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Chicago mourns the death of Ryne Sandberg: "Hall of fame in every way"
David Kaplan, host of ESPN 1000, reflects on the legacy and life of Cubs superstar Ryne Sandberg.
CHICAGO - Ryne Sandberg, a Chicago Cubs legend who's been battling cancer, has died at the age of 65, the club announced on Monday.
Sandberg announced last year he had metastatic prostate cancer. After he was at one time cancer-free, he revealed in December that the cancer returned.
He posted on Instagram on Dec. 10 that his cancer had returned and spread to other organs. He announced this month that he was still fighting, while "looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends."
Sandberg is survived by his wife Margaret, his five children and 11 grandchildren.
‘Hero to a generation’
What we know:
Sandberg was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. He was selected out of high school by Philadelphia in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft.
During his 15-year career with the Cubs, Sandberg was a 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove recipient and seven-time Silver Slugger winner.
He finished his MLB career with a .285 batting average, 2,386 hits, 1,061 RBI, and 282 home runs. He was named the N.L. Most Valuable Player in 1984 after hitting a career-best .314 and leading the league with 114 runs and 19 triples.
Even with Sandberg’s stellar play, the Cubs made just two postseason appearances while he was in Chicago.
CHICAGO, IL - CIRCA 1992: Ryne Sandberg #23 of the Chicago Cubs bats against the Pittsburgh Pirates during a Major League Baseball game circa 1992 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Sandberg played for the Cubs from 1982-1994 and 1996-1997. (Phot …
The 1984 season featured what Cubs fans still call "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.
Sandberg led Chicago back to the playoffs in 1989, hitting .290 with 30 homers as the Cubs won the NL East. He batted .400 (8 for 20) in the NLCS, but Chicago lost to San Francisco in five games. He set a career high with an NL-best 40 homers in 1990 and drove in a career-best 100 runs in 1990 and 1991, but he never made it back to the postseason. He retired after the 1997 season.
Sandberg was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005 and was only the fourth player in team history to have his number (#23) retired along with Earnie Banks (#14), Billy Williams (#26), and Ron Santo (#10).
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 04: Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg throws the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday, April 4, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/MLB Phot …
What they're saying:
Cubs and MLB executives spoke to Sandberg's legacy following his death.
"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," said Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts on behalf of his family and the Chicago Cubs organization. "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."
"Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said. "He was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic."
"When you examine the offense and defense, you’ll find some years where he was the best player you’ve ever seen in your life," former Cubs first baseman Mark Grace said.
"Ryne Sandberg had a relentless work ethic and an unshakable positive outlook," Hall of Fame chair Jane Forbes Clark said. "With it, he inspired all those who knew him."