The Chicago Cubs organization revealed that Ryne Sandberg, a celebrated figure and Hall of Fame inductee, passed away on Monday.
He was 65 years old.
Sandberg’s death resulted from complications related to cancer, a condition he was diagnosed with on two separate occasions in 2024. He publicly shared in January 2024 that he had received a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer. He initially fought off the disease, and approximately eight months later, he announced that he was free of cancer.
In December, however, Sandberg disclosed that the cancer had spread to various other organs within his body. This development prompted him to undergo “more intensive treatment.”
“Rob Manfred, the commissioner of MLB, expressed in a statement that Ryne Sandberg was a legendary figure within the Chicago Cubs franchise and a deeply admired personality throughout Major League Baseball. He highlighted Sandberg as a versatile player who demonstrated excellence in every aspect of the game, attributing his success to his power, speed, and strong work ethic. Manfred further noted that Sandberg had many friends across the baseball community who supported him during his courageous battle with cancer in recent years. He assured that they would continue to support the important work of Stand Up To Cancer in memory of Ryne.
“On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Ryne’s family, Cubs fans everywhere and his admirers throughout our National Pastime.”
Sandberg dedicated the majority of his MLB career to the Cubs. Following a brief 13-game period with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981, Sandberg went on to spend the subsequent 15 seasons with the Cubs before retiring after the 1997 season. Beginning in 1984, he earned 10 consecutive All-Star selections, the same year he was honored as the NL MVP, leading the league in triples and runs scored.
Throughout his career, Sandberg was the recipient of seven Silver Slugger awards and nine Gold Glove awards. In the 1990 season, he led the NL with an impressive 40 home runs, and during that same year, he emerged victorious in the Home Run Derby held at Wrigley Field.
Sandberg was known for his consistent presence on the field. In all but one of his seasons with the Cubs, he participated in at least 115 games, and he exceeded 150 games in all but four seasons. In 2005, Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Cubs commemorated the occasion by retiring his jersey number that same year.
During the previous season, the Cubs unveiled a statue outside Wrigley Field as a tribute to Sandberg.
“Tom Ricketts, the chairman of the Cubs, stated that Ryne Sandberg was an idol for an entire generation of Chicago Cubs fans and will be remembered as one of the greatest players in the nearly 150-year history of the historic franchise,”
“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 a husband, father and grandfather. Margaret and their children and grandchildren will always be a part of the Cubs family. ‘Ryno’ will never be forgotten by the Cubs community and baseball fans around the world.”
Sandberg, who was selected by the Phillies in the 20th round of the 1978 MLB Draft, spent his formative years in Spokane, Washington. Following the conclusion of his playing career, he dedicated time to coaching within both the Cubs and Phillies organizations before assuming the role of Phillies manager in 2013.
He spent three seasons with the team before resigning during the 2015 campaign. He finished with a 119-159 record as manager and completed only one full season.
“The Phillies family is devastated to learn of the passing of Ryne Sandberg,” the team said in a statement. “He was an important part of our organization, not just as a player, but also as a coach and a manager. He made a lifelong impact on so many including those who had the privilege of knowing him and working with him. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Margaret and Ryne’s entire family during this difficult time.”
