Legendary Cubs player and broadcaster Ron Santo
Ron Santo starred for the Cubs from 1960 through 1973.
Family spokesman John McDonough confirmed to WGN in Chicago that Santo - widely regarded as one of the best players not in the Hall of Fame - died in an Arizona hospital.
WGN says the former All-Star third baseman had bladder cancer. Santo had called Cubs games on WGN since 1990.
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts released a
statement:
"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. 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."
Santo battled diabetes as a player and a broadcaster but always had a positive outlook. "What else am I going to do?" Santo told WGN this past season about working despite physical ailments. "Doing the Cubs games is like therapy for me."
Santo, who teamed with Cubs radio voice Pat Hughes in the Wrigley Field booth, made no apologies for his homerism regarding the Cubs as their fans lived their frustrations through the former All-Star.
Santo was up for the Hall of Fame on 19 occasions, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. He first appeared on the Veterans Committee ballot in 2003.
Santo - a Seattle native - played for the Cubs from 1960 through 1973 before a final season in 1974 with the cross-town White Sox.
He made the National League All-Star team in nine seasons and finished with 342 home runs, 1,331 RBI and a .277 batting average. He also lead the NL in walks four times and won five Gold Gloves for his work at third
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