Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs legend and Corridor of Famer, dies at 65

Corridor of Fame Chicago Cubs slugger and second baseman Ryne Sandberg has died, following a battle with prostate most cancers.

Sandberg died Monday, July 28, the Cubs confirmed. He was 65 years outdated.

“Ryne Sandberg was a hero to a technology of Chicago Cubs followers and might be remembered as one of many all-time greats in practically 150 years of this historic franchise,” Cubs government chairman Tom Ricketts mentioned in a press release. “His dedication to and respect for the sport, alongside along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and aggressive fireplace had been hallmarks of his profession. He was immensely pleased with his teammates and his function as a world ambassador of the sport of baseball, however most of all, he was pleased with Margaret, his youngsters and his function as husband, father, and grandfather.”

Sandberg performed in elements of 16 big-league seasons, virtually completely with the Cubs.

Sandberg was born Sept. 18, 1959, in Spokane, Washington. He was the youngest of 4 youngsters of Derwent “Sandy” Sandberg, a mortician, and Elizabeth “Libby” Sandberg, a nurse, in line with the Society for American Baseball Analysis.

Sandberg’s dad and mom named him for New York Yankees pitcher Ryne Duren, the society reported.

At North Central Excessive College in Spokane, Sandberg was a standout in baseball, in addition to soccer and basketball, the society famous, citing native newspaper reviews. He acquired All-America Crew honors from Parade Journal as a quarterback and punter on the varsity’s soccer staff, and acquired second-team Better Spokane League basketball honors his junior and senior years, the society reported.

On the basketball courtroom, John Stockton, later of the Utah Jazz, was a rival of Sandberg’s from Gonzaga Prep Excessive College, the society reported.

However after all, it was the baseball diamond that turned out to be Sandberg’s calling. In highschool, Sandberg made the All-Metropolis staff twice, hitting .417 with 4 residence runs and helped lead his highschool staff to a 25-3 report and a second-place end within the state match championship.

Main League Baseball scouts already had their eyes on Sandberg when he signed a letter of intent to go to Washington State College on a soccer scholarship, the society famous. Whereas this was sufficient to make most scouts lose curiosity, scouts for the Philadelphia Phillies saved wooing Sandberg, and he ended up selecting baseball over soccer.

The Phillies drafted Sandberg in 1978 within the twentieth spherical. He performed within the minor leagues first with the Pioneer League in Helena, Montana, after which with Class A Spartanburg within the Western Carolinas League in 1979, the society famous.

Sandberg superior to Double-A Studying in 1980 and made the Japanese League All-Star Crew. He performed in Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis in 1981, earlier than the Phillies known as him as much as the majors late that season.

Following the 1981 season, the Phillies and Cubs exchanged shortstops — Larry Bowa got here to the Cubs in trade for Iván DeJesus — however Cubs normal supervisor Dallas Inexperienced needed Sandberg too, in line with the Baseball Corridor of Fame.

In his first season with the Cubs in 1982, Sandberg performed third base and hit .271 with 33 doubles and 32 stolen bases. Based on the Baseball Corridor of Fame, he completed sixth within the Nationwide League Rookie of the Yr voting.

Sandberg was switched to second base for the 1983 season — which the Cubs completed with a report of 71-91, and which is greatest remembered right this moment for a tirade by supervisor Lee Elia directed at disrespectful followers. However Sandberg received the primary of 9 straight Gold Glove Awards that yr, the Baseball Corridor of Fame famous.

In 1984, Jim Frey changed Elia because the Cubs’ supervisor. Sandberg was a starter for the Cubs alongside different legends resembling Jody Davis, Leon Durham, and Keith Moreland.

When the Cubs took on the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Discipline on June 23, 1984, Sandberg saved driving in runs to beat an early 7-1 Cubs deficit. However the Cubs had been nonetheless down 9-8 as the underside of the ninth started — just for Sandberg to hit a homer and tie it up.

The Cubs didn’t rating once more within the backside of the ninth, and the sport went into additional innings. St. Louis scored two extra runs within the high of the tenth and took an 11-9 lead, however with two out and nobody on base, Bob Dernier labored a stroll from ex-Cub Bruce Sutter — and Sandberg hit one other homer to tie the sport at 11, in line with the Baseball Corridor of Fame.

The Cubs scored yet another time on an RBI single by Dave Owen — and received 12-11. The sport grew to become referred to as the “Ryne Sandberg Recreation” and propelled the 1984 Cubs towards success that season.

“That is one thing that is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime factor,” Sandberg mentioned on the time. “Apart from being in shock proper now, it was plenty of enjoyable.”

The Cubs received the Nationwide League Japanese Division championship in ’84 – for his or her first look within the postseason because the 1945 World Collection.

Whereas the Cubs misplaced the 1984 Nationwide League Championship Collection 3-2, Sandberg received the Nationwide League Most Beneficial Participant award and made the All-Star roster for the primary of 10 instances. Based on the Baseball Corridor of Fame, Sandberg hit .314 in 1984 and led the NL in runs scored with 114 and triples with 19.

In 1989, a season during which the Cubs additionally received the Nationwide League Japanese Division championship, Sandberg reached the 30-homer mark, in line with the Baseball Corridor of Fame. Based on the Baseball Corridor of Fame, he led the Nationwide League with 40 residence runs, 116 runs, 344 bases, 100 RBI, and 25 steals in 1990.

That yr, Sandberg was the primary second baseman to steer the Nationwide League in residence runs since Rogers Hornsby in 1925 and the primary second baseman to hit 30 or extra residence runs in consecutive baseball seasons, in line with the Baseball Corridor of Fame.

Sandberg introduced his first retirement abruptly in the midst of a season on June 13, 1994, saying he had “misplaced the sting it takes to play — the drive, the motivation, the killer intuition.” However he returned in 1996 and performed two extra seasons, earlier than lastly calling it quits as a participant on the finish of the 1997 season.

“I really lived my discipline of desires proper right here at Wrigley Discipline,” Sandberg advised the group at Wrigley on Sept. 20, 1997, as recalled by the Society for American Baseball Analysis.

Sandberg completed his profession as a .285 hitter with 282 residence runs and a fielding proportion of .989. He notched roughly 68 Wins Above Substitute, per Baseball Reference. 

Sandberg was a 10-time All-Star and a winner of 9 Gold Glove Awards and 7 Silver Slugger Awards. He was inducted into the Baseball Corridor of Fame in 2005, incomes greater than 76% of the vote in his third yr on the poll.

“I did not play the sport proper as a result of I noticed a reward on the finish of the tunnel,” Sandberg mentioned on the time. “I performed it proper as a result of that is what you are presupposed to do.”

After his retirement, Sandberg served as a spring coaching teacher with the Cubs in Mesa, Arizona. From 2007 till 2010, Sandberg was a supervisor within the Cubs’ minor-league system — first with the Single-A with the Triple-A Iowa Peoria Chiefs, then the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, and eventually the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs throughout the Phillies’ farm system.

When Lou Piniella retired as Cubs supervisor after the 2010 season, Sandberg was a favourite to take his place. Nonetheless, Cubs normal supervisor Jim Hendry handed on Sandberg and went with Mike Quade as a substitute.

Sandberg then left the Cubs group and have become a minor league supervisor for the Phillies. He served as Philadelphia’s bench coach after which as supervisor of the Phillies for 3 seasons from 2013 to 2015.

Sandberg received 42.8% of his 278 contests as supervisor of the Phillies earlier than being faraway from the submit partway by way of the 2015 season.

For the previous decade, Sandberg served as a well-liked Cubs ambassador. On the fortieth anniversary of the 1984 “Sandberg sport” final yr, the Cubs unveiled his statue simply outdoors Wrigley Discipline close to his fellow franchise Corridor of Famers.

“It is miraculous what can occur when desires meet alternative and exhausting work,” Sandberg mentioned on that event. “Your desires come true — and far, rather more than you ever dreamed.”

Sandberg was identified with prostate most cancers in January 2024. He underwent therapy and shared he was declared cancer-free in August of that yr, however 4 months later, he let followers know the most cancers had come again and unfold to different organs.

Sandberg did make an look at Cubs spring coaching in Mesa, Arizona, for Cubs Spring Coaching in February 2025, alongside along with his former teammates Shawon Dunston, Mark Grace, Rick Sutcliffe, and Fergie Jenkins. Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell appeared like a teenager in awe at Sandberg on the different veterans — and Counsell talked in regards to the icons’ tales as what meant a lot to him.

“Individuals like Ryno, and Corridor of Famers, they make an influence like once they step within the room — and that is what Ryno has accomplished for us already,” Counsell mentioned throughout spring coaching in February. “He is made an influence already.”

However Sandberg and the group had been additionally imparting their knowledge on younger gamers like Matt Shaw.

“That is why we’re right here. We’re right here for the gamers,” Sandberg mentioned. “With Matt, you understand, I had a dialog — I may mirror proper again to 1982, and being in camp, and having some minor league seasons beneath my belt with some success, and, ‘OK, now it is the Main Leagues’ — simply to let him know what I went by way of, and what it principally was for me to only really feel comfy with what I used to be doing and really feel comfy with my abilities, as a result of that is what received me to that time.”

In July 2025, Sandberg mentioned he had not been in a position to be at Wrigley Discipline as a lot as he had needed for the baseball season, however he had been cheering the staff on and watching from residence.

In Wrigleyville, it was a solemn night time Monday because the Wrigley Discipline marquee honored Sandberg’s reminiscence. Many took a seat on the garden at Gallagher Approach alongside the ballpark, as a rising memorial was assembled on the base of Sandberg’s statue.

Many made a particular journey to Wrigley Discipline to honor Sandberg and be with different followers. They mentioned they are going to bear in mind him for his character as a lot as the way in which he performed the sport.

“He meant loads to this metropolis, you understand, after he performed,” mentioned Ed Twohey. “I imply, he was an envoy for the staff. He was at all times round.”

Matt Lindner mentioned he was on the Sandberg statue simply weeks in the past, along with his daughter as she took her first steps. He too emphasised simply how a lot Sandberg meant to Cubs followers.

“As a Cubs fan within the 80s and the 90s rising up within the Chicago space, like, he was the Cubs to us, proper? Like, he was each child’s hero,” Lindner mentioned, “and a part of it, as I noticed it on social media, I’ve the means to come back over right here, and I needed to see if it was really actual, and also you see it lit up on the marquee, and it is about as actual because it will get.”

Cubs supervisor Counsell mirrored Monday night time on how Sandberg nonetheless attended spring coaching this yr regardless of his ailing situation.

“You understand, we’re saddened of the lack of an important man,” Counsell mentioned. “We had been fortunate as a gaggle this yr to have Ryno in spring coaching, and it was an honor to be round a person battling for his life, however who needed to come back to the baseball park and spend his day with us.”

Main League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. issued a press release honoring Sandberg Monday night time.

“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved determine all through Main League Baseball.  He was a five-tool participant who excelled in each side of the sport due to his energy, pace and work ethic.  Ryne earned 10 consecutive All-Star picks, 9 straight Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers and 1984 Nationwide League MVP honors.  

“Ryne remained lively within the sport he beloved as an envoy for the Cubs, a supervisor for the Phillies and within the Minor Leagues, and a frequent participant on the Corridor of Fame.  His many associates throughout the sport had been in his nook as he courageously fought most cancers in recent times.  We’ll proceed to help the vital work of Stand Up To Most cancers in Ryne’s reminiscence.

“On behalf of Main League Baseball, I prolong my deepest condolences to Ryne’s household, Cubs followers all over the place and his admirers all through our Nationwide Pastime.”

Sandberg is survived by his spouse Margaret, 5 youngsters, and 11 grandchildren.