Ron Santo    A Perfect 10
1940-2010

The Chicago Cubs and Cubs Fans around the world have lost their biggest fan, Ron Santo.

The legendary Chicago Cubs player and broadcaster died December 3, 2010 in Arizona. He was 70.

Santo died of complications from bladder cancer.

More on Ron Santo....

Ron Santo was elected to the Hall of Fame on December 5, 2011. More more information see Ron Santo Hall of Fame

Induction is scheduled for July 22, 2012 and his wife Vicki will be giving the induction speech.

Any Chicago Cubs Fan is a Ron Santo fan. I cannot imagine any reason not to be. He has been a fan favorite since he broke in with the Cubs in June of 1960. He was the clean up hitter in the middle of the formable Williams, Santo and Banks hitting trio.

He was always a vibrant personality that played the game with great enthusiasm and passion. He just loved playing third base for the Chicago Cubs. He was known for his offensive production as a clean up hitter. He hit 342 home runs, batted it 1,331 runs while collecting 2,254 hits. He hit 300 four times and hit over 30 home runs in a season also four times.

He also drove in 90 or more runs in eight consecutive seasons (1963-1970), the only third baseman to achieve that feat.

But we should not overlook his defensive skills that rounds out this player who should be in the Hall of Fame. He earned 5 Gold Gloves at third base a feat only exceeded by Mike Schmidt. Those gold gloves were in consecutive years by the way, 1964-1968.

If you review all the statistics Ron Santo has earned you will notice that he ranks right up next to the top of all third baseman.

Hall of Fame inductees Brooks Robinson, Eddie Matthews and Mike Schmidt are there and there is no reason base on numbers that Ron Santo should not be next to them. And it is not just numbers that earn a place in the Hall of Fame.

The screening committee is supposed to consider the playing record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship and character. There are fans that believe Ron Santo excels in all those areas and I do not understand what is the hold up on electing him to the Hall of Fame.

Even though Ron has not been elected to the Hall of Fame the Chicago Cubs organization has honored this great Cubs by retiring his number 10 jersey on September 28, 2003. His flag flies on top of the left field foul pole right there with Ernie Banks.

Ron’s love of the Cubs did not end when he retired. Just for the record, his last year in base ball was 1974. The Cubs wanted to trade him to the California Angels but Santo nixed that deal saying he wanted to stay in Chicago. The Cubs traded him to the White Sox. How the Cubs could do that is still a mystery. 1974 should have never happened.

But to continue, Ron moved on to become a color commentator with WGN radio broadcasting Cubs games. He lives and dies with each Cubs game and is extremely popular with his loyal fans. He has worked with a number of play by play announcers but currently is paired up with Pat Hughes. Together they make a great team.

This past December 2009 Ron agreed to a 3-year contract extension to continue broadcasting in the booth next to Pat Hughes.

We all know at this point that Ron has endured type 1 diabetes since he was diagnosed at age 18. He kept it quiet for many years and it is amazing he was able to perform at the level he did. As the disease has progressed Ron has had parts of legs amputated, the right in 2001 and the left in 2002. He has his good days and bad days but as always is making the best of it.

In 2004 a documentary was made, This Old Cub. The film was produced and written by Jeff Santo,his son. If you have not seen it click on to the link.

Ron is also involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and endorses the Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes in Chicago. Since 1974 the walk has raised over $50 Million. In 2002 Ron Santo was named the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Person of the Year.

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