Ron Santo
Encyclopedia
Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional
baseball
player and long-time radio sports commentator
. He played in Major League Baseball
from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman
for the Chicago Cubs
. A nine-time All-Star
, he was a powerful hitter
who was also a good defensive player, winning five Gold Glove Award
s. Despite suffering from diabetes
, he carefully concealed the condition for most of his career. The disease eventually necessitated the amputation of the lower half of both legs.
While initially showing little support for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Santo's standing among baseball enthusiasts and sabermetrician
s has gradually increased over time. He is regarded today as one of the best ballplayers not to have been admitted to the Hall.
by the Chicago Cubs in 1959
, and made his debut on June 26, 1960. In 1961
he set a Cubs record with 41 double play
s at third base, breaking the previous mark of 33 set by Bernie Friberg
in 1923. In 1962
he led the National League
in assists
for the first time with 332, setting the team record for assists at third base, breaking the mark of 323 set by Randy Jackson in 1951. Santo continued to lead the National League in assists every year through 1968, breaking Ned Williamson
's major league record of leading the league six times; Brooks Robinson
went on to lead the American League
eight times. Mike Schmidt
eventually tied Santo's National League mark of seven. In 1963 Santo broke the modern National League record with 374 assists at third base, passing Tommy Leach
's 1904 mark of 371. In 1966, he set the all-time league record with 391, the previous record being Billy Shindle
's 382 in 1892; his total was 99 higher than that of league runner-up Ken Boyer
. Santo broke his own record in 1967 with 393 assists, which remained the National League record until Schmidt posted 404 in 1974. He also finished fourth in the 1967
National League Most Valuable Player Award voting results. Santo's assist totals from 1963 through 1968 were the sixth highest by an National League third baseman between 1905 and 1973. He also led the National League in putout
s every year from 1962 through 1967 and again in 1969, tying the league record shared by Pie Traynor
and Willie Jones
in leading the league seven times; Tim Wallach
later tied the mark as well.
Santo was deeply saddened by the loss of teammate Ken Hubbs
, the Cubs second baseman, killed in a plane crash just prior to the 1964 season. Santo is interviewed by Tom Harmon
, narrator of the film A Glimpse of Greatness–The Story of Ken Hubbs, in which Santo pays the highest respects to the young Hubbs.
were in first place in the National League East
for 180 days, before going 8–17 in their final 25 games, while the New York "Miracle" Mets
went 37–11 in their final 48 games. During that season, the Cubs sent their entire starting infield
, including Santo, to the All-Star Game
in Washington, D.C.; he and Cubs shortstop Don Kessinger
started for the National League team. Santo finished the season with a .289 batting average
, 29 home run
s and a career-high 123 runs batted in (RBI), and finished fifth in the National League Most Valuable Player voting.
. Going into the bottom of the ninth inning
, the Expos were leading 6–3. With one out
, second baseman
Paul Popovich
hit a single
, and moved up to second base after another single by left fielder
Billy Williams. Although Santo grounded out
for the second out, Popovich and Williams each moved up a base. Then a future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, first baseman
Ernie Banks
, singled to bring home Williams and Popovich and bring the Cubs within a run
. Rick Bladt
substituted as a pinch-runner for Banks. That set it up for Cubs right fielder
Jim Hickman, who hit a two-run walk-off home run
to win the game, 7–6. When Hickman reached home plate
, Santo was so excited that after congratulating him by bear hugging and pounding him on his head, Santo ran down the third base line and jumped three times, clicking his heels on each jump.
The next day, Santo walked into manager
Leo Durocher
's office; Durocher asked him to keep clicking his heels whenever the Cubs won at Wrigley Field
to motivate the team. Santo continued this after every home win. The stunt antagonized opponents and served to make the team a target for payback in the final weeks of the season. When the Cubs began their September swoon
, which took place shortly after Santo called out rookie teammate Don Young in public after a loss against the Mets in New York, he discontinued the heel click routine suddenly. His final "click" was performed on September 2, the last Cub home victory while still in first place. During and after the epic collapse, Santo never again performed the heel click, as critics decried the routine for its arrogance and overconfidence, which many believe was at the root of the late fade. In his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
, baseball historian Bill James
cited Durocher's method of using his regular players everyday without any rest days as a factor in the Cubs' collapse.
agreement signed after the 1972 Major League Baseball strike (the rule allows players with 10 years' service, the last five with the same team, to decline any trade). The Cubs had agreed upon a deal to send Santo to the California Angels
; the ballclub would have received in return two young pitchers: Andy Hassler
, who went on to have a middling career as a reliever
/spot starter, and Bruce Heinbechner, a very highly-regarded left-handed pitching prospect
. Santo didn't want to play on the West Coast
and vetoed the deal.
The Cubs still wanted to trade
Santo, and since his preference was to stay in Chicago, they worked out a deal with the White Sox, acquiring catcher
Steve Swisher
, and three young pitchers: Jim Kremmel
, Ken Frailing
, and one of Santo's future co-broadcasters, Steve Stone. The White Sox already had a third baseman, Bill Melton
, so Santo was relegated mostly to designated hitter
duty, which he hated. He wanted to play in the field, but White Sox manager Chuck Tanner
wouldn't bench Melton (who had had a couple of 30 home run seasons for them), so he unsuccessfully tried Santo at second base. Finishing 1974
with a .221 batting average and 5 home runs, Santo retired from baseball at the age of 34.
Santo was a nine-time National League All-Star
, and led the league in walks
four times, in on base percentage
twice and in triples
once. An All-Star-caliber player at Wrigley Field and fairly ordinary on the road, he hit for a .300 average and hit 30 home run
s four times each, and is the only third baseman in major league history to post eight consecutive seasons with 90 RBI (1963
–1970
). The winner of five consecutive Gold Glove Award
s for fielding excellence (1964
–1968
), he set or tied National League records by leading the league's third basemen in total chances
eight times, in games, putouts and assists seven times each, and in double play
s six times. From 1966 to 1974 he held the National League record for assists in a single season. He also set National League records for career assists (4,532), total chances (6,777) and double plays (389) at third base, all of which were eventually broken by Mike Schmidt
between 1986 and 1988; his National League total of 2,102 games at third base fell 52 short of Eddie Mathews
' league record, and he then ranked sixth in National League history in putouts (1,930) and ninth in fielding percentage
(.954).
Santo led the league in double plays six times (1961, '64, '66–'68, '71), tying the major league record held by Heinie Groh
; Schmidt also later tied this record. He led the National League in total chances every season from 1961 through 1968. He appeared at third base in every Cubs game from April 19, 1964
through May 31, 1966
, establishing a league record with 364 consecutive games at the position; his 164 games at third base in 1965
remain the major league record.
He was the second player at his position to hit 300 (exactly 342) career home runs, joining Eddie Mathews
, and also ended his career ranking second to Mathews among third basemen in slugging average (.464) and third in runs batted in (1,331), total bases
(3,779) and walks (1,108). Santo broke Mathews' National League record of 369 career double plays at third base in 1972, and in 1973 he broke Mathews' league records of 4,284 assists and 6,606 total chances. Schmidt passed Santo's record for double plays in 1986, his record for assists in 1987, and his mark for total chances in 1988. During his 14-season run with the Cubs, Santo hit 337 home runs, then the eighth most by a National League right-handed hitter; his 1,071 career walks with the Cubs remain the team record for a right-handed hitter. He was the first third baseman to hit 300 home runs and win five Gold Gloves, a feat since matched only by Schmidt.
Santo became the first player in major league history to wear a batting helmet
with protective ear flaps, when in 1966, in the midst of trying to break the Cubs' modern consecutive-game hitting streak
record of 27 games (set by Hack Wilson
in 1929), Santo was sidelined for nearly two weeks following a pitch thrown by the Mets' Jack Fisher
(beaning
) that fractured
his cheekbone and ended his consecutive playing streak. When he returned (and broke the hitting record with a 28-game streak) he was wearing an improvised ear flap on his batting helmet in order to protect the injury; ear flaps have since become standard equipment on batting helmets.
On September 28, 2003, Santo's jersey No. 10 was retired by the Cubs organization, making him the third player so honored behind his teammates Ernie Banks (#14) and Billy Williams (#26). Other prominent Cubs had worn No. 10 after Santo's retirement, notably Dave Kingman
and Leon Durham
; the most recent wearer had been interim manager Bruce Kimm
, just the previous year. In April 2004, Santo was inducted into the inaugural class of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (Washington's high school athletics league) Hall of Fame as a graduate of Seattle's Franklin High School. About a month after Santo's death, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts
announced that Santo would be honored by the Cubs in the 2011 season
. Beginning in Spring Training, & continuing through the end of the season, the Cubs will wear a patch on the sleeve of their jersey with the number 10 on it.
in , he was named on less than 4 percent of all ballot
s cast, resulting in his removal from the ballot in subsequent years; he was one of several players re-added to the ballot in following widespread complaints about overlooked candidates, with the remainder of their 15 years of eligibility restored even if this extended beyond the usual limit of 20 years after their last season. After receiving 13 percent of the vote in the 1985 election, his vote totals increased in 10 of the next 13 years until he received 43 percent of the vote in his final year on the ballot, finishing third in the voting behind electee Don Sutton and 2000 inductee Tony Perez
. Following revamped voting procedures for the Veterans Committee
, which elects players retired for over 20 years, Santo finished third in , tied for first in , and again finished first in voting for the and inductions, but fell short of the required number of votes each year. Following further major changes to the Veterans Committee voting process announced in 2010, Santo's next opportunity for admission will come in voting for the induction class of .
Although Santo has become a widely supported candidate for selection, his initial poor showing in balloting has been attributed to various factors, including a longtime tendency of Hall voters to overlook third basemen; at the time Santo retired, only three of the over 120 players elected were third basemen. Also, the fact that Santo's best years occurred in the 1960s, when offensive
statistics were relatively lower than in many other eras (due to an enlarged strike zone
and raised pitcher's mounds, among other things), has been cited as a factor that has led voters to perhaps overlook him. Another possible reason that has been suggested is that voters have not focused sufficiently on Santo's high walk totals and defense. These aspects of play are perhaps more valued by sabermetrics
--newer methods of evaluating a baseball player's productivity—than they have been by Hall of Fame voters in the past. For example, Santo's career adjusted on-base plus slugging (OPS+)—the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage, adjusted for the park and league in which he played, and expressed as a percentage of the league average—would rank him exactly in the middle of the ten major league third basemen currently in the Hall of Fame.
One argument that has been raised against Santo’s Hall of Fame candidacy is that his batting statistics
, over the course of his career, were significantly better at home
than on the road
. He hit 216 of his 342 home runs at home, and only 126 on the road. His career batting average at home was .296, versus .257 on the road. However, several players elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America
, such as Carl Yastrzemski
, Wade Boggs
, Jim Rice
and Kirby Puckett
, batted significantly better in their home parks
than they did on the road. Hall of Famers with a significant differential between their home numbers and road numbers in terms of home runs include Mel Ott
(323 homers at home and 188 on the road), Frank Robinson
(321 at home, 265 on the road), Jimmie Foxx
(299 at home, 235 on the road) and Hank Greenberg
(205 at home, 126 on the road). Others have also commented that two Cubs who were in their prime during Santo’s prime years have already been honored by the Hall of Fame (Ferguson Jenkins
and Billy Williams), and the team also featured a third Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks, who was arguably past his prime, yet the team never won a pennant
. However, the late 1960s Cubs were far from the only team in baseball history with multiple Hall of Famers that did not win a pennant or a World Series
.
Santo also fell short of such traditional standards of Hall election as 3,000 hits and 500 home runs
; however, by the time his career ended, only two third basemen (Brooks Robinson
and Lave Cross
) had even collected 2,500 hits, and only one (Eddie Mathews
) had reached the 500-home run plateau. Bill James
, a notable statistical guru
who has ranked Santo among the 100 greatest players of all time (sixth among third basemen), believes his election to the Hall of Fame is long overdue.
Although disappointed at being bypassed, on the day his jersey number was retired by the Cubs, the ever-optimistic and emotional "old Cub" told the cheering Wrigley Field crowd, "This is my Hall of Fame!" During Ryne Sandberg
's Hall of Fame acceptance speech in 2005, he echoed his support for Santo's selection, saying, "...for what it’s worth, Ron Santo just gained one more vote from the Veterans Committee." On April 19, 2007, the Illinois House of Representatives
adopted HB 109 (Cross
), urging the Veterans Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame to elect Ron Santo to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
color commentator
. He worked with play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes
, and these radio broadcasts were also known as the Pat and Ron Show
. He also worked with Harry Caray
, Thom Brennaman
, Steve Stone and Bob Brenly
. Santo also briefly worked with Chicago Bears
and Green Bay Packers
commentator Wayne Larrivee
. In addition to his broadcasting career, he did commercials for Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating, which he endorsed. In Chicago, Santo was known for his unabashed broadcast enthusiasm, including groans and cheers during the game. As excitable as Santo was when a great play for the Cubs occurred, he was equally as vocal in his displeasure.
. He feared that if this information were to be known, he would be forced into retirement. Because the methods of regulating diabetes in the 1960s and 1970s were not as advanced as they are today, Santo gauged his blood sugar
levels based on his moods. If he felt his blood sugar was low, he would snack on a candy bar in the clubhouse.
As part of the publicity surrounding "Ron Santo Day" at Wrigley Field
on August 28, 1971, he revealed his struggle with diabetes. He was diagnosed with this disease at the age of 18, and was given a life expectancy of 25 years. Santo had both his legs amputated below the knee as a result of his diabetes: the right in 2001 and the left in 2002.
In 2004 Santo and his battle against diabetes were the subject of a documentary, This Old Cub
. The film was written, co-produced and directed by Santo's son Jeff.
Santo shared a bond in this respect with 2008 Cub rookie Sam Fuld
, who also suffers from type 1 diabetes.
(JDRF). In 2002, Santo was named the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's "Person of the Year". Santo also inspired Bill Holden to walk 2,100 miles from Arizona
to Chicago, to raise $250,000 for diabetes research.
, hospital due to complications from bladder cancer
and diabetes. (Many media outlets reported the date as "the night of the 2nd" or "overnight".) Santo lapsed into a coma on December 1 and died the next night.
A funeral mass was celebrated at Holy Name Cathedral
on December 10, where Santo's casket was carried in by former teammates Ernie Banks
, Ferguson Jenkins
, Randy Hundley
, Glenn Beckert
, and Billy Williams, draped with the No. 10 flag that flew over Wrigley the day his number was retired. He was eulogized by his longtime broadcast partner Pat Hughes, along with Cubs owner Tom Ricketts
and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
. Following the service, the procession paused outside Tribune Tower
, home of WGN Radio, before heading north to circle Wrigley Field, starting at third base. Santo was later cremated and his ashes scattered on the field at the Friendly Confines.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and long-time radio sports commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. He played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. A nine-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, he was a powerful hitter
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
who was also a good defensive player, winning five Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s. Despite suffering from diabetes
Diabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
, he carefully concealed the condition for most of his career. The disease eventually necessitated the amputation of the lower half of both legs.
While initially showing little support for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Santo's standing among baseball enthusiasts and sabermetrician
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
s has gradually increased over time. He is regarded today as one of the best ballplayers not to have been admitted to the Hall.
Major League career
Santo was signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Chicago Cubs in 1959
1959 Chicago Cubs season
The 1959 Chicago Cubs season was the team's 84th season in the National League. The Cubs finished with a record of 74 wins and 80 losses, good for a fifth-place tie with the Cincinnati Reds, thirteen games behind the NL and World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.- Offseason :* January 23, 1959:...
, and made his debut on June 26, 1960. In 1961
1961 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season was a season in American baseball. The team finished seventh in the National League with a record of 64-90, 29 games behind the Cincinnati Reds.- The College of Coaches :...
he set a Cubs record with 41 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s at third base, breaking the previous mark of 33 set by Bernie Friberg
Bernie Friberg
Gustaf Bernhard Friberg born in Manchester, New Hampshire was a Utility Player for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox ....
in 1923. In 1962
1962 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* October 10, 1961: 1961 MLB expansion draft**Don Zimmer was drafted from the Cubs by the New York Mets.**Ed Bouchee was drafted from the Cubs by the New York Mets.* Prior to 1962 season: J. C...
he led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
for the first time with 332, setting the team record for assists at third base, breaking the mark of 323 set by Randy Jackson in 1951. Santo continued to lead the National League in assists every year through 1968, breaking Ned Williamson
Ned Williamson
Edward Nagle "Ned" or "Ed" Williamson was an American Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons from 1878 until 1890...
's major league record of leading the league six times; Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
went on to lead the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
eight times. Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
eventually tied Santo's National League mark of seven. In 1963 Santo broke the modern National League record with 374 assists at third base, passing Tommy Leach
Tommy Leach
Thomas Andrew Leach was a baseball player during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Leach participated in the first modern World Series in 1903 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting four triples to set a record that still stands...
's 1904 mark of 371. In 1966, he set the all-time league record with 391, the previous record being Billy Shindle
Billy Shindle
William D. "Billy" Shindle was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Detroit Wolverines , Baltimore Orioles , Philadelphia Athletics , Philadelphia Phillies , and the Brooklyn Grooms & Bridegrooms . Shindle batted and threw right-handed...
's 382 in 1892; his total was 99 higher than that of league runner-up Ken Boyer
Ken Boyer
Kenton Lloyd Boyer was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955-1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
. Santo broke his own record in 1967 with 393 assists, which remained the National League record until Schmidt posted 404 in 1974. He also finished fourth in the 1967
1967 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season saw the 87-74 team finish in third place, fourteen games behind the National League and World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.- Offseason :* October 18, 1966: Joey Amalfitano was released by the Cubs....
National League Most Valuable Player Award voting results. Santo's assist totals from 1963 through 1968 were the sixth highest by an National League third baseman between 1905 and 1973. He also led the National League in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s every year from 1962 through 1967 and again in 1969, tying the league record shared by Pie Traynor
Pie Traynor
Harold Joseph "Pie" Traynor was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and radio broadcaster. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed...
and Willie Jones
Willie Jones (baseball)
Willie Edward Jones , nicknamed "Puddin' Head", was a Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds...
in leading the league seven times; Tim Wallach
Tim Wallach
Timothy Charles Wallach , nicknamed "Eli" in reference to actor Eli Wallach, is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played from to for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, and California Angels. He won three Gold Glove awards for defensive excellence and 2 Silver Slugger...
later tied the mark as well.
Santo was deeply saddened by the loss of teammate Ken Hubbs
Ken Hubbs
Kenneth Douglass Hubbs was an American second baseman who played from to for the Chicago Cubs in the National League. He was killed in a plane crash near Provo, Utah prior to the 1964 season....
, the Cubs second baseman, killed in a plane crash just prior to the 1964 season. Santo is interviewed by Tom Harmon
Tom Harmon
Thomas Dudley Harmon was a star player in American college football, a sports broadcaster, and patriarch of a family of American actors...
, narrator of the film A Glimpse of Greatness–The Story of Ken Hubbs, in which Santo pays the highest respects to the young Hubbs.
1969
In 1969, Santo and the Cubs1969 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season involved the Cubs finishing as "the most celebrated second-place team in the history of baseball.". In the first season after the National League was split into two divisions, the Cubs finished with a record of 92-70, 8 games behind the New York Mets in the...
were in first place in the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
for 180 days, before going 8–17 in their final 25 games, while the New York "Miracle" Mets
1969 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the eighth season for the Mets franchise, which played its home games at Shea Stadium. Managed by Gil Hodges, the team went 100-62, finishing first in the newly-established National League East by eight games over the Chicago Cubs...
went 37–11 in their final 48 games. During that season, the Cubs sent their entire starting infield
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, including Santo, to the All-Star Game
1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 40th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 23, 1969 at RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington, DC. The game resulted...
in Washington, D.C.; he and Cubs shortstop Don Kessinger
Don Kessinger
Donald Eulon Kessinger is a former American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from to for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox...
started for the National League team. Santo finished the season with a .289 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, 29 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and a career-high 123 runs batted in (RBI), and finished fifth in the National League Most Valuable Player voting.
Heel Click
During the 1969 season, Santo became known for performing a heel click after a game on June 22, 1969, against the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. Going into the bottom of the ninth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
, the Expos were leading 6–3. With one out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
, second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Paul Popovich
Paul Popovich
Paul Edward Popovich was an infielder for the Chicago Cubs , Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates ....
hit a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, and moved up to second base after another single by left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Billy Williams. Although Santo grounded out
Ground out
Ground out may refer to:*In baseball rules, when a batted ball hits the ground in fair territory, but a defensive player is able to gain possession of the ball and touch first base before the batter-runner arrives....
for the second out, Popovich and Williams each moved up a base. Then a future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
, singled to bring home Williams and Popovich and bring the Cubs within a run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. Rick Bladt
Rick Bladt
Richard Alan Bladt was a right-handed outfielder in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees.Bladt was signed by the Cubs in as an undrafted amateur free agent...
substituted as a pinch-runner for Banks. That set it up for Cubs right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Jim Hickman, who hit a two-run walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
to win the game, 7–6. When Hickman reached home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
, Santo was so excited that after congratulating him by bear hugging and pounding him on his head, Santo ran down the third base line and jumped three times, clicking his heels on each jump.
The next day, Santo walked into manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
's office; Durocher asked him to keep clicking his heels whenever the Cubs won at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
to motivate the team. Santo continued this after every home win. The stunt antagonized opponents and served to make the team a target for payback in the final weeks of the season. When the Cubs began their September swoon
Losing streak (sport)
In sports, a losing streak is an uninterrupted string of contests lost by a team or individual. A losing streak can last as few as two games, or it may last much longer...
, which took place shortly after Santo called out rookie teammate Don Young in public after a loss against the Mets in New York, he discontinued the heel click routine suddenly. His final "click" was performed on September 2, the last Cub home victory while still in first place. During and after the epic collapse, Santo never again performed the heel click, as critics decried the routine for its arrogance and overconfidence, which many believe was at the root of the late fade. In his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
, baseball historian Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
cited Durocher's method of using his regular players everyday without any rest days as a factor in the Cubs' collapse.
Trade Request
Santo became the first player to invoke the ten-and-five rule under the collective bargainingCollective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
agreement signed after the 1972 Major League Baseball strike (the rule allows players with 10 years' service, the last five with the same team, to decline any trade). The Cubs had agreed upon a deal to send Santo to the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
; the ballclub would have received in return two young pitchers: Andy Hassler
Andy Hassler
Andrew Earl Hassler was a Major League pitcher for the California Angels , Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates and St...
, who went on to have a middling career as a reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
/spot starter, and Bruce Heinbechner, a very highly-regarded left-handed pitching prospect
Prospect (sports)
In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team, or isn't established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams...
. Santo didn't want to play on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and vetoed the deal.
The Cubs still wanted to trade
Trade (sports)
In professional sports, a trade is a sports league transaction involving an exchange of players' contracts or draft picks between teams. Cash is another commodity that may be packaged together with contracts or draft picks to complete a trade...
Santo, and since his preference was to stay in Chicago, they worked out a deal with the White Sox, acquiring catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Steve Swisher
Steve Swisher
Steven Eugene Swisher is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres from 1974 to 1982. Swisher was elected to the 1976 National League All-Star team with the Cubs but did not play in the game...
, and three young pitchers: Jim Kremmel
Jim Kremmel
James Louis "Jim" Kremmel is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Kremmel played for the Texas Rangers in and the Chicago Cubs in .-External links:...
, Ken Frailing
Ken Frailing
Kenneth Douglas Frailing is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Chicago White Sox from 1972 to 1973, and for the Chicago Cubs from 1974 to 1976.He had a 3.96 E.R.A., and a 10 - 16 record....
, and one of Santo's future co-broadcasters, Steve Stone. The White Sox already had a third baseman, Bill Melton
Bill Melton
William Edwin Melton , nicknamed "Beltin' Bill" or "Beltin' Melton", is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Chicago White Sox, California Angels and Cleveland Indians...
, so Santo was relegated mostly to designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
duty, which he hated. He wanted to play in the field, but White Sox manager Chuck Tanner
Chuck Tanner
Charles William "Chuck" Tanner was a left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was known for his unwavering confidence and infectious optimism. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series championship in 1979...
wouldn't bench Melton (who had had a couple of 30 home run seasons for them), so he unsuccessfully tried Santo at second base. Finishing 1974
1974 Chicago White Sox season
The 1974 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 74th season in the major leagues, and its 75th season overall. They finished with a record 80-80, good enough for fourth place in the American League West, 9 games behind the first-place Oakland Athletics....
with a .221 batting average and 5 home runs, Santo retired from baseball at the age of 34.
Legacy
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, and led the league in walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
four times, in on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
twice and in triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
once. An All-Star-caliber player at Wrigley Field and fairly ordinary on the road, he hit for a .300 average and hit 30 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s four times each, and is the only third baseman in major league history to post eight consecutive seasons with 90 RBI (1963
1963 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* October 17, 1962: Don Cardwell, George Altman and Moe Thacker were traded by the Cubs to the St. Louis Cardinals for Larry Jackson, Lindy McDaniel, and Jimmie Schaffer....
–1970
1970 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* November 17, 1969: Oscar Gamble and Dick Selma were traded by the Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies for Johnny Callison and a player to be named later...
). The winner of five consecutive Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s for fielding excellence (1964
1964 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs finished in eighth place in the National League, as they went 76-86, 17 games behind the NL and World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.- Offseason :...
–1968
1968 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* November 28, 1967: Ramón Hernández was drafted by the Cubs from the Atlanta Braves in the 1967 rule 5 draft.* November 30, 1967: Paul Popovich and Jim Williams were traded by the Cubs to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Lou Johnson....
), he set or tied National League records by leading the league's third basemen in total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
eight times, in games, putouts and assists seven times each, and in double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s six times. From 1966 to 1974 he held the National League record for assists in a single season. He also set National League records for career assists (4,532), total chances (6,777) and double plays (389) at third base, all of which were eventually broken by Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
between 1986 and 1988; his National League total of 2,102 games at third base fell 52 short of Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
' league record, and he then ranked sixth in National League history in putouts (1,930) and ninth in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
(.954).
Santo led the league in double plays six times (1961, '64, '66–'68, '71), tying the major league record held by Heinie Groh
Heinie Groh
Henry Knight "Heinie" Groh was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who spent nearly his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. He was the National League's top third baseman in the late 1910s and early 1920s, and captained championship teams with the Reds and ...
; Schmidt also later tied this record. He led the National League in total chances every season from 1961 through 1968. He appeared at third base in every Cubs game from April 19, 1964
1964 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs finished in eighth place in the National League, as they went 76-86, 17 games behind the NL and World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.- Offseason :...
through May 31, 1966
1966 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season was the 94th in franchise history. One of the defining trades in Cubs history occurred on April 21, when the Cubs acquired future Cy Young Award winner Ferguson Jenkins in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies.- Offseason :...
, establishing a league record with 364 consecutive games at the position; his 164 games at third base in 1965
1965 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* November 30, 1964: 1964 minor league draft**Bobby Cox was drafted by the Cubs from the Los Angeles Dodgers.**Chris Krug was drafted by the Cubs from the St...
remain the major league record.
He was the second player at his position to hit 300 (exactly 342) career home runs, joining Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
, and also ended his career ranking second to Mathews among third basemen in slugging average (.464) and third in runs batted in (1,331), total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(3,779) and walks (1,108). Santo broke Mathews' National League record of 369 career double plays at third base in 1972, and in 1973 he broke Mathews' league records of 4,284 assists and 6,606 total chances. Schmidt passed Santo's record for double plays in 1986, his record for assists in 1987, and his mark for total chances in 1988. During his 14-season run with the Cubs, Santo hit 337 home runs, then the eighth most by a National League right-handed hitter; his 1,071 career walks with the Cubs remain the team record for a right-handed hitter. He was the first third baseman to hit 300 home runs and win five Gold Gloves, a feat since matched only by Schmidt.
Santo became the first player in major league history to wear a batting helmet
Batting helmet
A batting helmet is the protective headgear worn by batters in the game of baseball or softball. It is meant to protect the batter's head from errant pitches thrown by the pitcher...
with protective ear flaps, when in 1966, in the midst of trying to break the Cubs' modern consecutive-game hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
record of 27 games (set by Hack Wilson
Hack Wilson
Lewis Robert "Hack" Wilson was an American professional baseball player who played 12 seasons with the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies...
in 1929), Santo was sidelined for nearly two weeks following a pitch thrown by the Mets' Jack Fisher
Jack Fisher
John Howard Fisher was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The right-hander was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent on June 24, 1957. He played for the Orioles , San Francisco Giants , New York Mets , Chicago White Sox , and Cincinnati Reds...
(beaning
Brushback pitch
In baseball, a brushback pitch is a pitch thrown high and inside, usually a fastball, to force the batter away from the plate, often to intimidate. It differs from the beanball in that the intent is not to hit the batter, or intentionally throw at the batter's head...
) that fractured
Bone fracture
A bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
his cheekbone and ended his consecutive playing streak. When he returned (and broke the hitting record with a 28-game streak) he was wearing an improvised ear flap on his batting helmet in order to protect the injury; ear flaps have since become standard equipment on batting helmets.
On September 28, 2003, Santo's jersey No. 10 was retired by the Cubs organization, making him the third player so honored behind his teammates Ernie Banks (#14) and Billy Williams (#26). Other prominent Cubs had worn No. 10 after Santo's retirement, notably Dave Kingman
Dave Kingman
David Arthur Kingman , nicknamed "Kong" and "Sky King", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder, first baseman, third baseman, and designated hitter. The towering 6' 6" Kingman was one of the most feared sluggers of the 1970s and 1980s...
and Leon Durham
Leon Durham
Leon "Bull" Durham is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 10 seasons. Durham played with the St. Louis Cardinals , Chicago Cubs , and Cincinnati Reds...
; the most recent wearer had been interim manager Bruce Kimm
Bruce Kimm
Bruce Edward Kimm is a retired American professional baseball catcher and manager. He played all or part of four seasons in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox between 1976 until 1980....
, just the previous year. In April 2004, Santo was inducted into the inaugural class of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (Washington's high school athletics league) Hall of Fame as a graduate of Seattle's Franklin High School. About a month after Santo's death, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts
Thomas S. Ricketts
Thomas S. "Tom" Ricketts is chairman of the Chicago Cubs, and the chief executive officer of Incapital LLC, a Chicago investment bank that packages corporate bonds for retail investors. He is also a director of TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation as well as the son of Ameritrade founder J. Joseph...
announced that Santo would be honored by the Cubs in the 2011 season
2011 Chicago Cubs season
The 2011 Major League Baseball season was the 139th Chicago Cubs baseball season. The official successor to Lou Pinella was Mike Quade, who was signed to a 2-year deal...
. Beginning in Spring Training, & continuing through the end of the season, the Cubs will wear a patch on the sleeve of their jersey with the number 10 on it.
| G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... |
H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... |
2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... |
R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... |
RBI Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... |
SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... |
BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... |
AVG Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... |
OBP On base percentage In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes... |
SLG | OPS On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,243 | 8,143 | 2,254 | 365 | 67 | 342 | 1,138 | 1,331 | 35 | 1,108 | 1,343 | .277 | .362 | .464 | .826 |
Hall of Fame qualifications
When Santo first became eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of FameNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
in , he was named on less than 4 percent of all ballot
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
s cast, resulting in his removal from the ballot in subsequent years; he was one of several players re-added to the ballot in following widespread complaints about overlooked candidates, with the remainder of their 15 years of eligibility restored even if this extended beyond the usual limit of 20 years after their last season. After receiving 13 percent of the vote in the 1985 election, his vote totals increased in 10 of the next 13 years until he received 43 percent of the vote in his final year on the ballot, finishing third in the voting behind electee Don Sutton and 2000 inductee Tony Perez
Tony Pérez
Atanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
. Following revamped voting procedures for the Veterans Committee
Veterans Committee
The Veterans Committee is the popular name of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players, a committee of the U.S...
, which elects players retired for over 20 years, Santo finished third in , tied for first in , and again finished first in voting for the and inductions, but fell short of the required number of votes each year. Following further major changes to the Veterans Committee voting process announced in 2010, Santo's next opportunity for admission will come in voting for the induction class of .
Although Santo has become a widely supported candidate for selection, his initial poor showing in balloting has been attributed to various factors, including a longtime tendency of Hall voters to overlook third basemen; at the time Santo retired, only three of the over 120 players elected were third basemen. Also, the fact that Santo's best years occurred in the 1960s, when offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
statistics were relatively lower than in many other eras (due to an enlarged strike zone
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
and raised pitcher's mounds, among other things), has been cited as a factor that has led voters to perhaps overlook him. Another possible reason that has been suggested is that voters have not focused sufficiently on Santo's high walk totals and defense. These aspects of play are perhaps more valued by sabermetrics
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
--newer methods of evaluating a baseball player's productivity—than they have been by Hall of Fame voters in the past. For example, Santo's career adjusted on-base plus slugging (OPS+)—the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage, adjusted for the park and league in which he played, and expressed as a percentage of the league average—would rank him exactly in the middle of the ten major league third basemen currently in the Hall of Fame.
One argument that has been raised against Santo’s Hall of Fame candidacy is that his batting statistics
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
, over the course of his career, were significantly better at home
Home (sports)
In sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
than on the road
Road (sports)
Road game , more commonly known as an away game, is a reference to all cities and stadia/arenas/fields/venues where an athletic team plays games for which it is not the host. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions...
. He hit 216 of his 342 home runs at home, and only 126 on the road. His career batting average at home was .296, versus .257 on the road. However, several players elected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America
Baseball Writers Association of America
The Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
, such as Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...
, Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs
Wade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
, Jim Rice
Jim Rice
James Edward "Jim" Rice , nicknamed "Jim Ed", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder.Jim Rice played his entire career for the Boston Red Sox from 1974 to 1989...
and Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
, batted significantly better in their home parks
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
than they did on the road. Hall of Famers with a significant differential between their home numbers and road numbers in terms of home runs include Mel Ott
Mel Ott
Melvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
(323 homers at home and 188 on the road), Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
(321 at home, 265 on the road), Jimmie Foxx
Jimmie Foxx
James Emory "Jimmie" Foxx , nicknamed "Double X" and "The Beast", was a right-handed American Major League Baseball first baseman and noted power hitter....
(299 at home, 235 on the road) and Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
(205 at home, 126 on the road). Others have also commented that two Cubs who were in their prime during Santo’s prime years have already been honored by the Hall of Fame (Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
and Billy Williams), and the team also featured a third Hall of Famer, Ernie Banks, who was arguably past his prime, yet the team never won a pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
. However, the late 1960s Cubs were far from the only team in baseball history with multiple Hall of Famers that did not win a pennant or a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
.
Santo also fell short of such traditional standards of Hall election as 3,000 hits and 500 home runs
500 home run club
In Major League Baseball , the 500 home run club is a term applied to the group of batters who have hit 500 or more regular-season home runs in their careers. On August 11, 1929, Babe Ruth became the first member of the club. Ruth ended his career with 714 home runs, a record which stood from 1935...
; however, by the time his career ended, only two third basemen (Brooks Robinson
Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. is a former American professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles . Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history...
and Lave Cross
Lave Cross
Lafayette Napoleon Cross was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who played most of his 21-year career with Philadelphia-based teams in four different leagues...
) had even collected 2,500 hits, and only one (Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
) had reached the 500-home run plateau. Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
, a notable statistical guru
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
who has ranked Santo among the 100 greatest players of all time (sixth among third basemen), believes his election to the Hall of Fame is long overdue.
Although disappointed at being bypassed, on the day his jersey number was retired by the Cubs, the ever-optimistic and emotional "old Cub" told the cheering Wrigley Field crowd, "This is my Hall of Fame!" During Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
's Hall of Fame acceptance speech in 2005, he echoed his support for Santo's selection, saying, "...for what it’s worth, Ron Santo just gained one more vote from the Veterans Committee." On April 19, 2007, the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
adopted HB 109 (Cross
Tom Cross (politician)
Tom Cross is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 84th district where he has served since 1993...
), urging the Veterans Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame to elect Ron Santo to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Broadcast career
As the "single Biggest Cubs fan of all time," Santo joined the Cubs' broadcast booth in 1990 as the WGN radioWGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. He worked with play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes
Pat Hughes (baseball)
Vergil Patrick "Pat" Hughes has been the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs, working for WGN radio, since 1996. He partnered with color commentator Ron Santo, former All-Star third baseman for the Cubs from 1996 until 2010, when Santo died of cancer. Their unique on-air chemistry came to be...
, and these radio broadcasts were also known as the Pat and Ron Show
Pat and Ron Show
The Pat and Ron Show was the nickname of the Chicago Cubs' radio broadcasts on WGN Radio 720 AM and the Cubs Radio Network from 1996 through 2010...
. He also worked with Harry Caray
Harry Caray
Harry Caray, born Harry Christopher Carabina, was an American baseball broadcaster on radio and television. He covered four Major League Baseball teams, beginning with a long tenure calling the games of the St...
, Thom Brennaman
Thom Brennaman
Thomas Wade "Thom" Brennaman is an American sportscaster, and the son of current Cincinnati Reds radio sportscaster Marty Brennaman.-Broadcasting career:...
, Steve Stone and Bob Brenly
Bob Brenly
Robert Earl Brenly is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. He played the majority of his career as a catcher with the San Francisco Giants and played half a season for the Toronto Blue Jays...
. Santo also briefly worked with Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
commentator Wayne Larrivee
Wayne Larrivee
Wayne Larrivee is an American sportscaster, who is the radio play-by-play voice of the Green Bay Packers and football and basketball play-by-play voice for the Big Ten Network.-Early life and career:...
. In addition to his broadcasting career, he did commercials for Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating, which he endorsed. In Chicago, Santo was known for his unabashed broadcast enthusiasm, including groans and cheers during the game. As excitable as Santo was when a great play for the Cubs occurred, he was equally as vocal in his displeasure.
Struggle with diabetes
In the early years of his playing career, he carefully concealed the fact that he had type 1 diabetesDiabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
. He feared that if this information were to be known, he would be forced into retirement. Because the methods of regulating diabetes in the 1960s and 1970s were not as advanced as they are today, Santo gauged his blood sugar
Blood sugar
The blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...
levels based on his moods. If he felt his blood sugar was low, he would snack on a candy bar in the clubhouse.
As part of the publicity surrounding "Ron Santo Day" at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
on August 28, 1971, he revealed his struggle with diabetes. He was diagnosed with this disease at the age of 18, and was given a life expectancy of 25 years. Santo had both his legs amputated below the knee as a result of his diabetes: the right in 2001 and the left in 2002.
In 2004 Santo and his battle against diabetes were the subject of a documentary, This Old Cub
This Old Cub
This Old Cub is a documentary film which was released in 2004. The film is centered around former Chicago Cubs third baseman Ron Santo and both his playing days and his battle against diabetes. The film was written, co-produced, and directed by Santo's son Jeff. It is often mentioned during Cub...
. The film was written, co-produced and directed by Santo's son Jeff.
Santo shared a bond in this respect with 2008 Cub rookie Sam Fuld
Sam Fuld
Samuel Babson "Sam" Fuld is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball....
, who also suffers from type 1 diabetes.
Charities
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 FoundationJuvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes research. Driven by volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is the largest charitable supporter of T1D research...
(JDRF). In 2002, Santo was named the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's "Person of the Year". Santo also inspired Bill Holden to walk 2,100 miles from Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
to Chicago, to raise $250,000 for diabetes research.
Death
Santo died at 12:40 am on December 3, 2010 in a Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, hospital due to complications from bladder cancer
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
and diabetes. (Many media outlets reported the date as "the night of the 2nd" or "overnight".) Santo lapsed into a coma on December 1 and died the next night.
A funeral mass was celebrated at Holy Name Cathedral
Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago
Holy Name Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of the Holy Name, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, one of the largest Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States. It is also the parish church of the Archbishop of Chicago...
on December 10, where Santo's casket was carried in by former teammates Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
, Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
, Randy Hundley
Randy Hundley
Cecil Randolph "Randy" Hundley Jr. is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Minnesota Twins , and the San Diego Padres...
, Glenn Beckert
Glenn Beckert
Glenn Alfred Beckert is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League as a second baseman for the Chicago Cubs for nine seasons from to before ending his career with the San Diego Padres in .-Baseball career:Beckert was drafted from Allegheny College as an amateur...
, and Billy Williams, draped with the No. 10 flag that flew over Wrigley the day his number was retired. He was eulogized by his longtime broadcast partner Pat Hughes, along with Cubs owner Tom Ricketts
Thomas S. Ricketts
Thomas S. "Tom" Ricketts is chairman of the Chicago Cubs, and the chief executive officer of Incapital LLC, a Chicago investment bank that packages corporate bonds for retail investors. He is also a director of TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation as well as the son of Ameritrade founder J. Joseph...
and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
. Following the service, the procession paused outside Tribune Tower
Tribune Tower
The Tribune Tower is a neo-Gothic building located at 435 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Tribune and Tribune Company. WGN Radio also broadcasts from the building, with ground-level studios overlooking nearby Pioneer Court and Michigan Avenue. CNN's...
, home of WGN Radio, before heading north to circle Wrigley Field, starting at third base. Santo was later cremated and his ashes scattered on the field at the Friendly Confines.
Post Mortem
On Wednesday, August 10, 2011, Ron Santo was memorialized and "immortalized" at Wrigley Field with the presentation of a statue in his likeness. The statue is a portrayal of a young Ron Santo playing defense at third base, leaning to his right while throwing a ball.See also
- List of Major League Baseball retired numbers
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
- List of Gold Glove Award winners at third base
External links
- SantoFilms.com This Old Cub – The inspiring story of Chicago legend Ron Santo, Documentary by Ron's son Jeff Santo
- BaseballLibrary – biography, career highlights and SABR bibliography
- Baseball Almanac
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Santo Handled Hot Corner Like Few Others
- The Top 100 Cubs Of All Time: No. 7 Ron Santo at Bleed Cubbie Blue
- WIAA Hall of Fame
- Articles examining Santo's merits for Hall of Fame election:
- 2007 Hall of Fame candidate profile – at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
- Why Ron Santo Belongs in the Hall of Fame – Part 2 – Part 3
- Santo's Hall credentials tough to overlook – 2007 article by Rob NeyerRob NeyerRob Neyer is a baseball author and writer for SB Nation. He started his career working for Bill James and STATS, and then joined ESPN.com as a columnist from 1996 to January 2011 before becoming SB Nation's National Baseball Editor...
- ESPN: Hall Debates
- 2007 Hall of Fame candidate profile – at the Internet Archive
- Photos of Santo and related memorabilia – Cubs Ryan O'Malley and Ron Santo visit – springfieldphotos.blogspot.com – Thursday, October 12, 2006
- Pull Isn't Always Needed For A Raise, Cubs' Santo Finds, Baseball Digest, December 1963
- Don't Take Ron Santo For Granted, Baseball Digest, August 1973
- Ron Santo: A Hall of Fame Plaque In His Future?, Baseball Digest, July 1992
- Miracle Collapse: The 1969 Chicago Cubs
- Fans Still Carry the Torch for Also-Ran '69 Cubs, Baseball Digest, June 1993
- Ron Santo Walk To Cure Diabetes home page
- Photos: Remembering Ron Santo (1940–2010)