00:00Ryan Sandberg did everything gracefully. Fielding his position, batting and hitting the ball to right center, and then the way he fought cancer. He did everything with grace and style and class. And he was the epitome of respect. And that was the basis and theme of his Hall of Fame speech. Respect. Respect the game, respect your family, respect your teammates, and respect yourself.
00:28And Ryan Sandberg was just the easiest hero to idolize. And he was my favorite player as a kid growing up. Wanted to be like him. And the reluctant kind of hero, the humble superstar, the guy who never wanted the attention that he certainly deserved.
00:49Modern day Mr. Cub. Stepped into the spotlight kind of gradually, kind of reluctantly, but he was there. And when he was there, he did it responsibly.
00:59And it was such a thrill to sit next to him, as I said, work with him. Game three of the World Series in that weekend, working for CSN Chicago, being on the field with Ryan Sandberg before Cubs World Series games. Pinch me.
01:15I don't have a lot of those moments in my career. I've been fortunate, but that was the one at the top because it was Ryan Sandberg.
01:22One of the best players in Chicago baseball history. You got to put him up there with Ernie Banks. He's up there with Frank Thomas. Never saw Luke Appling play, but I'll give him his respect based on the numbers.
01:34But those are the guys that come to mind when you're making a list of the best baseball players in Chicago history.
01:41Ryan Sandberg is in the top four. Whatever order you want to put them, he put himself at the top.
01:52Of everybody's list of all-time Cubs and certainly one of the best all-time second basemen ever.
