BILL NUMBER: ACR 63INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Maienschein (Coauthors: Assembly Members Atkins, Brough, Chvez, Dahle, Dodd, Gonzalez, Jones, Lackey, Waldron, and Weber) (Coauthors: Senators Anderson, Bates, Block, and Hueso) MAY 5, 2015 Relative to the Tony Gwynn Memorial Highway. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 63, as introduced, Maienschein. Tony Gwynn Memorial Highway. This measure would designate the portion of Interstate 15 from Pomerado Road to Scripps Poway Parkway/Mercy Road in the County of San Diego as the Tony Gwynn Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources covering that cost, to erect those signs. Fiscal committee: yes. WHEREAS, The greatest San Diego Padre of them all and one of the greatest hitters in the history of Major League Baseball, Tony Gwynn was the first ever unanimous selection to the Padres Hall of Fame upon his retirement in 2001 and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2007; and WHEREAS, Tony Gwynn was named the head baseball coach at San Diego State in September 2001, succeeding the head coach for whom he played for three years during his collegiate baseball career. In 20 seasons (1982-2001), the man who will be forever known as "Mr. Padre" won a National League record-tying eight batting titles and was selected to 16 All-Star teams. The San Diego Padres retired his number 19 jersey in September 2004; and WHEREAS, A native of Long Beach, Tony Gwynn attended Long Beach Poly High School before arriving at San Diego State in 1977 as a highly recruited basketball point guard. After not playing baseball during his freshman year in order to concentrate on basketball, Tony Gwynn was given the chance to play baseball in 1979. Tony Gwynn became a two-time All-American outfielder and led the Aztecs in hitting in each of his final two seasons. Tony Gwynn was also a point guard for the Aztec men's basketball team for four seasons and was named to the All-Western Athletic Conference team twice; and WHEREAS, On June 10, 1981, Tony Gwynn was drafted by both the San Diego Padres in the third round of the Major League Baseball draft, and by the San Diego Clippers in the 10th round of the National Basketball Association draft. After signing with the San Diego Padres, Tony Gwynn made his major league debut on July 19, 1982. He retired with a .338 career batting average and 3,141 hits in 2,400 games. The San Diego Padres career leader in virtually every offensive category, Tony Gwynn retired at 17th on the all-time hit list, 17th on the all-time doubles list, and eighth on the all-time singles list, and his .338 career batting average is 22nd of all-time; and WHEREAS, Tony Gwynn played on the first three San Diego Padres Division Championship clubs (1984, 1996, and 1998) and batted .371 in the club's two World Series appearances. Tony Gwynn's list of honors off the field is just as impressive, as he received the Roberto Clemente Man of the Year Award in 1999 and was awarded the 1999 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. In 1995, Tony Gwynn was presented the Branch Rickey Award as the top community activist in Major League Baseball, as well as the inaugural San Diego Padres Chairman's Award. Tony Gwynn also was inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame in 1999; and WHEREAS, Tony Gwynn was also extremely committed to community service in the San Diego area. With his wife, Dr. Alicia Gwynn, Tony Gwynn established the Tony and Alicia Gwynn Foundation, which provides programs and services to underserved children in the areas of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math). Only the 17th player in history to spend his entire career of 20 or more seasons with one club, Tony Gwynn's unwavering loyalty to the San Diego Padres and his undying devotion to the San Diego community further cemented his standing as "Mr. Padre" and one of the greatest ambassadors the game of baseball has ever known; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the portion of Interstate 15 from Pomerado Road to Scripps Poway Parkway/Mercy Road in the County of San Diego as the Tony Gwynn Memorial Highway; and be it further Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the signing requirements for the state highway system showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover that cost, to erect those signs; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author for appropriate distribution.