Ron Santo

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1965 Topps

Ronald Edward Santo

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 0", Weight 190 lb.

Debut June 26, 1960
Final Game September 29, 1974
Born February 25, 1940 in Seattle, WA USA

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[edit] Biographical Information

Ron Santo spent his entire 15-year major league career in Chicago, playing 14 years for the Chicago Cubs and the last year for the Chicago White Sox.

Santo had only two years in the minors. At the age of 19, he was in San Antonio of the Texas League in 1959, hitting .327 with 35 doubles and 11 home runs. The next season, he spent 71 games in Houston of the American Association, hitting .268 with 16 doubles and 7 home runs before coming up to the majors.

Coming up at age 20, he established himself in a few years as a hitter with good power, a high average, lots of walks, and a slick glove. Although his numbers may not look as impressive at first glance as those of current players, it must be remembered that the 1960's and early 1970's were a second dead ball era when on-base percentages and slugging averages were lower than those of today. His lifetime .362 on-base percentage and .464 slugging average were excellent for those days, as his 125 OPS+ attests.

Santo hit over 20 home runs eleven times, and his career home run total (342) is one of the highest among players who were primarily third basemen. He was a nine-time All-Star, and a five-time Gold Glove winner. He finished in the top five in the MVP voting twice, led the league in walks four times, led the league in on-base percentage twice, and was in the top ten in slugging five times. He homered 42 times in his career off of Hall of Fame Pitchers.

Santo, Gil Hodges and Andre Dawson are considered by many to be the best players not in the Hall of Fame. In the most recent Hall of Fame voting by the Veterans Committee, Santo finished # 1 with 69% of the vote, with 75% required to get into the Hall. The most similar player to Santo, based on the similarity scores method, is Dale Murphy, also a candidate for the Hall of Fame, although there is no player truly similar to Santo.

Santo has played more third base for the Cubs than anyone else in baseball history. Most of the other players who have played the most games at a position for the Cubs are in the Hall of Fame: Gabby Hartnett at catcher, Cap Anson at first, Ryne Sandberg at second, Billy Williams in left and Hack Wilson in center (and Sammy Sosa, who has the most games in right, may eventually get into the Hall).

Santo suffers from diabetes and was perhaps the first player to openly admit to playing with the disease. As a result of the disease he has suffered amputation of both legs below the knees. Never complaining or seeking sympathy, Santo remains active with the Cubs' organization and in the fight against juvenile diabetes. Always upbeat and optimistic, Santo is often found speaking an encouraging word to a youngster recently diagnosed with the disease.

Since 1990, he has been a radio broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs and currently teams with Pat Hughes. He has become very popular with a whole new generation of Cubs' fans due to his unflagging loyalty to the team and his display of raw courage in the face of personal adversity. Santo reciprocates the sentiment. Although disappointed not to have made the Hall of Fame, Santo said in an endearing speech to Cubs fans that the Cubs' decision to retire his uniform number 10 meant more to him than the Hall of Fame.