Ron Santo is Finally a Hall of Famer

In the midst of a quickly-faltering Bears season, Chicago has reason to rejoice now that Ron Santo has FINALLY been elected to the Hall of Fame. It took 32 painful years (both literally and figuratively) as Santo battled the voters in 2003, 2005, and 2008 as well as battling diabetes. The man is very deserving of the being in the Hall, but it angers me that it took so long.

I’m a Cubs fan and my earliest memories of Cub games were listening to Ronnie and Pat Hughes on the radio when my dad would pick me up after school. I’ll never forget hearing Ron Santo’s exasperated expressions when an error was committed or the excitement that overcame him when the Cubbies would pull out a win. He was the man I grew up listening too and was part of the reason I became a Cub fan.

The radio broadcasts only scratch the surface of who Ron Santo really was, though. He was a 9-time All-Star, a 5-time Gold Glove Award winner, and is currently fourth in most home runs hit in Cubs history. Santo never won the honor, but finished in the top five for MVP voting in 1967 and 1969. The statistics can speak for themselves, but Santo was also a big part in creating some of the most memorable moments on the North Side.

Who could forget Ronnie’s famous heel click which began after a win at the Friendly Confines in June of 1969? The win kept them atop the division but soon became a trademark for the beloved third basemen. Another memory, this one a little more negative for Cub fans than the heel click, is that of the black cat scurrying past Santo in the on-deck circle in that very same 1969 season. The Cubs were just a game and a half up on the Mets during this particular game at Shea Stadium when the feline crept past Santo and stared into the Cubs dugout. The cat would soon become famous and join the goat on the list of Cub curses (only to have Steve Bartman come 34 years later).

I’m beyond happy that Ron Santo finally achieved his dream of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Having your name enshrined in Cooperstown is the highest honor for any ball player. Yet it angers me because Ron Santo was considered for election more than once and never got it. Now here we are a year after his death and he’s the first man inducted into the class of 2012. What’s different now that he’s gone? His stats haven’t changed since he was alive and the honor is well over-due. Don‘t get me wrong, I completely understand that Santo played with guys like Brooks Robinson which makes it a little easier to understand why he didn’t get in the first year he was eligible. But it took 32 years? I grew up listening to Pat Hughes continually say year in and year out how he wished that “this year would be Ron’s year” to get into the Hall of Fame. And I have the utmost respect for Ron Santo simply sitting there and agreeing. He never complained, never spoke out about not being inducted, he simply sat there and thanked Pat Hughes for pulling for him.

That’s who Ron Santo was; he wasn’t just a baseball player, or a radio broadcaster, he was a decent and solid man. In a world where it’s hard to find a good role model in sports, Ron Santo exemplifies what a true role model is. In his lifetime, he helped raise $40 million for diabetes research and was always friendly to the fans. He was a caring man and one that people around Chicago loved. His personality made the radio broadcasts a joy to listen to and he created plenty of memories for Cub fans that will last forever. Don’t worry, Ron, you were a Hall of Famer in the hearts of Chicagoans long before you were a Hall of Famer in Cooperstown. It’s an honor that should have been given a long time ago. Congratulations to you, Ronnie.