Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, one of San Diego's best-loved athletes during his 20-year Major League Baseball career, has died of oral cancer at 54.
Gwynn, nicknamed "Mr. Padre," had been on a medical leave from his job as baseball coach at San Diego State since March, according to an Associated Press story.
Gwynn died June 16 at a hospital in suburban Poway in San Diego County, his agent John Boggs said. Gwynn believed his cancer of the mouth and salivary glands resulted from chewing tobacco.
Gwynn had two operations for cancer in his right cheek between 2010 and 2012, according to the story. Surgeons removed a facial nerve in the second surgery because it was intertwined with a tumor inside his right cheek. They grafted a neck nerve to help him regain facial movement.
Gwynn spent his entire career with the Padres. He played in the Padres' only two World Series and was a 15-time All-Star. He retired after the 2001 season and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.
