Phillies

Tony Gwynn (Sr.) Has Died

By Kyle Scott

Published: Jun 16th, 2014 · 11:26 AM EDT

---

Barry Bloom of MLB.com is reporting that Tony Gwynn has died after a battle with cancer. Over the past few years Gwynn had undergone surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes and tumors from his salivary glands and right cheek. It’s believed that chewing tobacco was the cause.

Gwynn’s son, Tony Jr., was the subject of a Father’s Day article by Jim Salisbury, posted yesterday, which contained these words:

Tony Gwynn Jr. will rise in Philadelphia on Sunday morning and wait for the call from the West Coast. It’s Father’s Day, of course, and Gwynn’s heart will bubble with joy when he hears the voices of his wife and three young daughters who are still back home in San Diego finishing up the school year.

After receiving all those long-distance Father’s Day hugs from his girls, Gwynn will place a call right back to the West Coast to deliver some Father’s Day love of his own.

“I always try to get in an I love you,” he said. “For a while that was uncomfortable for me, I don’t know why. But since 2010, it hasn’t been uncomfortable. It’s something I want to make sure I get in because you never know what’s going to happen.”

Blech.

Gwynn was 54.

We mourn the passing of Hall of Famer and @Padres icon Tony Gwynn, who died today at the age of 54. pic.twitter.com/lXPEVSzRj3

— MLB (@MLB) June 16, 2014