[Hendu Style]

Sunday -- June 8th, 1997

3,000!
Gwynn reaches milestone on 5th inning single

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- With a clean single to center field off of Houston starting pitcher Mike Mussina, Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn etched his name into the record books on Sunday. The man known affectionately as "Mr. Padre" in San Diego had become the twentieth member of the 3,000 hit club.

"See ball, hit ball," Gwynn said after the game. "It's been as simple as that for however long I've been playing this game, and it still works today."

The base hit, which came in the fifth inning in a ten-inning 3-2 loss to the Astros, tied Gwynn with Roberto Alomar for twentieth on the all-time list. Oakland's Wade Boggs is closing in fast, and could join the club later this month.

"We started in the same year (1982), so there's a little satisfaction in beating Wade to 3,000," Gwynn admitted. "He's a couple years older, so we'll see who has more hits at the end of the road. But I'm not there yet."

Gwynn, 37, is in the first year of a six-year contract extension that will keep him with the Padres through the 2002 season.

"Retire his number right now," catcher Mike Piazza told reporters while looking across the clubhouse at #19. "He's the greatest Padre there ever was, and the greatest there ever will be."

The right fielder is hitting .327 this season, attempting to win his fifth career batting crown, and his first since 1992. He has led the National League in hits seven times, and reached 200 hits four additional times.

"What he does with a bat, I've never seen anything like it," pitcher Greg Maddux said. "His bat control is phenomenal. I'm glad I don't have to face him."

Despite the loss, the Padres remain in first place with the best record in the National League West at 40-21. The next Gwynn milestone to watch out for is 1,000 RBI. He needs 73 RBI this season to reach the milestone. His career-high in a single season is 82.



Gwynn 3,000


Gwynn BOX