Tony Gwynn spent his entire professional baseball career with the San Diego Padres. He stands second only to Ty Cobb in batting titles and consecutive .300–plus seasons. As a coach, he preached the Gwynn gospel to his players: do it right, do it with class, and respect others and the game. An extrovert with an unforgettable laugh and wry sense of humor, he was often the center of attention. Yet during off-seasons he retreated to Indianapolis to avoid the glare of publicity. He overcame disparities in his personality with an intense focus on preparation and commitment to professionalism, and frequently contributed to community projects. This first full-length biography traces the remarkable career of a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Scott Kingdon has written for law journals and other magazines and periodicals. He lives in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Scott Kingdon

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 204
Bibliographic Info: 9 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9145-9
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5037-1
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments ix
Preface 1
1. “Sockball” 3
2. The Gwynn Charm 8
3. San Diego State 13
4. “Who the heck is this guy?” 20
5. Walla Walla and Amarillo 23
6. Don’t Disgrace No. 19 27
7. “Captain Video” 33
8. A Pennant and a Batting Title 38
9. World Series 46
10. “Unbelievable” with Two Strikes 54
11. “If I had nine Tony Gwynns” 62
12. “I lost to the best” 68
13. The Selfish Controversy 76
14. Fire Sale 84
15. Chasing .400 95
16. “I’m just Chris Gwynn’s anonymous brother” 106
17. “Power hitter” 120
18. “I want more” 129
19. The Last 10 Are the Hardest 139
20. Coach Gwynn 153
Epilogue 170
Chapter Notes 175
Bibliography 187
Index 189