Ron Santo
Ron Santo | center |
Number retired on 28 September 2003| Position | 3B
(2,102 games)
DH (47 games)
2B (42 games)
SS (18 games)
OF (8 games)
1B (3 games) | | MLB Seasons | 15
(14-Cubs)
(1-White Sox) | | Teams | Cubs
White Sox | | Debut | 26 June 1960 (Cubs) | | Final Game | 29 Sept. 1974
(White Sox) | | Total Games | 2,243 batting
2,201 fielding | | LCS Appearances | (none) | | World Series Teams | (none) | | All-Star Teams | 1963, 1964,
1965, 1966,
1968, 1969,
1971, 1972,
1973 | | Awards | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award (1973) | Gold Glove
1964, 1965,
1966, 1967,
1968 | National League
Leader Walks
1964, 1966,
1967, 1968 | National League
Leader Triples
1964 - 13 | Nickname| "Pizza" | |
| | |
Ronald Edward Santo (born
February 25 1940 in
Seattle, Washington) is a former
third baseman in
Major League Baseball who played almost his entire career with the
Chicago Cubs. He was named a
National League All-Star 9 times during his 15 seasons of play (1960 - 1974), and won five consecutive
Gold Glove awards for fielding excellence (1964-1968).
Santo made his debut with the Cubs on
June 26,
1960. He played with the team until
1973, then finished his career with the cross-town
Chicago White Sox in
1974. During his 14-season run with the Cubs, Santo hit 337
home runs; he was the first third baseman to hit over 300 home runs and win five Gold Gloves, a feat since matched by only
Mike Schmidt, a Hall of Fame player with a lifetime
batting average 10 points below Santo's .277, in an era noted for weaker pitching.
In the early years of his playing career, he carefully concealed the fact that he had
Type 1 diabetes. He feared that had this information come out, he would be forced into retirement. As part of the publicity surrounding "Ron Santo Day" at
Wrigley Field on
August 28,
1971, he revealed his struggle with diabetes. He was diagnosed with this disease at the age of 18, and was given a life expectancy of 25 years. Santo has had both his legs amputated below the knee as a result of his diabetes; the right in
2001 and the left in
2002. Today, he is a Cubs broadcaster on
WGN radio with play-by-play announcer
Pat Hughes. He has also worked with
Harry Caray,
Thom Brennaman,
Wayne Larrivee, and
Bob Brenly.
Santo has been endorsing the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's annual Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes in Chicago since 1974, and has raised over
$50 million for the
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). In 2002, Santo was named the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's "Person of the Year." Santo also inspired
Bill Holden to walk 2,100 miles, from
Arizona to Chicago, to raise $250,000 for diabetes research.
On
September 28,
2003, Santo's #10 was retired by the Cubs organization, making him the third player so honored behind his teammates
Ernie Banks (#14) and
Billy Williams (#26). Other prominent Cubs had worn number 10 after Santo's retirement, notably
Dave Kingman and
Leon Durham. The most recent wearer had been interim manager
Bruce Kimm, just the previous year.
In
2005, he came within eight votes of election to the
Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee.
Bill James, arguably baseball's most respected
statistical guru, feels Santo's elevation to the Hall of Fame is long overdue.
Although disappointed at being bypassed, on the day his number was retired, the ever-optimistic "old Cub" told the cheering Wrigley crowd, "This is
my Hall of Fame!"
In
2004, Santo and his battle against diabetes was the subject of a
documentary,
This Old Cub. The film was
written,
co-produced, and
directed by Santo's son, Jeff.
In Chicago, Santo is well-loved for his unabashed broadcast enthusiasm, which he reveals with groans and cheers during the game. He also possesses a charming sense of humor. During one game, in which Angel Echevarria was batting, Santo casually asked play-by-play broadcaster Pat Hughes, "Pat, do you believe in angels?"
=Stats
=
* Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
* Weight: 190 lb (86 kg)
* Bats: Right
* Throws: Right
* Uniform number:
10* MLB:
** Batting average: .277
** Hits: 2,254
** RBIs: 1,331
** Home runs: 342
** Doubles: 366
** ML leader Double plays - 6 years
* National League Third Baseman leader in:
** Consecutive games (364)
** Putouts - 7 times
** Assists - 7 times
*
*
BaseballLibrary.com - biography and career highlights
*
The Baseball Page.com*
Baseball Almanac.com*
This Old Cub*
Interview in The Heckler
