Tony Gwynn, the best hitter in baseball since Ted Williams and life-long member of the San Diego Padres, received the game's highest honor this weekend when he was inducted into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame.
A near unanimous, first-ballot selection, Gwynn shared the stage for the July 29 induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York, with another class act, Cal Ripken, who spent his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles.
They were greeted by an estimated 75,000 people for the outdoor event, by far the largest gathering to ever witness a Major League Baseball Hall of Fame induction. (The previous record was 50,000.) Also on stage to honor Gwynn and Ripken, and to be honored, were 53 returning Hall of Famers, including former Padres Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, and Gaylord Perry, an equally record-breaking turn-out. The day's proceedings were kicked off with the singing of the U.S. and Canadian national anthems by Gwynn's daughter, Anisha.
Admittedly nervous for his 28-minute long speech, Gwynn paid tribute to all those who made his big league accomplishments possible. These included: a .338 career batting average (17th highest all time), 3,141 career base hits, 8 batting titles (only Ty Cobb has more), 15 All-Star Game appearances, and 5 gold gloves for his stellar defense.
In perfect synchronicity, the current Padres players scored a staggering 11 runs in the first inning of their game against the Houston Astros, at the same moment as Gwynn's speech, en route to an 18--11 rout.
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