Ron Santo

Lore & Background

Santo was raised in southeast Seattle, attending Franklin High School. He played youth baseball in the Babe Ruth League and worked summer jobs at Sicks Stadium as a batboy, groundskeeper, and clubhouse attendant. At age 14, he hit a grand slam in the 1954 Babe Ruth World Series. He was signed as a free agent by the Cubs in 1959 and made his debut on June 26, 1960. He set numerous defensive records at third base, including NL records for career assists, total chances, and double plays. He battled diabetes since his teenage years, a condition concealed until 1971, which later led to the amputation of both legs below the knee. He endorsed the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's annual Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes from 1979, helping raise over $65 million.

In Their Own Story

The afternoon sun beat down on the chalk line at Wrigley Field, heating the dirt beneath Ron Santo's cleats. He stood ready at third, eyes locked on the pitcher, ignoring the nagging pain in his feet that he refused to let anyone else see. The crowd hummed with that specific tension unique to September baseball. When the pitch arrived, it wasn't just a swing; it was a release of frustration and hope combined. The bat connected with a solid thud, launching the ball into the bleachers as Santo began his trot. He didn't smile immediately. He knew the season could still slip away, but as the chant rose from the stands—'Ron Santo!'—he allowed himself one glance at the scoreboard. In that heartbeat of flight and noise, he was more than a player; he was the embodiment of what it meant to endure.

Reader's Guide

Santo is best known for his tenure with the Chicago Cubs, where he played from 1960 to 1973. He led the NL in walks four times, on-base percentage twice, and triples once. He batted .300 or more and hit 30 or more home runs four times each. He is the only third baseman in MLB history with eight consecutive seasons of over 90 RBI (1963–70). He became a Cubs broadcaster in 1990, working on WGN radio until his death in 2010. He was selected to the Cubs All-Century Team in 1999.

Did You Know?

• Santo was the first player to invoke the ten-and-five rule to veto a trade, declining a deal to the California Angels in 1973.
• He performed a heel click after home wins in 1969, starting after a walk-off win against the Montreal Expos on June 22.
• He set the NL record for assists in a single season in 1967 with 393, a mark later broken by Mike Schmidt.
• Santo was named the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's 'Person of the Year' in 2002.