Barack Obama, Hall of Famers, and more react to the death of Ryne Sandberg, a ‘class act’ with ‘a heart of gold’
From the former president to MLB greats Chipper Jones and Jim Palmer — and even fans of other teams — here’s how the baseball world reacted to Sandberg’s passing.
Late Monday, it was announced that Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg had died at age 65.
Sandberg revealed in January 2024 that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, before being considered cancer-free that August. Just months later, in December, the cancer returned and spread to other organs.
Sandberg, nicknamed Ryno, was drafted by the Phillies in 1978 and debuted in 1981 after earning a September call-up. Playing mostly as a defensive replacement, Sandberg made only six plate appearances for the Phils before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in the offseason.
For Sandberg, the rest was history. In Chicago, the second baseman earned 10 straight All-Star Game nods, nine consecutive Gold Glove awards, and seven Silver Slugger awards. The Spokane, Wash., native was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1984, and won the league’s home run title in 1990. During his 15-year stint with the Cubs, he accumulated 67.9 wins above replacement.
In late 2006, Sandberg joined MLB’s coaching ranks after being hired by the Cubs and rose quickly through the organization, going from single A to triple A in just three seasons. But after being passed over for Chicago’s managerial vacancy, Sandberg returned to the organization where it all started, the Phillies. After managing the triple-A Iron Pigs to a playoff appearance in 2011, Sandberg was promoted to the big league club, where he served as the third base coach in 2012.
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In August 2013, Sandberg was named the Phillies interim manager after longtime skipper Charlie Manuel was dismissed. In parts of three seasons, Sandberg led the team to a 119-159 record before resigning in June 2015. From then until his death, Sandberg served as an ambassador for the Cubs organization.
Many across the Major League Baseball community shared their condolences. Both the Cubs and Phillies provided statements on social media, while the Cubs also posted a video tribute.
MLB’s official account also honored Sandberg.
Even former President Barack Obama reflected on Sandberg on X. Obama, who roots for the White Sox, became a Chicago sports fan while serving as an Illinois state senator for more than a decade.
A number of Sandberg’s peers also expressed their condolences, including Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, and Hall of Fame third baseman Chipper Jones. In a sense, Palmer and Jones served as bookends to Sandberg’s career, as he overlapped with Palmer during the end of the career Oriole’s stint in MLB, and overlapped with Jones at the start of his.
Ruben Amaro Jr., who served as the Phillies general manager while Sandberg managed the team, also shared a message.
Most notably, MLB fans across different rooting interests shared stories that highlighted the impact that Sandberg had on them, not only as a baseball player but as a person as well.
After Sandberg’s death, the Cubs raised a No. 23 Sandberg flag in the outfield at Wrigley Field.