Saturday was another eventful day for the Chicago Cubs and their fan convention.
The convention kicked off on Friday with the announcement of Mark Grace and Shawon Dunston going into the team’s Hall of Fame.
But Saturday was the shocker that even shocked one legendary Cubs player.
During the day, it was announced that Ryne Sandberg was getting a statue outside of Wrigley Field next summer.
Congrats to Ryne Sandberg on getting a statue. So overdue. He was the reason I wanted to play second base when I was a kid when I wasn’t pitching. Watching his effort defensively made me want to play great defense. I may be a Sox fan, but I admit I had a Sandberg glove as a kid.
— Tim Froehlig (@TFroehlig) January 14, 2023
The honoring of Sandberg was a monumental decision, as even the legendary second baseman didn’t know about this decision.
With the statue, Sandberg joins Cubs legends Harry Caray, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams around the Friendly Confines.
At 63-years-old, the honoring of him comes 26 years after he retired as a player.
His 15-year career with the Cubs saw him winning the NL MVP award in 1984 while making 10 All-Star games.
He also won the Gold Glove award for nine consecutive years from 1983 to 1991.
However, his glove wasn’t the only legendary thing from him as a Cubbie.
He held the NL home run leader title in 1990 and won the Silver Slugger award seven times while donning a Cubs jersey.
Since his retirement, his old jersey number of 23 was retired, and he’s been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
He’s also an ambassador for the team, a duty that he took up back in 2016.
While the waiting for this moment has been a long one, it’s the right thing to do.
With him being a Hall of Famer since 2005, it’s a great honor to have his likeness back in Wrigley Field.
