Tony Gwynn, the winner of eight batting titles, connected for 135 homers in his 20-year career. The collection included three grand slams, two that didn’t leave the park (including the only inside-the-park grand slam in Padres history) and two walk-offs.
His first game-ending homer — on this date, May 23, in 1986 — was memorable for more than delivering a 7-4 win over the New York Mets at Jack Murphy Stadium.
Gwynn broke his bat on it.
Really.
“Yeah, I don’t know how I did it, but I did,” a 26-year-old Gwynn told the Evening Tribune after the game.