Goodbye, Ryno

Chicago Cubs legendary second-baseman Ryne Sandberg has died:

Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, a Cubs legend and the architect of the famous “Sandberg Game,” passed away Monday at his home after a battle with cancer. He was 65.

Sandberg’s breakout 1984 season couldn’t have come at a better time for the Cubs. The “Sandberg Game,” when that year’s NL MVP went 5-for-6 and hit two game-tying home runs off Cardinals closer Bruce Sutter, served as a turning point in the season. The Cubs would go on to clinch the division, snapping a 39-year playoff drought.

Sandberg announced in January of 2024 that he’d been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. With treatment, he was cancer-free by August, sharing the good news on Instagram: “Rang the Bell this morning! WE did it, WE won!”

Four months later, however, his cancer had returned, and Sandberg resumed intensive treatment.

We've lost a lot of good people this month. It's getting distressing.