Chris Sale Says He Quit Tobacco The Day Tony Gwynn Died

Chris Sale will be the starting pitcher for the American League at the 2016 All-Star Game in San Diego, and on Monday he paid tribute to San Diego Padres great Tony Gwynn. In an interview, Sale claimed he quit chewing tobacco the day Gwynn died in 2014 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Gwynn believed his cancer was caused by his long-time addiction to smokeless tobacco.

Here’s Sale’s full quote:

"“I chewed tobacco from 2007 until the day he died…I quit that day and haven’t touched it since. So in a sense I owe him a huge thank you”"

It is incredibly sad that the Padres are hosting the All-Star Game for the first time since 1992 and Mr. Padre isn’t there to witness it. Gwynn is inarguably the greatest athlete San Diego has ever seen. The fact that Sale has been impacted in his personal life by Gwynn’s struggle with tobacco addiction will only expand his legacy.

Late in his career, Gwynn fought to get smokeless tobacco banned in baseball. Already Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, Chicago and New York  have banned tobacco use in ballparks. It’s long past time for it to be banned not only by Major League Baseball but in every ballpark.

Hopefully Sale and others will carry on the fight in Gwynn’s place. That would be the greatest tribute he could pay the Hall of Famer.