Collections and the Donor Hall and features 17 cases of items from Gwynn's personal collection that have rarely been seen by the public. The exhibit focuses not only on Gwynn's baseball career, but offers a glimpse of his personal life, including family photos and his philanthropic work with the Tony and Alicia Gwynn Foundation, which he co-founded with his wife, Alicia. | |
| "We tried to provide a well-rounded view of Tony Gwynn's life and career - as an athlete, devoted family man and humanitarian. We also wanted to emphasize just how hard he worked to become one of the greatest hitters ever and how much he learned from other great players. His work as a coach and teacher and his appreciation among baseball fans are other strengths of the exhibit. Like all good biographies, it demonstrates the difference that individuals make in their families and communities. Think about it - what would San Diego be like without Tony Gwynn?" said Robert Ray, head of Special Collections and University Archives. Gwynn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 9, 2007, in honor of his unparalleled career in Major League Baseball. He won five Gold Glove Awards as a right fielder, and he is an eight-time National League batting champion. In addition, Gwynn was a 15-time All-Star who had 3,141 hits and batted .338. His career average is the highest among players whose careers began after World War II. Gwynn's long-term association with San Diego, particularly with SDSU, inspired the exhibit. A native of Long Beach, California, Gwynn enrolled at SDSU in 1977 and eventually set school records for both basketball and baseball. Following his long baseball career with the San Diego Padres, he returned to his alma mater, where he was named head baseball coach in September 2001. "There is no Aztec we are more proud of than Tony Gwynn. Not only is he arguably the greatest athlete in San Diego State history, but also one of its finest people. We are incredibly excited that Tony and his family have offered to the SDSU Library the priceless personal memorabilia that will be on display over the next few months. There will be no other exhibit in the world like it," said Jeff Schemmel, SDSU's athletic director. The exhibit offers plenty of unique sports items for baseball enthusiasts: Gwynn's 1981 contract with the Walla Walla Padres; his 1991 Gold Glove Award; and baseballs signed by members of the 3,000 Hit Club, as well as framed letters and notes sent to Gwynn from other members of the Hit Club, such as Dave Winfield, Pete Rose and Al Kaline. Also displayed in the exhibit are Gwynn's #28 Aztec jersey and his Padres jersey and cap. | ||
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| Photographs help to illustrate Gwynn's achievements. The exhibit contains photos dating back to Gwynn's elementary school years and many pictures documenting his rise as a star athlete playing for the Aztecs. Family photos track Gwynn's children, Anisha Nicole and Anthony, as they mature from toddlers to adulthood. Some of the baseball photos capture Gwynn's rarified position in sports history. A large, framed photo of Gwynn making his 3,000th hit on August 6, 1999, and the signed picture of him posing with baseball great Ted Williams attest to Gwynn's place in the chronicles of baseball. Numerous awards included in the exhibit testify to his work in the community. Among the many awards present are the Roberto Clemente "Man of the Year Award" for 1999, given for "combining outstanding skills in the field with devoted work in the community." "Tony Gwynn set all sorts of records as one of baseball's greatest players. Beyond his thousands of hits as an athlete, he was also a major hit in the lives of thousands of people. Tony Gwynn's dedication to the craft of hitting mirrored his dedication to family, his alma mater, and his beloved San Diego community. We all have much to learn from his 'Hall of Fame' life and the Library, as a place of learning and understanding is just the right locale for this exhibit," Ray said. The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For information about parking and directions, please visit http://infodome.sdsu.edu/projects/gwynn/. Gwynn will be officially inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 29, 2007, in Cooperstown, New York. | ||
| "Beyond the Batter's Box: The Hall of Fame Life of Tony Gwynn" | ||
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