Tony Gwynn Joins Baseball Hall of Fame This Weekend

By Erik Anderson / Environment Reporter, KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published July 27, 2007 at 9:51 AM PDT

This story was published more than 17 years ago.

Baseball great Tony Gwynn joins the game's legends this weekend. He officially enters the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. Gwynn and Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripkin Junior are the 279th and 280

Baseball great Tony Gwynn joins the game's legends this weekend. He officially enters the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. Gwynn and Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripkin Junior are the 279th and 280th people enshrined at the hall in Cooperstown New York.

Baseball officials say they expect a record crowd of about 60,000 people to turn out for the ceremonies. Long time Padres baseball announcer Jerry Coleman was honored by the Hall of Fame in 2005. He says Gwynn is more than just a ballplayer to the fans in San Diego.

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Coleman : People in San Diego know Tony Gwynn more than they know the mayor. He is really a cherished person because of who he is and what he is. I think the city of San Diego loves him. They’re proud of him and they're proud for him.

Gwynn won eight batting titles and five gold gloves as a player for San Diego. He played all 20 years of his major league career for the Padres.