Wade Boggs knew it was coming. That a lot was clear when he broke down in tears simply days earlier than the world realized that Ryne Sandberg, his Corridor of Fame classmate and pal, had handed away. The previous MLB stars, each inducted into Cooperstown in 2005, shared a bond that went past baseball.
“He’s my classmate,” Boggs stated quietly, his voice cracking as he spoke throughout an interview with MLB reporter Jon Morosi. With tears streaming down his face, Boggs seemed to the sky and stated, “Handle him, Lord.”
It was a uncommon and intimate second from one of many sport’s most revered hitters, providing a glimpse into the deep relationships that type over a long time in Main League Baseball. Boggs’ heartbreak got here simply days earlier than the tragic information that Sandberg had handed away on the age of 65 after a public battle with metastatic prostate most cancers.
Sandberg, the Chicago Cubs legend and one of many biggest second basemen in MLB historical past, had introduced in early 2024 that he was present process therapy for prostate most cancers. By August of that 12 months, he had shared that he was cancer-free. However simply months later, in December, he revealed that the most cancers had returned and unfold. Sandberg remained robust in spirit, attending occasions when he might and staying in contact with followers and the baseball group.
His dying was confirmed on July 28, 2025. He handed away peacefully at dwelling, surrounded by his household.
The outpouring of grief throughout the MLB group was rapid. Groups, gamers, broadcasters, and followers paid tribute to Sandberg’s brilliance on the sector and his grace off of it. But it surely was Boggs’ emotional second simply earlier than the information broke that struck a very deep chord.
Boggs and Sandberg entered the Corridor of Fame collectively in 2005. Although they performed for various franchises—Boggs for the Crimson Sox, Yankees, and Rays, and Sandberg nearly solely for the Cubs—their careers ran parallel in some ways. Each have been recognized for his or her consistency, work ethic, and quiet management.
Their friendship grew by years of Corridor of Fame occasions, reunions, and celebrations. That closeness made Boggs’ grief all of the extra seen.
Sandberg’s MLB legacy is outstanding. He was a 10-time All-Star, a nine-time Gold Glove winner, and the 1984 Nationwide League MVP. His easy glove work, energy hitting, and intelligence made him probably the most full second basemen the sport has ever seen.
However past the accolades, he was beloved by teammates and revered by opponents. His humility and quiet depth made him a job mannequin for youthful gamers and a determine of admiration for followers in Chicago and past.
In baseball, the time period “class act” is usually used. However for many who knew Sandberg, it was not a cliché; it was the reality.
As Wade Boggs wiped away his tears and seemed towards the heavens, the world noticed not only a Corridor of Famer mourning a pal, however a reminder that even among the many legends of MLB, there exists a deep and enduring humanity.
Ryne Sandberg’s legacy will dwell on, not simply in report books and spotlight reels, however within the hearts of those that performed beside him, cheered for him, and liked him.