There has been a lot said today on the passing of Tony Gwynn. I probably won't add much to what could be said, but maybe I'll just add a personal note. Back when I was starting to pay attention to baseball and started collecting baseball cards I use to put all the good players I'd pull into a binder. Now you had to be special to get into the binder, not because I was particular on who I liked in baseball, but because back in the mid 80's 9 pocket pages were kind of pricey. About a quarter a piece. You might pshaw that statement, but for a 12 year old with minimal funds and that fact that a cello pack cost about 10 cents more, those pocket pages were gold.
To get to the point a few years ago digging though my old cards I found a few of my old binders with the players I'd collected. Besides my Brewers, I had a nice, and now mostly worthless, collection of Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Nolan Ryan, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, etc, etc, and Tony Gwynn.
I also had a soft spot for Mr. Gwynn after his son played for the Brewers for a few years. Tony was only 54. And it's only been 7 years since he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Tony passed away from a fight with cancer of the salivary gland, most likely caused from using chewing tobacco. Another great player taken way too early.
I remember the days of debating on which players were 9-pocket worthy. Today I have two binders full of 9-pocket pages filled with Tony Gwynn cards. Rest in peace, Mr. Gwynn.
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