Longtime Cubs legend and fan favorite Ryne Sandberg died Monday after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 65 years old.
“Ryne Sandberg was a hero to a generation of Chicago Cubs fans and will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise,” Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. “His dedication to and respect for the game, along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and competitive fire, were hallmarks of his career. He was immensely proud of his teammates and his role as a global ambassador of the game of baseball, but most of all, he was proud of Margaret, his children, and his role as husband, father, and grandfather.”
Sandberg spent nearly the entirety of his 16-year career in Chicago with the Cubs.
A native of Washington State, Sandberg was named after New York Yankees pitcher Ryne Duren.
A multi-sport high school star, Sandberg was slated to play football at Washington State. While most MLB agents stopped pushing him due to his desire to play football, the Philadelphia Phillies continued their pursuit, and eventually Sandberg chose baseball.
The Phillies capitalized on their pursuit by drafting Sandberg him in the 20th round of the 1978 draft.
After a few years in the Phillies system, the Cubs and Phillies swapped shortstops in 1981 in a move that sent Sandberg to Chicago and Ivan DeJesus to Philadelphia.
In 1982, his first year in the majors, Sandberg hit .271 with 33 doubles and 32 stolen bases, good enough for sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Sandberg’s career took off, and before all was said and done, he would accumulate nine Golden Gloves, seven Silver Slugger awards, and win the 1984 NL MVP award.
After his playing days, Sandberg’s career would come full circle when he returned to the team that drafted him, the Phillies, and became their manager from 2013 to 2015.
The Cubs will wear a patch to honor Sandberg for the remainder of the season,
