Chicago Cubs icon and Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg has died at the age of 65 after a battle with prostate cancer, the team confirmed. “Ryne Sandberg was a hero to a generation of Chicago Cubs fans and will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement after Sandberg’s death on Monday. “His dedication to and respect for the game, along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and competitive fire were hallmarks of his career. He was immensely proud of his teammates and his role as a global ambassador of the game of baseball, but most of all, he was proud of Margaret, his children and his role as husband, father, and grandfather.” Born in Spokane, Washington, Sandberg excelled in baseball, football, and basketball in high school before choosing baseball over a football scholarship. Drafted by the Phillies in 1978, he was traded to the Cubs in 1982, where he became a 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner. His legendary performance in the 1984 “Sandberg Game,” which saw him hit two game-tying homers against the Cardinals, cemented his legacy as a great all-rounder. That year, he won NL MVP and led the Cubs to their first postseason since 1945.
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