Ron Santo

Ron Santo, one of the greatest Cubs players of all time and their radio broadcaster, has died of cancer of the bladder. It is not often that I take note of the passing of an athlete or retired athlete, but Ron Santo is an exception. Much of the reason is that I am a long-time Cub fan.

When I first became a Cub fan at age 18 (in 1963), Santo was the third baseman of the Cubs. He was a great hitter, fielder and all around player. He was on the team that blew the 1969 pennant to the "Miracle Mets." During his tenure, the Cubs were contenders, something they had previously not been. Yet, they couldn't bring a pennant to their fans, who had not seen a pennant since 1945 and a World Series championship since 1908-a stigma that has continued to this day.

After his retirement, Santo continued to be connected to the Cubs. He participated in the Cubs' Dream Camp in Arizona, where aging fans could come to spring training and play with retired Cubs players. Later, he moved into the Cubs (radio) broadcasting booth. What was remarkable about Ron was the fact that he wore his love and loyalty to the Cubs and their fans on his sleeve, living and dying with the successes and failures of the team-as did their fans-and  I. Like the rest of us, we knew that Ron's dream was to see the
Cubs in the World Series before he died.



And for Ron, that was a genuine concern. Virtually his entire life he had health issues. It wasn't known until long after he retired that he suffered with juvenile diabetes and carried it with him throughout his career. As he grew older, his health worsened. In his final years, both of his legs had to be amputated. Still he persevered in his work and support for the Cubs. He became the most beloved Cub figure of all-even more than Mr Cub himself, Ernie Banks. 

In 1964, within months after I embraced the Cubs, their promising young second baseman Ken Hubbs, was killed tragically in a plane crash at the age of 22. Santo was his close friend, served as a pall-bearer and grieved seriously over the loss of his friend. He could not understand why a great young person as Hubbs had to be taken so young. It was one of the great tragedies that the Cubs family suffered together.

A few years ago, I was planning to write a book about Hubbs and would have wanted to interview Santo among others. Eventually, I learned that a book on Hubbs was in progress, at which time I dropped my plans. I did, however, have a chance to speak on the phone at some length with Ken's brother, Keith, who is still a part of the Cubs' family. He told me that he was still a friend of Santo, which leads to one of the final stories of Ron's life. 

In the past several years, Santo had been considered  a strong candidate to be elected into the Hall of Fame. Yet, that selection eluded him year after year to his great disappointment. As the selection process came to pass every year, Keith Hubbs would be in contact with Ron, hoping to congratulate him  but having to console him.  To this day, Santo has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. Several years ago, the Cubs honored him by retiring his number 10. In his acceptance speech at Wrigley Field, he described it as a bigger thrill than getting into the Hall of Fame.

I still hope that Ron can get into the Hall even posthumously. I never met him, but I feel the loss. Beyond his success in baseball, Ron Santo was considered to be a good guy.

Rest in peace, Ron. If I am still alive when the magical day comes when the Cubs win it all, I will be thinking of you.