Ryne Sandberg died at age 65 after a prostate cancer battle

Baseball legend Ryne Sandberg He passed away at the age of 65.

The Chicago Cubs, former Sandberg team, announced his death on Monday, July 28th. via x.

“In great sadness, we share that Ryne Sandberg passed away today,” their statement read along with photos of the athlete.

No cause of death was given.

Sandberg revealed in January 2024 that he was fighting Metastatic prostate cancer. He announced seven months later he was cancer free. In December 2024, he shared that his cancer had returned and spread.

“Ryne Sandberg is a hero of a generation of fans of the Chicago Cubs and is remembered as one of the greatest greatest ever in almost 150 years of this historic franchise,” said the Cubs executive chair. Tom Ricketts I said in statement On behalf of the team and Sandberg family. “His dedication and respect for the game, and his ruthless integrity, grit, hustle and competitive fire were hallmarks of his career.”

Ricketts continues: “He was extremely proud of his role as a global ambassador for baseball games with his teammates, but more than anything, he was proud of his role as Margaret, his children, and his husband, father and grandfather.”

Sandberg, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, spent most of his 16 seasons as the Cubs’ second baseman in major league baseball. He began his professional career with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 before trading in Chicago the following year. In 1984, Sandberg was named National League MVP. In 1990, he hit 40 home runs that year than any other player. Sandberg hit 282 homers and had a batting average of .285 during his tenure in the Major Leagues. He also stole 344 bases, drove on 1,061 runs, and won nine Gold Globes.

In 1992, Sandberg signed an unprecedented $28.4 million contract to play for another four years at Wrigley Field. (He eventually retired in 1997.)

According to New York Timesa Sports illustration included A report released at the time of Sandberg’s contract signing said he was “A shy and modest man who is the rock of the Hall of Fame. He doesn’t drink, test positively, attack his wife’s car, kick his dog, get out of camp, or tell the press what’s stupid. The most controversial thing he does is launch the grounder every 25 or so games. ”

Sandberg married his first wife Cindy From 1979 to July 1995. Exes shared two children, Justin and Lindsay. in In August 1995 he married his second wife. Margarethad three children from a previous marriage.

He made history with the Cubs and was loved by fans, but the World Series victory remained elusive for Sandberg.

“I think Cubs fans wear thinly in the title “Lovey Loser,”” he said. 2011,addition,”It is the biggest party ever for the winning team, and I think the parties are all over the world. ”

Five years later, the team won the series for the first time in 108 years. By then, Sandberg had returned to the Cubs as ambassador. He received the Honorary World Series ring.