The late, great Tony Gwynn was the foundation for the San Diego Padres’ franchise for 20 seasons. A career .338 batter, the left-handed hitting perfected the art of slapping singles through the left side of the infield. In all, he wrapped out 2,378 singles, representing 76% of the hits he collected on his way to 3,141. Beyond his well-publicized hitting prowess, however, Gwynn was also an exceptional rightfielder who collected five Rawlings Gold Glove awards (1986-87, 1989-91). The 2001 season saw Tony Gwynn put the finishing touches on his Hall of Fame career. To commemorate the farewell tour of "Mr. Padre" during his final month of action, the Padres produced this custom on-deck circle for his second-to-last home-stand at Qualcomm Stadium (aka "The Murph").
The rubber on-deck circle measures 55" in diameter (nearly 5 ft.) and around A 1/4" thick, weighing 24 pounds, with a beautifully designed image in team colors of Gwynn silhouetted against a large facsimile of his autograph, the "SD" and MLB logos, and a banner noting his long tenure with the Pads. The batting circle shows a ton of game use, covered with scratches and cleat punctures from guys standing on it and taking their practice swings. It has been very-well preserved, though, with none of the cracking in the rubber that is common with these batting circles from being rolled tightly in storage. Adding to the piece's luster is Tony's large autograph in black marker (now somewhat faded) at the top. According to the MLB Authentication hologram #GT035408 affixed to the edge of the circle, this was used on Sept. 21, 2001 in a 2-0 loss to the Giants. Due to its awkward size and the heavy amount of use, it is safe to assume that this on-deck saw action in multiple games during Gwynn's farewell tour. A very unique memento of the Gwynn’s final playing days. Includes full LOA from PSA/DNA for the auto (AG01612).
Shipping note: The on-deck circle rolls up in a compact box that should not require freight. Transport is less than expected.