Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Fame second baseman who helped redefine the position with his power and defense throughout the 1980s and 1990s, died Monday night at 65 following a battle with metastatic prostate cancer, the Chicago Cubs announced Monday.
The longtime Cubs star publicly revealed his diagnosis in January 2024 and initially shared encouraging news of remission that May on 670 The Score. However, by year’s end, Sandberg revealed that the cancer had returned and spread to other organs.
“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “He was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic.”
Sandberg spent all but one of his 16 big-league seasons with Chicago and became a face of the franchise during a stretch when Wrigley Field transformed into a summer baseball destination. A 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, Sandberg brought both flash and steadiness to second base — and earned the respect of peers, fans, and baseball historians alike.
A native of Spokane, Washington, Sandberg was a 20th-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1978. He appeared in just 13 games for the club before being traded to Chicago alongside Larry Bowa in a now-infamous deal for Iván de Jesús.
Sandberg retired with 282 career home runs — a major-league record for second basemen at the time — along with 2,386 hits, 344 stolen bases and a .282 batting average. He also captured seven Silver Slugger awards, still the most ever at his position.
Elected to the Hall of Fame in 2005, Sandberg remained close to the game. He managed in the Cubs and Phillies organizations, served as a broadcaster, and held an ambassador role with the Cubs in his later years.
Following the news, Chicago based sports media began a massive outpouring of memories for the Cubs hall of famer.
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