Now, I know what you are saying while looking at the title of this blog: "He's a political/musical person, what does he have to say about a baseball legend?" And it is somewhat true. I'm not a staunch hardcore baseball fan by any stretch, but I know a good soul when I see one. I am a huge fan of WGN Radio, and any passable fan of WGN knows the name Ron Santo and treats it with the respect it deserves. So when I woke up this morning to hear the news that Ron Santo had passed away during the night at age 70 as a result of complications from bladder cancer, I was physically and verbally stunned. I immediately ran to my mother to tell her, and she was equally stunned.
Ron Santo was one of those personalities that just lit up an otherwise rotten day. I didn't even like listening to the Cubs, because they usually preempted by favorite WGN Radio hosts, but I would, most of the time, just sit back and listen to Santo's distinctive voice and passion for his craft. He really was, what he was often branded as, "The Cubs' Greatest Fan." Not many former players stay close to their home teams, but Santo did. After playing with the Cubs for 13 years (1960-1973), and the White Sox for one year (1974), he joined the WGN Radio Cubs broadcast in 1990 working with Pat Hughes on the Pat and Ron Show, which he hosted until his death today. He was also a major figurehead for diabetes research, having lost both his legs to the disease. In 2004, Santo and his battle against diabetes were the subject of a documentary called This Old Cub, which was written, co-produced and directed by Santo's son Jeff. Santo endorsed the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's annual Ron
Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes in Chicago from 1974 until his death, and
raised over $60 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
He was a model man and a model baseball player and fan. He really had a passion for his craft, which is a wonderful trait in any profession. He had a certain special brand of love for what he did, and that showed during every broadcast, even when the Cubs lost. It was almost like the Cubs were an extension of his soul. He loved everyone in the organization, helping them through the tough times and celebrating with them during the good. The Cubs star had lost a bit of its shine over the years, but in Santo's eyes the Cubs were just one game away from taking it all, no matter how horrible they were playing. He had the child-like exuberance and reverence that was sorely needed during the many hardships that the Cubs organization what suffered through.
Today, we should all take a private moment and mourn the loss of a brilliant man. His love for the game, his passion for the Cubs, and his wonderful charity work, even while struggling with diabetes and bladder cancer, exceeded many. Even those of you, like me, who do not particularly engross ourselves in baseball, can take time to honor his man and his life. I think one of Ron Santo's quotes about the closing of Sportsmans Park in St. Louis really coincides with what well feel about his passing: "I've always loved this stadium, ... I'm going to
miss it. I didn't like the turf, but the atmosphere was fabulous. You
always felt like it was baseball here."
