Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg will long be remembered for his accomplishments on the field and one of the team's all-time great players. Sandberg died of metastatic prostate cancer last month and his funeral was Friday morning at Old St. Patrick Church in Chicago.
The Cubs gave their fans a chance to watch the private funeral service by putting it on the Gallagher Way video board outside of Wrigley Field.
Fans, friends, teammates, coaches and dignitaries filled the church to pay homage to Sandberg. There were multiple speakers at the funeral, including broadcaster Bob Costas and Sandberg's son, Justin Sandberg.
Costas was the primary broadcaster on NBC's Game of the Week in 1984 during the famous “Sandberg Game.” The Hall of Fame second baseman became a nationally recognized superstar in that game when he blasted game-tying home runs in back-to-back at bats against St. Louis Cardinals reliever Bruce Sutter in 1984. Sutter was considered one of the elite relief pitchers in baseball at the time. The Cubs would go on to win the game and they would late win the National League East and gain their first postseason appearance in 39 years.
Cubs honor their legendary players
The Cubs have had more than their share of on-the-field heartbreak over the years, and they went 108 years without winning the World Series until they were finally victorious in 2016.
Despite that, many legendary players have donned Cubs pinstripes throughout the years, including Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Ferguson Jenkins and Billy Williams. Sandberg's career was as remarkable as any of those great stars. Banks, Williams, Santo and Hall of Fame play-by-play broadcaster Harry Caray all have bronze statues around Wrigley Field, as does Sandberg.
Costas spoke eloquently about Sandberg's strength as a player as well as the kind of man he was.
“He was a flawless all-around player, talented and fundamentally sound,” Costas said. “The way he approached the game, the way he played was a result of who he was, and when his time at Cooperstown came, Ryne Sandberg usually quiet and reserved, made a strong point about himself and his regard for the game. Just as baseball will never forget you, we will never forget you, and we will always honor your memory.”
Sandberg was a 10-time National League All-Star. He also won the National League MVP in 1984 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. The superstar second baseman played 16 big-league seasons, including 15 with the Cubs and 1 season with the Phillies.
