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Former President Barack Obama was among the many that paid tribute to Hall of Famer and Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg, who died this week after a long battle with cancer.
The former president posted a tribute to Sandberg in a post on X early Tuesday morning.
Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs looks on circa 1980s. (Sporting News via Getty Images)
“Hall of Famer and Cubs stalwart Ryne Sandberg wasn’t just a great baseball player – he was a class act who never cheated the game,” the post read. “Everyone in Chicago – including White Sox fans – will miss him deeply.”
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Obama, a known White Sox fan, invited the Cubs to visit the White House in the final days of his second presidency after they won the World Series in 2016.
“I’ve only got four days left,” he said during the ceremony, via The New York Times. “I made a lot of promises in 2008. We’ve managed to fulfill a large number of them. But even I was not crazy enough to suggest that during these eight years we would see the Cubs win the World Series.”
Former U.S. president Barack Obama listens to speakers on a panel at the Obama Foundation Democracy Forum, one month after the Democrats loss in the U.S. presidential election, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., Dec. 5, 2024. (REUTERS/Vincent Alban)
HALL OF FAMER, BELOVED CUBS LEGEND RYNE SANDBERG DEAD AT 65 AFTER BATTLE WITH CANCER
Major League Baseball announced Sandberg’s passing on Monday. He was 65.
“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball. He was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic. Ryne earned 10 consecutive All-Star selections, nine straight Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers and 1984 National League MVP honors,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
“Ryne remained active in the game he loved as an ambassador for the Cubs, a manager for the Phillies and in the Minor Leagues, and a frequent participant at the Hall of Fame. His many friends across the game were in his corner as he courageously fought cancer in recent years. We will continue to support the important work of Stand Up To Cancer in Ryne’s memory.”
Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs prepares to bat against the Philadelphia Phillies at Veterans Stadium circa 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)
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Sandberg was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in January 2024. In August of that year, he announced that he was cancer-free after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
In December, he revealed that the cancer had returned and spread to other organs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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