Chicago Cubs legend and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg has died after battling cancer. The second baseman was a Cub’s fan favorite who earned a reputation as one of the best all-around players in the game.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Chicago Cubs legend and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg has died. He was known for his quiet leadership on and off the field and his work ethic, but his prowess at second base made him a Cubs fan favorite.
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UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER: A great catch by Sandberg. What a play by Ryne Sandberg.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Sandberg made his Major League debut with the Phillies in 1981, but they weren’t impressed with his turn as shortstop and traded him to the Chicago Cubs the next year. That trade would go down as one of the worst mistakes in baseball history.
SUMMERS: Sandberg went on to win the 1984 National League MVP Award and dozens of other accolades. He earned a reputation as one of the game’s best all-around players. In his Hall of Fame speech in 2005, Sandberg opened up to the media about his reputation of being soft-spoken and quiet.
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RYNE SANDBERG: And I wasn’t trying to be difficult. I had other things on my mind. Baseball wasn’t easy for me. I struggled many times when maybe it didn’t look like I was struggling.
CHANG: Sandberg announced last year that he had metastatic prostate cancer. He died Monday. He was 65 years old.
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