Friends, family gather to remember Tony Gwynn at SDSU memorial service

More than 200 family members and friends gathered today at SDSU for a private memorial service for San Diego Padre Hall of Famer and SDSU baseball coach Tony Gwynn, who died Monday.

The Gwynn family was joined by former Padre teammates, players coached by Gwynn at SDSU, and friends and representatives from SDSU, Major League Baseball and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, SDSU officials said.

The service was held at the new Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union at 10 a.m. today and was presided over by Bishop Donnie N. McGriff, Sr. Gwynn family friend Clarence Cureton delivered the eulogy.

Pall bearers included former Aztec baseball players Quintin Berry and Tim Zier who played under Gwynn's tutelage, current Padres manager Bud Black who played with Gwynn at SDSU, Aztecs director of baseball operations Landon Burt and former San Diego Padres Damian Jackson and Broderick Perkins.

National Baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson attended the service along with Hall of Famers Rod Carew, Cal Ripken, Jr., Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield.

Petco Park will hold a public tribute ceremony for Gwynn on the Padres' next off day, Thursday, at 7:19 p.m.

Gwynn, a longtime chewing tobacco user, died at the age of 54 after a long battle with salivary gland cancer.