Ryno

A Washington state legend passed away today:

Ryne Sandberg, an iconic player for generations of Chicago Cubs fans and a distinguished member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, died Monday at the age of 65 from metastatic prostate cancer, the team announced. Sandberg passed away at his home, surrounded by his family, the Cubs shared.

The loss will be felt deeply around Wrigley Field, where Sandberg’s No. 23 jersey is retired and his image is immortalized with a statue outside the legendary ballpark.

Often called “Ryno,” Sandberg turned himself into one of the best second basemen the game has ever seen. With an unassuming demeanor and a consistent work ethic, he earned seven Silver Sluggers and nine Gold Gloves. His all-around skills and steady production led to 10 consecutive All-Star selections, every season between 1984 and 1993.

In Chicago, a city obsessed with sports, Sandberg approached a level of superstardom that at the time placed him among luminaries such as Michael Jordan and Walter Payton. Though Sandberg was never part of the kind of dynasty that Jordan built for the Bulls, or a team as dominant as the ‘85 Bears surrounding Payton, Sandberg elevated the Wrigleyville experience to new heights.

Sandberg became a face of the franchise during an era in which Harry Caray vividly described the scene for the WGN superstation and the organization installed lights for night games at Wrigley Field. That momentum helped transform the neighborhood and preserve the classic ballpark, cementing it as a destination for both tourists and baseball aficionados.

The spotlight found Sandberg, who preferred to do his job quietly and focus on the team rather than individual achievements. He carried the Cubs during his National League MVP campaign in 1984 and remained a constant during some lean years.

The franchise’s championship drought, which would last for more than a century, limited Sandberg to only two postseason appearances, in 1984 and 1989. In those 10 playoff games combined, he batted .385 with a 1.098 OPS, showing the sense of calm and competitiveness that endeared him to longtime teammates.

“We know he’s getting called up to the real big leagues,” said Bob Dernier, who with Sandberg once formed what Caray dubbed the “Daily Double” at the top of Chicago’s lineup. “I love him like a brother.”

Sandberg is survived by his wife, Margaret, his children, Justin (Ashley), Lindsey (Adam), Steven (Megan), BR (Katie), and Adriane, as well as his 11 grandchildren: Joshua, Micah, Eli, Brooklyn, Owen, Nathan, Weston, Adalyn, Bode, Stella, and Roman.

Born and raised in Spokane, Washington, Sandberg developed into an outstanding multisport athlete. Recruited by several major college football programs, he signed a letter of intent to stay close to home and play quarterback at Washington State before choosing baseball as his professional pursuit.

The Cubs, an organization that had been awful for most of the time since World War II, got Sandberg and Larry Bowa for Ivan DeJesus, a shortstop coming off a season in which he hit .194 and who would put up 1.0 fWAR the rest of his career. Sandberg led them to their first two postseason appearances in 40 years, and as noted he played great even though they suffered a crushing loss to San Diego after going up 2-0 and then were destroyed by Will Clark (and Don Zimmer) in 1989. He ended his career ranked 11th in JAWS, and leaving aside Jackie Robinson (who would be in the running for best ever with Morgan and Collins if not for the segregation) he’s surrounded by Frisch, Whitaker, Alomar, Biggio, and should-be-HOFer Chase Utley — pretty tremendous company. He was a great, classy player. R.I.P.