Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo dies at 70

[News_Editor]

Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo dies at 70

2010-12-04 02:06:24 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (BNO NEWS) -- Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo on Thursday night died at 70 due to complications from bladder cancer in an Arizona hospital.

Santo played in the major leagues for 15 seasons before retiring and becoming the Cubs radio broadcaster for the last 21 years. He is considered as one of the best baseball players in history that have not been inducted in the Hall of Fame.

The radio broadcaster had many health issues, including diabetes, leg amputations, and heart and bladder cancer. He fell into a coma on Wednesday and died one day later. Colleagues said despite his health problems he never complained and always loved to work.

"He absolutely loved the Cubs. The Cubs have lost their biggest fan," said Santo's broadcast partner, Pat Hughes. "He never complained. He wanted to have fun. He wanted to talk baseball. He considered going to games therapeutic. He enjoyed himself in the booth right to the end."

Santo began his baseball career as a third baseman for his beloved Chicago Cubs. During his career he accomplished many achievements like being named All-Star, finished fourth-place in 1960 National League Rookie of the Year balloting, and went on to hit .277 with 342 home runs and 1,331 RBIs in 15 big league seasons, all but one with the Cubs.

He hit at least 30 home runs in four straight seasons from 1964 to 1967 and drove in at least 100 runs four times, including a career-best 123-RBI season in 1969, when the Cubs lost a nine-game lead in the NL East to the eventual World Series-champion New York Mets.

Santo won five consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1964 to 1968 and made nine All-Star teams. He holds the NL record among third basemen for consecutive games played (364, from April 4, 1964, to May 31, 1966), most games played in a season (164 games, 1965) and most seasons leading the league in fielding chances (nine).

"My siblings and I first knew Ron Santo as fans, listening to him in the broadcast booth. We knew him for his passion, his loyalty, his great personal courage and his tremendous sense of humor," said Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts. "It was our great honor to get to know him personally in our first year as owners. Ronnie will forever be the heart and soul of Cubs fans."

One of the most important aspects of Santo's life is that all his accomplishments were done after he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was only 18 years old. He did not disclose his health condition until later in life, in fact years after he retired, as in that time it was believed that the illness did not allow affected individuals to play baseball.

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