Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg, who became one of baseball’s most beloved players during his 15-year career with the Chicago Cubs, died Monday at age 65 following a battle with prostate cancer.
Sandberg was surrounded by his family when he died at his home, according to the team. The Cubs announced they would wear a special jersey patch to commemorate Sandberg for the rest of the season.
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts indicated that Sandberg “will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise.” Ricketts praised his dedication to and respect for the game, along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle and competitive fire as hallmarks of his career.
The baseball legend announced in January 2024 that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. After undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Sandberg announced in August 2024 that he was cancer-free. However, he posted on Instagram on December 10 that his cancer had returned and spread to other organs.
Born September 18, 1959, in Spokane, Washington, Sandberg was the youngest of four children. He was named after New York Yankees pitcher Ryne Duren. At North Central High School, Sandberg excelled in multiple sports, earning All-America Team honors as a quarterback and punter, while also receiving second-team Greater Spokane League basketball honors during his junior and senior years.
The Philadelphia Phillies selected Sandberg in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft. He made his major league debut in 1981, going 1-for-6 in 13 games with Philadelphia before being traded to Chicago in January 1982 along with Larry Bowa for veteran infielder Ivan De Jesus.
The trade proved to be one of the most lopsided deals in baseball history. Sandberg hit .285 with 282 home runs, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals during his Cubs career. He made 10 All-Star teams, collected nine Gold Gloves and won seven Silver Slugger awards.
Sandberg’s breakthrough season came in 1984 when he won the National League MVP award, batting .314 with 19 home runs, 84 RBIs, 32 steals, 19 triples and 114 runs scored. The Cubs won the NL East that year, making their first postseason appearance since 1945.
The 1984 season featured what Cubs fans still call “The Sandberg Game” on June 23 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In a nationally televised contest at Wrigley Field, Sandberg hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter. In the 10th inning, with the Cubs trailing 11-9, Sandberg hit another two-run homer off Sutter to tie the game, leading to Chicago’s eventual 12-11 victory in 11 innings.
Sandberg led the Cubs back to the playoffs in 1989, hitting .290 with 30 home runs as Chicago won the NL East. He set a career high with a National League-best 40 home runs in 1990 and drove in a career-best 100 runs in both 1990 and 1991. When he first retired after the 1997 season, he held the record for most home runs hit by a second baseman in major league history.
Sandberg announced his first retirement suddenly on June 13, 1994, stating he had lost the edge it takes to play. However, he returned for the 1996 and 1997 seasons before retiring permanently with a .989 fielding percentage, which was the major league record among second basemen at the time.
The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Sandberg in 2005, receiving 76.2 percent of the vote in his third year on the ballot. The Cubs retired his number 23 that same season, making him the fourth player to receive that honor alongside Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo.
After his playing career, Sandberg managed in the minor leagues with Chicago and Philadelphia before becoming the Phillies’ third-base coach. He was promoted to interim manager when Charlie Manuel was fired in August 2013 and compiled a 119-159 record before resigning during the difficult 2015 season.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred described Sandberg as “a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball” who “was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic.”
The Cubs unveiled a statue honoring Sandberg outside Wrigley Field on June 23, 2024, the 40th anniversary of The Sandberg Game. He remained involved with the organization as a team ambassador and attended spring training this year despite his health battle. Sandberg spent time around the Cubs during spring training and threw out the first pitch at the home opener in April alongside fellow Cubs Hall of Famers Billy Williams, Lee Smith, Fergie Jenkins and Andre Dawson.
