The popular Chicago Cubs and White Sox third baseman died Wednesday at the age of 70.
At the heyday of my fanhood — 1969 — the Cubs were the hated enemy and Santo was the epitome of the arrogant, self-entitled rival, deeming the Mets unworthy to shine the shoes of the Chicagoans. But later in life, when he suffered health issues, he served as an inspiration to others in him circumstances.
Santo is one of the players on the cusp, depending on who you talk to, about Hall of Fame worthiness. He was a nine-time All-Star, a multiple Gold Glove winner, and often considered of the NL MVP. Certainly there are inductees with less-impressive numbers in Cooperstown (the new batch of eligible players don’t exactly thrill me either).
Santo published his autobio, Ron Santo: For the Love of Ivy
Submitted for your persual, some YouTube videos featuring the late Cubs legend.
is available on Amazon.com,
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I too rooted hard against Santo in 1969, but my greatest Ron Santo moment came at the very beginning of my baseball fandom, in 1961 (I was 7), the first year I collected baseball cards. I had cards for a few players born in the teens, and a lot of players born in the ’20s and ’30s. Ron Santo was my first baseball card for a player born in the 1940s. I was so excited when I got his card. Since I was born in the ’50s, I guess I figured that if somebody born in the ’40s could now be a major leaguer, it wouldn’t be long before I too would be old enough to play in the major leagues. Now Santo’s death makes me think of how these baseball players live alongside of us, at each stage of our lives. It won’t be that long before I too am seventy. Santo was a great player and a great competitor. I’m sorry that I never had the opportunity to root for him.
Agreed, Dana. That’s why I rooted hard for Jesse Orosco when he was pitching well into his 40s. He was the last guy my age still active and I (illogically, of course) figured that as long as someone THAT old was still a round, I still had a chance. But now the players who were our heroes as kids are getting to age age where it’s not out of character to have them pass away. So what does that say for us? Sad.
He was Chipper Jones before Chipper Jones was born. And he should be in the Hall of Fame.
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