Remembering a Legend

As a kid, all of my free time revolved around baseball cards, and nothing was greater than opening packs. The excitement of who I was going to find under those wax layers was indescribable.  There were always those names you wanted to see; Griffey Jr., McGwire, Conseco, Ryan, Ripken, and Gwynn.

Tony Gwynn was one of my childhood baseball heroes, and I can remember many a time being him as I played “Homerun Derby” out on the street with my friends. The day of his death saddened me, for a piece of my childhood had passed on. Tony Gwynn was a good man, a role model, and one of the greatest baseball hitters of all time.

Recently, I was working a deal for some cards and I came across a magnificent Tony Gwynn piece. Without thinking, I added the card to the existing pile. When the deal concluded and I was at home, I started sorting through the cards I had purchased. I came across the Gwynn card, forgetting it was part of the deal, and once again I experienced that childhood excitement of finding a Gwynn in my stack of cards. He will be forever missed.