Grief-Stricken Chipper Jones, Justin Turner Join MLB World in Mourning 65YO Cubs Legend’s Death

It was June 23rd, 1984, two dramatic homers were launched against the Cardinals that would put him “on the map.” The “Sandberg Game” lives on in the heart of every Chicago Cubs fan, and today, the baseball world awoke to devastating news for every dugout and front office. Chipper Jones and Justin Turner, in particular, have led an outpouring of grief that captured every fan’s sentiments. Today, the Cubs— and baseball— have lost an icon when their Hall of Fame second baseman has passed away at age 65 after a battle with cancer.

Ryne “Ryno” Sandberg, synonymous with Chicago Cubs excellence, lost his courageous fight against metastatic prostate cancer on Monday night. The 65-year-old legend passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his loving family. His battle had been public since January 2024, when he first announced his diagnosis. After initially beating the disease and celebrating being cancer-free in August 2024, the cruel reality hit in December when he revealed the cancer had returned and spread. Tbh, it makes sense that someone who played with such heart would fight with the same determination off the field.

Chipper Jones, the Atlanta Braves icon who faced Sandberg countless times during their playing days, couldn’t hide his devastation. Taking to social media, Jones captured the collective grief perfectly: “Ryne Sandberg…..Dude, Dawg, Stud, MVP, HoFamer! I am sad tonight… we are losing them too fast and too often!” The raw emotion in those words reflected what every baseball fan was thinking–we’re watching our heroes leave us one by one, and it never gets easier.

The one struck a personal chord for Turner as he recalled a very touching memory during spring training that shed light on Sandberg’s character during his greatest fight. “Was lucky to get to meet Ryno in spring training. He brought his family in to show them the batting cages. He was smiling from ear to ear,” Turner wrote on Instagram. “It was so easy to see how much he loved being around the game, even when he was fighting his ass off, but he sure didn’t show any signs of what he was going through. The baseball world just lost one of the most Respected players of all time! RIP Ryno.” Truly, the genuine sign of a champion: fighting the biggest battle of his life and still managing to spread happiness among others.

MLB Mourns Loss of Cubs Legend

But beyond the tributes from fellow players lies the deeper anguish of an entire city losing its beating heart. Chicago mourns the heartbreaking loss of a beloved icon. Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts described Ryne Sandberg as “a hero to a generation of Chicago Cubs fans.” He talked about how integrity, hustle, and competitive fire ran through all dimensions of a man’s character and career. The pain in his words bore the shadowing emptiness created by a man who was everything the Cub fans treasured about their team.

The baseball world wept while Commissioner Rob Manfred struggled to find the right words to honor a fallen hero. Through tears seeming to have come from the very corners of the game, Manfred delivered a heart-wrenching tribute, declaring, “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.” The Commissioner’s voice cracked as he spoke of a man whom statistics, however great they were, could never define— who had touched the soul of every person seeing his art on the diamond.

In Chicago, heavy with inconsolable grief that seemed a foreboding prelude to a torrent, Cubs President Jed Hoyer’s voice trembled with poured emotion in a process of painting immortality. Bearing the condolences for an entire city, Hoyer called Sandberg “a superhero in this city,” with phrases heavy with a million broken hearts while comparing the towering effect of Sandberg with that of Michael Jordan and Walter Payton.

Ryne Sandberg’s legacy crosses all statistics and accolades. He was everything there is about baseball – grace, determination, and unconditional love for the game that flowed through generations.