Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Fame second baseman who grew to become one of baseball’s finest all-around gamers whereas starring for the Chicago Cubs, has died. He was 65.
Sandberg was surrounded by his household when he died at his house on Monday, in keeping with the staff.
Sandberg introduced in January 2024 that he had been identified with metastatic prostate cancer. He had chemotherapy and radiation remedies, after which mentioned in August 2024 that he was cancer-free.
But he posted on Instagram on Dec. 10 that his cancer had returned and unfold to different organs. He introduced this month that he was nonetheless combating, whereas “wanting ahead to creating probably the most of on daily basis with my loving household and buddies.”
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts mentioned Sandberg “will likely be remembered as one of the all-time greats in practically 150 years of this historic franchise.”
“His dedication to and respect for the sport, alongside along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and aggressive hearth had been hallmarks of his profession,” Ricketts mentioned within the staff’s assertion.
Sandberg was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. He was chosen out of highschool by Philadelphia within the twentieth spherical of the 1978 novice draft.
He made his main league debut in 1981 and went 1 for six in 13 video games with the Phillies. In January 1982, he was traded to Chicago together with Larry Bowa for veteran infielder Ivan De Jesus.
It was one of probably the most lopsided offers in baseball historical past.
Sandberg hit .285 with 282 homers, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals in 15 years with Chicago. He made 10 All-Star groups — profitable the Home Run Derby in 1990 — and took house 9 Gold Gloves.
“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved determine all through Major League Baseball,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned. “He was a five-tool participant who excelled in each side of the sport due to his energy, velocity and work ethic.”
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Even with Sandberg’s stellar play, the Cubs made simply two postseason appearances whereas he was in Chicago.
He was the NL MVP in 1984, batting .314 with 19 homers, 84 RBIs, 32 steals, 19 triples and 114 runs scored. Chicago received the NL East and Sandberg hit .368 (7 for 19) within the playoffs, however the Cubs had been eradicated by San Diego after profitable the primary two video games of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field.
The 1984 season featured what Cubs followers nonetheless name “The Sandberg Game,” when he homered twice and drove in seven runs in a 12-11 victory over St. Louis in 11 innings on June 23.
Chicago paid tribute to Sandberg and that sport when it unveiled a statue of the infielder outdoors Wrigley Field on that date in 2024.
“He was a superhero on this metropolis,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer mentioned throughout a TV broadcast of the staff’s sport on July 20. “You take into consideration (Michael) Jordan, Walter Payton and Ryne Sandberg all right here on the similar time, and I can’t think about an individual dealing with their fame higher, their accountability for a metropolis higher than he did.”
Sandberg led Chicago again to the playoffs in 1989, hitting .290 with 30 homers because the Cubs received the NL East. He batted .400 (8 for 20) within the NLCS, however Chicago misplaced to San Francisco in 5 video games.
Sandberg set a profession excessive with an NL-best 40 homers in 1990 and drove in a career-best 100 runs in 1990 and 1991, however he by no means made it again to the postseason. He retired after the 1997 season.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, receiving 76.2% of the vote by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in his third attempt on the poll. The Cubs retired his No. 23 that very same yr.
Sandberg additionally managed Philadelphia from August 2013 to June 2015, going 119-159. He obtained the interim job when Charlie Manuel was fired, and he resigned with the Phillies within the center of a troublesome 2015 season.
