Remembering Ryne Sandberg, Cubs Legend

As you've no doubt heard by now, Ryne Sandberg passed away at age 65, finally succumbing to cancer. The Hall of Famer, nine-time Gold Glove winner, ten-time All-Star, 1984 MVP, and franchise icon will be missed as an integral part of canon lore for millions of Cub fans.

Our @Matthew Trueblood covered his legenary career well, and you should read his outstanding tribute to gain an appreciation of what Sandberg was as a player. This is not that type of article. This is purely a tribute from a fan.

Growing up in Kenosha, Wisconsin, WGN was available over the airwaves, and that’s where Ryne Sandberg became a part of my story. I was seven when the Cubs stormed the NL in 1984 and, pre-lights, was baby sat by Harry CarAy and Steve Stone. They would always point out this MVP season Sandberg was having, and thus, a lifelong fan was born. It is impossible to quantify what he meant, and will always mean to Cubs fans. Here are three stories from my life that show my version of this. Hopefully, it can stir memories of Ryno for you.

August 1989: On my birthday, the 23rd of this month (yes 23 is my favorite number), I was in day two of my new school. Day two was ROUGH. No part of me wanted to walk to that place, where I was convinced everyone was staring at the new kid. So, I donned my big head caricature Sandberg t-shirt, manned up, and went since truancy was illegal.  With my best shirt, representing the confidence of the star of a playoff-bound team, I walked in with the strut I’d been practicing. “Nice shirt,” some kid said, and from there, I found several Cub fans and fellow baseball card collectors, and I was off,

That afternoon, I was surprised by my parents with the only childhood cake I can remember. A baseball diamond, complete with the Sandberg Starting Lineup figure sliding into second. Even though it was out of the packaging and lost all of its value, I still have the figure, and the memories of that day. I made friends in a new school and had a great birthday, and Sandberg communal fandom was the reason.

March, 1995: Finally, my senior year, I made varsity. Yes, I played second, mainly because of Ryno, but fortuitous given my noodle arm. Once again, my childhood insecurities manifested, and I looked to gain respect from my teammates, proving that I belonged. 

When it came time to pick a jersey number, the good ones were taken... except 23. Snatched it up, heard a couple cracks about Michael Jordan from the coach. “Nah, Sandberg” I responded. Several nods of respect from my teammates, coach gave an approving smile. My reputation was secure. If someone was a Sandberg fan, that person had to be a heady, reliable player.

I mean, it wasn’t enough to get me playing time, but man, was I a reliable practice player, and when I made a smart play, coach would always make a Sandberg comment, even though he was taking his gap year. And yes, I imagined myself at Wrigley, manning second base, every single practice.

Fast forward to August 2013. Now married with two young kids and a very understanding wife, I made the trek to Cooperstown with my dad and brother to celebrate Dad’s 60th birthday. Of course, before any of us could tour the museum, we had to go to the famous plaques.  Not many people get to see their favorite athlete in any sport inducted. I don’t remember all the exhibits, but I do vividly recall the picture of Ryno and Wade Boggs on their big day, and of course, the first floor plaque.

I bought but one souvenir that day, a postcard of Sandberg. It remains framed at my desk, in the center of my sports memorabilia. It towers in stature if not size over my Jon Scheyer autographed photo and even my framed cereal box of RizzOs. And it’s been a teaching tool.

East Carolina University and their stellar baseball program (Jeff Hoffman, Alec Burleson, and Gavin Williams are notable alumni) is huge in the school I work in. Kids are naturally drawn to my decorations, and as a result, Sandberg is a go-t0 legend in MLB The Show for all of them. I delight I hearing about his console pixelated exploits, and am doing my small part to keep his legend alive. 

Thanks for reading this self-indulgent article. I wrote this to sort out my feelings and memories of Sandberg, and also hope to trigger similar memories for you guys. Would love to see some in the comments.

Now to set up a Strat-O-Matic series, 1984 Cubs vs. 1989. Let’s get to it!