I was the Padres broadcaster the day Tony Gwynn came to the big leagues, and in my estimation, his personality hasn't changed one iota from that day until now.

In the way he treats fans and the media, Gwynn has always been one of the most approachable and likeable people in the game. He has a wonderful sense of humor and one of the greatest laughs I've ever heard. I had the good fortune of meeting his parents and a couple of his brothers, and all the Gwynns are the same -- wonderful people you just want to be around.

Gwynn's accomplishments are nothing less than spectacular. He will go down as one of the greatest hitters the game has ever seen, consistent from year to year. Only Ty Cobb, with 12, won more batting titles than Gwynn, who is tied for second all-time with Honus Wagner with eight.

No one has come closer to hitting .400 since Ted Williams than Gwynn did when he hit .394 in the strike-shortened 1994 season. Of the contemporary hitters, Gwynn and Wade Boggs are the two best contact, opposite-field hitters, ranking with the best in the history of the game.

The hit I'll remember Gwynn for most is the triple he got off of Rick Sutcliffe in Game 5 of the 1984 NLCS as the Padres rallied from a 2-0 deficit and went on to face the Tigers in the World Series. Another memorable hit was his home run off David Wells in the 1998 World Series that put the Padres up 5-2 in Game 1. Gwynn was the leader on both of San Diego's World Series teams, but both times his pitching staff couldn't hold off anybody. Through no fault of his own, Gwynn was denied a championship ring.

Going forward, Gwynn can write his own ticket. He's expressed an interest in coaching at the collegiate level, and with his ability to communicate, passion for the game, and ease with young people, any college in this country would be lucky to have him.

Dave Campbell, who played eight seasons in the major leagues, works as an analyst for Baseball Tonight and ESPN Radio.