Ron Santo
| Birthdate | 2/25/1940 |
| Death Date | 12/3/2010 |
| Debut Year | 1960 |
| Year of Induction | 2012 |
| Teams | Cubs, White Sox |
| Position | Third Base |
Nine times an All Star, Ron Santo won five straight Gold Glove Awards from 1964-1968. He was voted to the Cubs All Century team in 1999.
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Ron Santo caught the attention of the Cub scouts as a 10th grader
Ron Santo caught the attention of the Cub scouts as a 10th grader
A three-sport star at Seattle’s Franklin High School, Ron Santo was a standout in basketball, football and baseball. The athletic teen drew the interest of the Cubs as a sophomore. He signed with the club after his 1958 high school graduation.
Santo’s first professional season came in 1959 at Double-A San Antonio. He immediately impressed, hitting .327 with a .390 on-base percentage. The third baseman quickly rose through the Cubs chain, progressing to Triple-A Houston and on to the bigs in 1960.
Given the shot at baseball’s highest level at age 20, Santo stayed in majors for good.
Shown here correspondence written by MLB Secretary-Treasurer Charles Segar. It states, “Herewith seven copies of agreement covering outright assignment of contract of player Ronald Edward Santo by Houston to the Chicago National League Club.”
Segar’s letter is dated June 28, 1960, two days after Santo’s big league debut. It marks an to the Hall of Famer’s minor league career.
This document from the Commissioner's Office called Santo up
This document from the Commissioner's Office called Santo up
The image above is a museum-quality piece. It is the official document that called up Hall of Fame third baseman Ron Santo for his big league debut.
Notice the date of June 25, 1960, the day before Santo played his first major league contest. The third baseman’s start came at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field in a double header.
In the first game Santo went 2-for-4 with a bases-loaded double that gave him three RBI. His performance pushed the Cubs to a 7-6 win.
In the second game, a 7-5 Chicago victory, Santo had a sac fly, an RBI single, and scored his first run.
Despite playing in the minors all of April, May, and most of June, Santo finished his first MLB season with 35 extra-base hits and 149 total bases. His efforts were rewarded with a fourth-place finish in Rookie of the Year voting.
This document marks the start of his Hall of Fame career.
Similar contracts can be found on pages of Jim Rice, Dave Parker, and Dick Allen.
Ron Santo made nine All Star squads from 1963 through 1973
Ron Santo made nine All Star squads from 1963 through 1973
After a solid opening act, Ron Santo came out swinging in his sophomore campaign of 1961. Thus began a run of 11 straight seasons with at least 154 games played.
By 1963 Santo made his first All Star team, finishing the year with 25 homers, 99 RBI and a .297 average.
From 1963-1973 Santo made the All Star squad nine times. Adept at reaching base, the third baseman led the league in walks four times in a five-year span starting in 1964. Twice Santo paced the Senior Circuit in on-base percentage.
Santo played alongside Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Fergie Jenkins. Despite the talented teams, Santo never appeared in a postseason game.
The 6’0″, 190-pound Santo hit 20 or more homers 11 times, slamming 30 or more in each season from 1964-1967. Seven times he received support in MVP balloting.
In the field he earned Gold Gloves five straight seasons starting in ’64. Santo led NL third basemen in putouts and assists 7 times each, and total chances 9 times.
He left the game as the National League record-holder at his position for most assists in a season. Santo also held the league’s mark for career double plays and chances at his position.
When he retired in 1974 his career numbers included a .277 average, 342 home runs, 1,331 RBI, 1,108 walks and 1,138 runs scored.
Santo spent 15 years on the writers ballot before being posthumously elected by the Veterans Committee in 2012.
Shown here is Santo’s autograph on his 1961 Topps Rookie All Star card.
Santo was the first player to veto a trade via the Curt Flood 10/5 rule
Santo was the first player to veto a trade via the Curt Flood 10/5 rule
The St. Louis Cardinals traded Curt Flood to the Phillies in October of 1969. The outcome of the deal rocked the baseball world.
Flood refused to report to his new club, sat out the entire 1970 season, and sued baseball.
After spending 14 years in the bigs – twelve in St. Louis – Flood felt baseball’s existing system was grossly unfair. He felt that as an established professional, he earned the right to have some say in where he lived and worked.
His lawsuit reached the US Supreme Court. Though the justices ruled in favor of the status quo, the resulting momentum from the suit helped the players.
Among the benefits was a new rule referred to as “the Curt Flood Rule” or the “10/5″ rule”. It gave trade veto power to players with ten years in the big leagues and five years with the same club.
On December 5, 1973, Ron Santo became the first to invoke the clause. Traded by the Cubs to the Angles, the third baseman blocked the deal.
After 14 years with the Chicago Cubs, Santo wanted to finish his career in the Windy City. A five-player deal with the White Sox was worked out. It allowed Santo to remain in Chicago and finish his career.
In the collection is this historic letter from Cardinals GM Bing Devine dated October 10, 1969 just three days after the historic deal.
“I am sure you know by now we have acquired Rich Allen from Philadelphia, who we feel will provide power we need in the line-up,” Devine writes. “However, let me assure you we will continue to look for ways to improve the ballclub for 1970.”
Devine was prophetic. In his only season in St. Louis Allen put up outstanding numbers. An all star in ’70, Allen slugged 34 homers and drove in 101 runs.
Allen was shipped out to Los Angeles after the season in exchange for 1969 Rookie of the Year Ted Sizemore and Bob Stinson.
At the time of the trade, Flood was a 31-year old centerfielder who won 7 straight Gold Gloves. He sat out the entire 1970 season then returned for 13 games in 1971. His baseball career and family life suffered greatly.
A hero to many, Flood made a momentous sacrifice for the betterment of the players.
After retiring as a player, Santo joined the Cubs broadcast booth
After retiring as a player, Santo joined the Cubs broadcast booth
Ron Santo joined the Cubs radio broadcasts as a color commentator in 1990. Known for openly rooting for his team on the air, Santo was a fan favorite in the booth.
As the Cubs announcer Santo regularly traveled with the club. When the Cubs played the Dodgers in a three-game set in Los Angeles in May, 1999 Santo penned this letter writing, “To Jim Best of luck to a great baseball fan. Your buddy, Ron Santo 5/11/1999”.
That night the Cubs doubled up the Dodgers 10-5. Sammy Sosa had three hits including the 8th of his 63 homers that season.
Ron Santo's #10 was retired by the Chicago Cubs in 2003
Ron Santo's #10 was retired by the Chicago Cubs in 2003
Ron Santo’s 14 years with the Chicago Cubs earned him many honors. One of his proudest moments came in 2003 when the team retired his jersey #10.
When he quite playing in 1974, Santo ranked high on the franchise leaderboard. At retirement he was 2nd in Cubs position player WAR, 3rd in homers, and 4th in RBI.
Santo’s teammates Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Fergie Jenkins also had their numbers retired, as did Ryne Sandberg and Greg Maddux.
Shown here is an invitation to the 1987 Hall of Fame induction of sweet-swinging Billy Williams. That same year, the Cubs retired his #26.
The third baseman was inducted into Cooperstown in 2012
The third baseman was inducted into Cooperstown in 2012
Ron Santo received baseball’s ultimate honor when he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012. A Veterans Committee choice, Santo earned his plaque along with baseball writers’ choice Barry Larkin.
Santo remained on the writers’ ballot for 15 years, topping out at 43.1% of the vote. The subject of a heated Cooperstown debate, Santo passed away on December 3, 2010.
One year later in December of 2011 the Veterans Committee announced his election.
Shortstop Larkin played his entire 19-year major league career with the Cincinnati Reds. He earned 86.4% of the writers vote in his third time on the ballot. The 12-time All-Star and nine-time Silver Slugger Award winner, ranks among baseball’s greatest at his position.
Shown here is a Topps contract signed by Larkin in March of 1990.
He was my favorite player.I saw him play when the Cubs came here 2 LA and play the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.
Santo was a class act and deserves HALL OF FAME status. Numbers were good enough and there are guys in there with worse records. Also a great color commentator with keen baseball savvy on tv later on. Loved on BOTH sides of Chicago!!!
Didn’t realize he also did TV
Only remember him on the radio broadcast