Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Fame Chicago Cubs second baseman who was acclaimed for both his brilliant fielding and his power hitting, died on Monday. He was 65.
The Cubs announced the death on social media. The team did not cite a cause or say where he died. He had lived in Lake Bluff, Ill.
Sandberg announced in January 2024 that he had metastatic prostate cancer. Seven months later, he said he was cancer free, but in December he announced that his cancer had returned and spread to other parts of his body.
Over 16 major league seasons, all but one with the Cubs, Sandberg became one of baseball’s most prominent infielders. He was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1984. He led the league in home runs with 40 in 1990. He had a lifetime batting average of .285, with 2,386 career hits and 282 career home runs. He drove in 1,061 runs and stole 344 bases. He was selected to 10 consecutive All-Star Games and won nine straight Gold Glove awards. He led N.L. second basemen in assists seven times and in fielding percentage four times.
