Chris Gwynn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chris Gwynn |
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Gwynn with the Albuquerque Dukes c. 1987
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| Outfielder | ||||||||||||||
| Born: October 13, 1964 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| August 14, 1987, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||
| September 29, 1996, for the San Diego Padres | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .261 | |||||||||||||
| Home runs | 17 | |||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 118 | |||||||||||||
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Christopher Karlton Gwynn (born October 13, 1964) is a former American baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Chris is the younger brother of the famous Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. His nephew, Tony Gwynn Jr., also played in the MLB.
Contents
Chris Gwynn's Baseball Journey
Starting His Career
Chris Gwynn was first picked by the California Angels in the 1982 baseball draft. But he decided to go to college instead. He played college baseball for San Diego State University. While in college, Chris also played for the United States national baseball team. He even won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Playing in the Major Leagues
The Los Angeles Dodgers then drafted Chris in 1985. He made his big league debut in 1987. During his time with the Dodgers, something interesting happened. He was the player who made the very last out in Dennis Martínez's perfect game on July 28, 1991. A perfect game in baseball means no player from the other team reaches base.
After that season, the Dodgers traded Chris to the Kansas City Royals. He played for the Royals for two years (1992–1993). Chris then returned to the Dodgers for the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
Joining His Brother and a Big Moment
In 1996, Chris joined his older brother Tony on the San Diego Padres. This was his final season in the MLB. On September 29, 1996, in the last game of the season, Chris had a huge moment. He hit a special kind of hit called a pinch-hit double. This hit brought in two runs and won the game for the Padres in the 11th inning. It also helped the Padres win their division championship!
This was his last regular season turn at bat. But he also got hits in his final two playoff turns at bat, ending his career with a great hitting streak. Chris was also known for hitting two "walk-off home runs" during his career. A walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game immediately.
His Stats and Skills
Chris Gwynn played in 599 games over 10 years. He had a batting average of .261. This means he got a hit about 26% of the times he tried to hit the ball. He also hit 17 home runs and had 118 RBI (runs batted in). An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run.
He was a very good outfielder. He played in all three outfield positions and even some games at first base. He made only one error in 382 chances, which is amazing! An error is a mistake a player makes that helps the other team. His only error happened on September 28, 1993.
After Playing Baseball
After his playing career ended, Chris Gwynn became a scout for the Padres. A scout finds new talented players. In 2011, he was the Director of Player Personnel for the Padres. This means he helped manage the players. After 2011, he became the Director of Player Development for the Seattle Mariners. He lives in California with his wife, JoAnn, and their two children.
