Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg has died after battling cancer

The Chicago Cubs star Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Fame second baseman who rose to become one of baseball’s best all-around players, passed away. He was sixty-five.

The team said Sandberg passed away at home on Monday, surrounded by his loved ones.

In January 2024, Sandberg declared that he had received a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer. After undergoing radiation and chemotherapy, he declared himself cancer-free in August 2024.

However, on December 10, he revealed on Instagram that his cancer had returned and had spread to other organs. In addition to looking forward to savoring each day with my devoted family and friends, he declared this month that he was still fighting.

In the nearly 150-year history of this legendary team, Sandberg will go down as one of the all-time greats, according to Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts.

In the team’s statement, Ricketts stated, “His career was characterized by his unwavering integrity, grit, hustle, competitive fire, and dedication to and respect for the game.”

Sandberg grew up in Spokane, Washington, where he was born. In the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft, Philadelphia drafted him out of high school.

In 1981, he made his main league debut with the Phillies, going 1 for 6 in 13 games. He and veteran infielder Ivan De Jesus were transferred to Chicago in January 1982, along with Larry Bowa.

It became one of baseball’s most unfair contracts ever.

During his 15 years in Chicago, Sandberg hit.285 with 282 home runs, 1,061 RBIs, and 344 steals. He won nine Gold Gloves, was on ten All-Star teams, and won the Home Run Derby in 1990.

“Ryne Sandberg was a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball and a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stated. He was a five-tool player whose strength, speed, and work ethic allowed him to succeed in every aspect of the game.

Despite Sandberg’s outstanding play, the Cubs only made two postseason trips during his tenure in Chicago.

He batted.314 with 19 home runs, 84 RBIs, 32 steals, 19 triples, and 114 runs scored in 1984, earning him the NL MVP award. After winning the first two games of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field, San Diego eliminated the Cubs, despite Sandberg hitting.368 (7 for 19) in the playoffs and Chicago winning the NL East.

The Sandberg Game, which Cubs fans still refer to, occurred on June 23, 1984, when he hit two home runs and drove in seven runs in a 12-11 victory over St. Louis in 11 innings.

On that date in 2024, Chicago placed a statue of the infielder outside Wrigley Field as a memorial to Sandberg and that game.

During a July 20 TV broadcast of the Cubs’ game, Cubs head of baseball operations Jed Hoyer declared, “He was a superhero in this city.” When you consider Ryne Sandberg, Walter Payton, and Michael Jordan were present at the same time, I can’t think of anyone managing their celebrity or city’s responsibilities better than he did.

With 30 home runs and a.290 batting average, Sandberg helped the Cubs win the NL East in 1989 and sent Chicago back to the postseason. Chicago lost to San Francisco in five games in the NLCS, despite his.400 (8 for 20) batting average.

Although Sandberg drove in a career-high 100 runs in 1990 and 1991 and set a career high with an NL-best 40 home runs in 1990, he was never able to return to the postseason. Following the 1997 season, he retired.

On his third attempt at the ballot, he received 76.2% of the vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America, earning him induction into the Hall of Fame in 2005. In the same year, the Cubs retired his number 23.

From August 2013 to June 2015, Sandberg oversaw Philadelphia as well, leading the team 119-159. After Charlie Manuel was sacked, he was given the interim position, and in the midst of a challenging 2015 season, he resigned from the Phillies.