Tony Gwynn

Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn was born May 9, 1960, in Los Angeles, California, the son of Charles (a warehouse manager) and Vendella (a postal worker) Gwynn. He grew up with his two brothers in Long Beach, California, where his dad played baseball with the boys in the backyard, using cut-up socks as balls. Young Tony also had a best friend in elementary school, Alicia Cureton, who became his sweetheart in high school and his wife in 1981.

Gwynn graduated from Long Beach Poly High School in 1977. His success in basketball and baseball won him a sports scholarship to San Diego State University (SDSU) in 1978. There he played only basketball in his freshman year but went on to play baseball with the SDSU Aztecs as well. During his sophomore year, he began using the 32-inch, 31-ounce bat that was his favorite throughout his professional career. Gwynn was named third-team All-American by Baseball News in 1980. In 1981 he batted.416 and was named National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American. On June 10, 1981, Gwynn was drafted by both the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Clippers basketball team. He chose the Padres.