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SAN DIEGO -- Tony Gwynns sweet swing was matched only by his incandescent smile. The Hall of Famer was saluted at Petco Park on Thursday night in a ceremony that would have made "Mr. Padre" light up. Though, that wasnt something Gwynn had trouble doing. "It was so engaging," former teammate Steve Garvey said of Gwynns grin. "There are a few guys in sports that have it. You always think of Magic (Johnson), and Tony was baseballs Magic as far as that smile was concerned." Gwynn, a Hall of Famer who spent his entire 20-year career with the Padres, died on June 16 from oral cancer, a disease he attributed to years of chewing tobacco. He was 54. The 15-time All Star averaged .338 over a career in which he had 3,141 hits and won eight NL batting titles. A two-sport star at San Diego State before getting selected by the Padres in the third round of the 1981 draft, he was beloved for his achievements on the field and his humility on and off it. Gwynn never hid his affection for San Diego, embracing his "Mr. Padre" nickname and declining to leave San Diego as a free agent on numerous occasions. After retiring from the Padres following the 2001 season, Gwynn became SDSUs baseball coach. Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and ex-Padre Trevor Hoffman were among the speakers who addressed the crowd of about 20,000 from a stage erected in right field, just in front of the No. 19 carved into the outfield grass. A podium was placed between three No. 19 Gwynn jerseys, two from the Padres World Series appearances in 1984 and 1998 and one from San Diego State. The left-field scoreboard showed a collage of pictures that ranged from Gwynn tipping his hat to the crowd and to him clutching his Hall of Fame plaque. And, of course, one displaying that warm smile. "We all know Tony was a great player, a great Hall of Famer," Jackson said. "That is known when he got 97 per cent of the vote -- that puts him in the top four or five. ... "He was a genuine man, a quality man, a 100 per cent family man. A great son, a great husband, a great father, a great friend and a great teammate. He was an example of what we all want to live and emulate as a person." Thursdays tribute, which started when 19 white doves were released, was open to the public following the private service Gwynns family held Saturday at SDSU. Gwynns fans, many wearing his brown-and-yellow No. 19 jersey, were given a chance to pay their respects to someone they felt they knew. He was an anchor of not only the Padres two World Series teams, but in the community as well. After leaving the Padres, he coached at SDSU, was a member of the Padres broadcasting team and remained active in various charities. A stream of people walked past Gwynns statue in the adjacent Park at the Park, with a line snaking past memorabilia of his storied career. Gwynn, whose No. 19 is retired by the Padres, batted at least .300 in 19 straight seasons. In 1994, he was hitting .394 in August when the season ended prematurely because of the baseball strike; in 1995, he struck out only 15 times in 577 plate appearances. But it was the way Gwynn carried himself that endeared him to countless fans. And not just those in San Diego. Gwynn has been honoured around baseball since his death. Tony Gwynn Jr., his son, was given a standing ovation Tuesday in Philadelphia in his first at-bat with the Phillies since taking a leave following his fathers death. "Even though he was on the other team you still had to admire the way he went about his business," said Joe Torre, an executive vice-president for Major League Baseball and former Yankees manager. "Unfortunately we dont have many, maybe any -- maybe Derek Jeter -- that conduct themselves in a similar fashion. "Honestly, what you saw is what you got: he was a good hitter and never tried to show anybody up." Gwynn became and stayed a star in San Diego. He never thought it would shine brighter elsewhere. "Im a Padre, a San Diego Padre," Gwynn once said. "And Im proud of it." Near the end of the tribute Hoffman, in a halting voice, talked straight to Gwynn, his former Padres teammate. "Thank you for representing San Diego," Hoffman said, "with such class." Nahuel Guzman Argentina Jersey . And like the near entirety of last season, Jonathan Bernier and Torontos goaltending tandem is up to the task. Marcos Acuna Jersey .com) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quickly found themselves a new offensive coordinator, and one thats quite familiar with the NFC South. http://www.argentinasoccerauthentic.com/...America-Jersey/. JOHNS, N. Federico Fazio Jersey . On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. Maximiliano Meza Argentina Jersey . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park.The Metropolitan Division-champion Pittsburgh Penguins will close out their regular season on Sunday night in a home matchup with the Ottawa Senators. The Penguins will head into the postseason as the second seed and will have home-ice advantage against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Pittsburgh was coming off back-to-back shootout wins before suffering a 4-3 loss in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Defenseman Kris Letang scored on a backhander with 36.8 seconds left in regulation, but the Flyers won it on Mark Streits goal with 2:50 to play in overtime. James Neal totaled a goal and two assists for the Penguins, while Jussi Jokinen also tallied. Marc-Andre Fleury ended up with only 17 saves in defeat. With nothing on the line, the Penguins sat defenseman Brooks Orpik and forward Chris Kunitz. Several skaters also could get a rest tonight, though captain Sidney Crosby still wants his team to focus on playing a good game. "I think just to follow up this performance from today. As a whole, we want to feel good about our game," Crosby said of todays finale. "I think there were some things from today that I think were good. For a game that doesnt move us anywhere, it didnt have a lot of bearing on us, we came with the right attitude, the right mindset." Letang, meanwhilee, scored his first goal since Jan.dddddddddddd. 23 in his second game since returning from a 10-week absence while recovering from a stroke. "Im just trying to get back into it," Letang said. "The result is disappointing, but I think we played a good game overall. I think if we go into the playoffs that way, were going to win games." The Senators will not be going into the playoffs, but can end the campaign with a season-high fifth straight victory. They matched their previous best of four consecutive wins with Saturdays 1-0 decision over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Craig Anderson stopped 28 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and 26th of his career. Jason Spezza had the only goal of the game, blasting a one-timer into the net during a second-period power play for his 23rd goal of the season. "Were playing games that dont mean much in the standings as far as getting us into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is what its all about," said Ottawa head coach Paul MacLean. "But at the same time, finishing our home schedule like we are is way better." Ottawa wrapped the campaign with an 18-17-6 record at home. The Sens are 18-14-8 on the road. The Senators have lost four of their previous five meetings with the Penguins as well as five of their past six trips to Pittsburgh. ' ' '

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