Sandberg Takes His Place In The Hall Of Fame
Associated Press Posted Sunday, July 31, 2005 COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.
Wade Boggs cried. Ryne Sandberg simply was Ryno — smooth as silk. Four decades after they once dreamed of baseball greatness, Boggs and Sandberg were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday to the raucous cheers of thousands of Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cub fans. Sandberg, a darling of Cubs fans because he excelled in every facet of the game as a star second baseman who shunned the spotlight, said he became a Hall of Famer because he respected the game. And the 48 Hall of Famers sitting behind seemed to nod in unison. “A lot of people say this honor validates my career,” said Sandberg, who wasn’t picked until the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. “But I didn’t work hard for validation. I didn’t play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that’s what you’re supposed to do — play it right and with respect. Turning two is more important than knowing where to find the little red light on the dugout camera.” Although the 6-foot-2 Sandberg began at short, he eventually was switched to second and blossomed in 1984, two years after the Phils traded him to the Cubs. The trade gave Sandberg a chance to play every day, and he quickly quieted the skeptics who thought he was too tall to play second. He won the first of nine consecutive Gold Gloves, establishing a major league record of 123 consecutive errorless games over two seasons. Sandberg won MVP honors in 1984, hitting a career-high .314 with 19 homers, 84 RBIs, 114 runs, 32 stolen bases, and made only six errors in 156 games. “Baseball wasn’t easy for me. I struggled many times,” said Sandberg, who was elected in his third year of eligibility. “I had to work hard every day, and I didn’t leave many scraps for the writers. I hope you also understand why I would not campaign for this or help to sell this. It’s the best award in all of sports, and I think if I had expected anything, if I was thinking about it too much or crunching the numbers, it would have taken away from the prestige of this incredible honor.”
Wade Boggs cried. Ryne Sandberg simply was Ryno — smooth as silk. Four decades after they once dreamed of baseball greatness, Boggs and Sandberg were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday to the raucous cheers of thousands of Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cub fans. Sandberg, a darling of Cubs fans because he excelled in every facet of the game as a star second baseman who shunned the spotlight, said he became a Hall of Famer because he respected the game. And the 48 Hall of Famers sitting behind seemed to nod in unison. “A lot of people say this honor validates my career,” said Sandberg, who wasn’t picked until the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. “But I didn’t work hard for validation. I didn’t play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that’s what you’re supposed to do — play it right and with respect. Turning two is more important than knowing where to find the little red light on the dugout camera.” Although the 6-foot-2 Sandberg began at short, he eventually was switched to second and blossomed in 1984, two years after the Phils traded him to the Cubs. The trade gave Sandberg a chance to play every day, and he quickly quieted the skeptics who thought he was too tall to play second. He won the first of nine consecutive Gold Gloves, establishing a major league record of 123 consecutive errorless games over two seasons. Sandberg won MVP honors in 1984, hitting a career-high .314 with 19 homers, 84 RBIs, 114 runs, 32 stolen bases, and made only six errors in 156 games. “Baseball wasn’t easy for me. I struggled many times,” said Sandberg, who was elected in his third year of eligibility. “I had to work hard every day, and I didn’t leave many scraps for the writers. I hope you also understand why I would not campaign for this or help to sell this. It’s the best award in all of sports, and I think if I had expected anything, if I was thinking about it too much or crunching the numbers, it would have taken away from the prestige of this incredible honor.”
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