GWYNN: A FINAL TRIP AROUND THE BASES.Byline: JOE HAAKENSON BALTIMORE - For the next two months, Tony Gwynn's Farewell Tour will wind through cities across America, giving fans one last chance to watch the Padres' future Hall of Famer. That is, as long as he's able. Gwynn had to sit out a couple games in Anaheim last week because of a sore knee. But while much of his 41-year-old body is showing the wear and tear of a 20-year major-league career, his vocal cords vocal cords: see larynx. Vocal cords The pair of elastic, fibered bands inside the human larynx. The cords are covered with a mucous membrane and pass horizontally backward from the thyroid cartilage (Adam's apple) to insert on are going strong. Gwynn loves talking baseball to anyone who will listen. It's just those awkward farewell speeches A Farewell speech is a speech given by an individual leaving a position or place. They are often used by public figures such as politicians as a form of conclusion to the preceding career (such as that given by Ronald Reagan); or as statements delivered by persons relating to in visiting ballparks that make him a little uncomfortable. ``You can't prepare for those things,'' said Gwynn, who went into the weekend hitting .350 in limited playing time this season. ``You speak from the heart and go out and try to beat the home team.'' Gwynn got a good taste of what it will be like the final few months of the season at the All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games , when he and fellow icon Cal Ripken were besieged be·siege tr.v. be·sieged, be·sieg·ing, be·sieg·es 1. To surround with hostile forces. 2. To crowd around; hem in. 3. with interview requests. ``Cal and I did 10 to 12 interviews in one day,'' Gwynn said. ``I'm winging it, and Cal's so calm and composed. I can't even tell you what I said.'' When the Angels honored Gwynn, Angels manager Mike Scioscia ``He gives me the crystal, then he whispers Whispers is a novel by the best-selling author Dean Koontz, released in 1980. Plot summary Hilary Thomas is attacked by Bruno Frye. Hilary went to visit him on some business trip. When she gets home one day Bruno comes out of the closet and tries to rape her. in my ear, `If you get a base hit that drives in a run, I'm going to personally come out and kick your behind,' '' Gwynn said. ``Only he didn't say the word `behind.' I'm laughing like a horse and then they hand me the microphone.'' Gwynn managed to get through it fine, which is no surprise. During a career that has included more than 3,000 hits and eight batting titles, there always have been two things he could do in his sleep - hit and talk. Gwynn gets asked about the possibility of someone hitting .400 in a season, which he says he could have done in 1994 if the strike didn't hit first. Gwynn was hitting .394 when the players went on strike and said he feels he could have been the first since his friend Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. ``When I was hitting .394, I was going up, not down,'' he said. ``The day we went on strike, I went 3 for 5. But I don't have any regrets because everyone was in the same position. My approach was always to help the team, and if individual things happened, great.'' Gywnn sees players hitting .350, .360 these days and is certain someone will step up and hit .400 sometime. ``Sooner or later,'' he said. ``The only thing real hard to do as far as hitting is concerned is hitting in 56 straight. The scrutiny, with (reporters) all around every day, you can't breathe sometimes. There's no time to sit and think about things because you're always talking about it.'' It makes sense that Gwynn and Ripken are retiring at the same time considering they are part of a dying breed - players who played with the same team for 20-plus years. Gwynn said the closest he came to leaving the Padres
Not to be confused with San Diego Padres. came after last season, his first experience with free agency. ``I had never sat down and talked with other clubs before then,'' Gwynn said. ``As far as I was concerned, it sucked. I hated it. I talked to John Hart
John Hart (about 1711 or 1713–May 11, 1779), was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New Jersey. (Indians general manager) and the assistant GM of the Royals. I listened to them and they were flattering flat·ter 1 v. flat·tered, flat·ter·ing, flat·ters v.tr. 1. To compliment excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win favor. 2. to me, but I always wanted to stay right here.'' Gwynn hopes to be in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. even after his playing days are over. He's made it clear he'd like to replace his former coach at San Diego State, Jim Dietz, who will retire after the 2002 season. Gwynn said he's interested in coaching at the college level instead of the professional level because it seems every organization is trying to turn their hitters into power hitters. ``Contact hitters In baseball, the term contact hitter is used to describe a hitter who does not strike out often. Thus, they are usually able to use their bats to make contact with the ball (hence the name contact hitter) and put it in play. are going by the board,'' he said. As one of the greatest contact hitters of all-time prepares for his final games, Gwynn simply will try to enjoy his remaining time in a major- league uniform. Even under the spotlight. |
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