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Report: Tony Gwynn’s family files suit against tobacco industry over his death

The family of late Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn is filing suit against the tobacco industry, alleging that they targeted him as a young man. The specifics of the case were detailed by Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.

“There are no damages specified in the complaint, which asks for a jury trial on grounds of negligence, fraud and product liability. Essentially, the complaint says that Gwynn, while in college, was the victim of a scheme to get him, a rising star athlete, addicted to smokeless tobacco, while knowing the dangers it posed to him. The suit said the industry was undergoing a determined effort at the time to market its products to African-Americans, and that Gwynn was a “marketing dream come true” for the defendants.”

After his playing career, Gwynn dealt with health issues relating to both his weight and tobacco habits. Kepner detailed the immense smokeless tobacco habit that Gwynn had for nearly his entire adult life.

“For 31 years — 1977 to 2008 — Gwynn used one and a half to two cans of smokeless tobacco (usually Skoal) per day. It was the equivalent, the suit says, of four to five packs of cigarettes every day for 31 years. Gwynn would dip Skoal immediately upon waking up, the suit said, and sometimes fall asleep with the product in his right lip and cheek area.”

Gwynn died in June of 2014 at the far-too-young age of 54. Playing his entire for the San Diego Padres, Gwynn won eight National League batting championships, five gold glove awards, seven silver slugger awards, and was a 15-time all-star.

Gwynn retired in 2001 and was a first ballot inductee into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

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