A sad day for Cubs fans as their former nine time All Star third baseman and longtime broadcaster, Ron Santo has died at the age of 70.
Santo holds a warm place in my heart because he battled diabetes throughout his career and after retirement he lost both of his legs to diabetes but always maintained a positive attitude. My sister is a diabetic and I know how tough of a disease that is. Sources say that diabetes wasn’t what got him in the end though. The Cubs legend died of bladder cancer.
Santo kept his diabetes a secret and wanted to prove that he could play baseball at the major league level with the disease. He feared that people would ask him to sit out if they knew or even retire. For 12 years Santo toughed it out and became one the greatest third basemen ever.
I knew Santo mostly from his broadcast career but also knew that he was an absolutely amazing ballplayer too. His heel clicks after a Cubs win were legendary and in my opinion, the guy should have been elected to the Hall of Fame. After 19 tries he failed to make the cut and is widely regarded as the best player to not be in the Hall. He was an awesome defensive player and yet was no slouch at the plate and often was so feared that pitchers would work around him as he led the league in walks four times. Again, it’s a shame that he’s not in the Hall of Fame.
Santo was also the biggest fan of his team in the booth. A self-described homer while on the air, Santo offered no apologies for openly rooting for the Cubs.
If you ever get a chance watch the documentary, This Old Cub, which chronicles his life. It was co-produced and directed by Santo’s son, Jeff and if you don’t shed a tear once in it than you have absolutely no heart. Here’s the trailer:
Rest in peace, Ronnie. You’ll be missed. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May Ron’s soul and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.