History of Ryne Sandberg in Timeline

Ryne Sandberg, widely recognized by his nickname "Ryno," had a remarkable career in Major League Baseball spanning sixteen seasons. Primarily known for his exceptional skills as a second baseman, Sandberg's career saw him don the jerseys of two prominent teams: the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs. His time in the MLB cemented his place as a revered figure in the sport.

1945: Cubs Previous Division Title

Prior to 1984, the Cubs had not won a division title since 1945.

1958: Ernie Banks Wins MVP

Ernie Banks won the National League Most Valuable Player award while playing for the Chicago Cubs.

September 18, 1959: Birth of Ryne Sandberg

Ryne Dee Sandberg was born on September 18, 1959. He would go on to have a successful career as a professional baseball player, coach, and manager.

1959: Ernie Banks Wins Second MVP

Ernie Banks won his second consecutive National League Most Valuable Player award while playing for the Chicago Cubs.

1978: Start of Professional Baseball Career

At age 18, Ryne Sandberg began his professional career with the Helena Phillies in the Rookie level Pioneer League.

1978: Dallas Green Drafts Sandberg

Dallas Green, working in the Phillies front office, was instrumental in drafting Ryne Sandberg.

1978: High School Graduation and Football Honors

Ryne Sandberg graduated from North Central High School, where he was a three-sport star. The previous fall he was named to Parade Magazine's High School All-America football team.

1978: Drafted by the Phillies

Ryne Sandberg was drafted in the 20th round of the 1978 baseball amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.

1979: Sandberg Plays for Spartanburg Phillies

Ryne Sandberg played for the Class A level Spartanburg Phillies in the Western Carolinas League in 1979.

1980: Playing for the Reading Phillies

Ryne Sandberg played for the Class AA level Reading Phillies of the Eastern League in 1980. He was selected to the Eastern League All-Star team.

1981: Sandberg's First Major League Hit

Ryne Sandberg got his first major league hit in a game at Wrigley Field. He used a borrowed bat from Larry Bowa.

1981: Playing for the Oklahoma City 89ers

Ryne Sandberg played for the Class AAA level Oklahoma City 89ers before being called up by the Philadelphia Phillies.

1982: Sandberg Traded to the Cubs

Prior to the start of the 1982 season, Ryne Sandberg was traded to the Chicago Cubs along with Larry Bowa. The trade involved shortstop Iván DeJesús.

1982: Trade to the Chicago Cubs

Ryne Sandberg was traded to the Chicago Cubs from the Philadelphia Phillies. This trade is considered one of the most lopsided in baseball history.

1982: Sandberg Starts at Third Base

The Cubs initially wanted Sandberg to play center field, but instead installed him as their third baseman after acquiring him in a trade.

1983: Start of All-Star and Gold Glove Streak

Ryne Sandberg began his streak of ten consecutive All-Star appearances and nine consecutive Gold Gloves in 1983.

1983: Phillies Play in World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies, with Iván DeJesús, played in the 1983 World Series.

June 23, 1984: A Defining Game

On June 23, 1984, a nationally televised game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs put Ryne Sandberg and the Cubs "on the map."

1984: Sandberg Hits Two Home Runs off Sutter

In a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ryne Sandberg hit two home runs off of Cardinals' relief pitcher Bruce Sutter. This game helped make Sandberg a star.

1984: Sandberg's Breakout Season & MVP Award

Ryne Sandberg had a breakout season in 1984, batting .314 with 200 hits. Sandberg and Bob Dernier were dubbed "The Daily Double" by Cubs announcer Harry Caray. The Cubs won the National League's Eastern Division title for the first time since 1945, and Sandberg won the National League Most Valuable Player Award. It was the first MVP for the Cubs since Ernie Banks' back-to-back honors in 1958 and 1959.

1985: North Central Names Baseball Field After Sandberg

In 1985, North Central High School named their baseball field "Ryne Sandberg Field" in his honor.

1985: Career-High Season

In 1985, Ryne Sandberg had a stellar year, achieving a career-high 54 stolen bases. His performance included a .305 batting average, 26 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 113 runs scored.

1985: Larry Bowa's Career Ends

Larry Bowa's playing career ended after the 1985 season.

1985: 50 Stolen Bases

This entry highlights Sandberg's 1985 season where he stole 50 bases, contributing to his unique achievement of having both a 40-homer and 50-steal season in his career.

1988: DeJesús's Career Ends

Iván DeJesús's baseball career ended in 1988.

1990: All-Star Game Performance

In the 1990 MLB All-Star Game held at Wrigley Field, Ryne Sandberg played in front of his home crowd. He won the Home Run Derby by hitting three home runs over the left-field bleachers.

1990: Home Run Leader

Ryne Sandberg led the National League with 40 home runs in 1990, a rare feat for a second baseman. He also batted in 100 runs while maintaining a .306 batting average.

1991: Ninth Consecutive Gold Glove

Ryne Sandberg continued his impressive performance in 1991, batting .291 with 26 home runs and 100 RBIs. He also won his ninth consecutive Gold Glove at second base, a record at the time.

1991: End of All-Star and Gold Glove Streak

Ryne Sandberg's streak of ten consecutive All-Star appearances and nine consecutive Gold Gloves ended in 1991.

March 2, 1992: Highest Paid Player

On March 2, 1992, Ryne Sandberg signed a four-year contract extension worth $28.4 million, making him the highest-paid player in baseball at the time. He continued to excel, earning a spot on the NL All-Star roster and an NL Silver Slugger Award with a .304 batting average, 26 home runs, 100 runs, and 87 RBIs.

June 13, 1994: First Retirement

Ryne Sandberg announced his retirement from baseball on June 13, 1994, after a difficult start to the season where he was hitting a career-low .238. He later cited his struggles and desire to step away from the game in his book, "Second to Home."

1994: First Retirement from Baseball

After playing with the Chicago Cubs, Ryne Sandberg retired from baseball. He would return to the team in 1996.

July 1995: Divorce from Cindy

Ryne Sandberg and his high school sweetheart, Cindy, divorced in July 1995. They had two children together, Justin and Lindsey.

August 1995: Marriage to Margaret

Shortly after his divorce from Cindy, Ryne Sandberg married Margaret in August 1995. Margaret had three children, BR, Adriane, and Steven, from a previous marriage.

1996: Return to the Chicago Cubs

After a brief retirement, Ryne Sandberg returned to play for the Chicago Cubs.

September 21, 1997: Final Game

Ryne Sandberg's final game at Wrigley Field and his final career hit occurred on September 21, 1997. This game was also the last Wrigley Field game for Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray, who passed away the following winter.

1997: Second and Final Retirement

Ryne Sandberg retired from Major League Baseball for the second and final time in 1997.

2001: Jared Sandberg's MLB Debut

Ryne Sandberg's nephew, Jared Sandberg, began his Major League Baseball career with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2001.

2003: End of Jared Sandberg's Time with the Rays

Jared Sandberg, Ryne Sandberg's nephew, concluded his tenure with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2003.

2004: Broadcasting and Writing

Ryne Sandberg worked as a baseball analyst for ESPN Radio 1000 and a columnist for Yahoo! Sports in 2004.

January 2005: Election to the Hall of Fame

Ryne Sandberg was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2005.

July 31, 2005: Induction into the Hall of Fame

On July 31, 2005, Ryne Sandberg was formally inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

August 28, 2005: Number Retirement

On August 28, 2005, the Chicago Cubs retired Ryne Sandberg's number 23. He became the fourth Cub to receive this honor, joining Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo.

2005: First Marketing Deal

After maintaining a low profile in retirement, Ryne Sandberg accepted his first marketing deal in 2005, becoming a spokesman for National City Bank.

2005: Hall of Fame Induction

Ryne Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. He delivered a memorable speech emphasizing respect for the game and advocating for players like Andre Dawson and Ron Santo.

December 5, 2006: Peoria Chiefs Manager

Ryne Sandberg was named manager of the Cubs' Class-A Peoria Chiefs in the Midwest League on December 5, 2006. In his first season, he led the team to the Midwest League championship game.

2007: Consecutive Games Record Broken

Ryne Sandberg held the record for playing 123 consecutive games at second base without an error. However, this record was broken in 2007 by Plácido Polanco of the Detroit Tigers.

December 2008: Tennessee Smokies Manager

In December 2008, Ryne Sandberg was promoted to manager of the Class Double-A Team Tennessee Smokies in the Southern League.

December 2009: Iowa Cubs Manager

Ryne Sandberg continued his managerial journey in December 2009 when he was promoted to manage the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

November 15, 2010: Lehigh Valley IronPigs Manager

On November 15, 2010, Ryne Sandberg returned to his original organization to manage the Philadelphia Phillies' top minor league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He led them to their first playoff appearance and the International League championship series.

2010: Managerial Aspirations

Ryne Sandberg expressed his desire to manage the Chicago Cubs, and there was speculation that he might replace retiring manager Lou Piniella. However, the position ultimately went to Mike Quade.

2010: Manager of the Year

Ryne Sandberg was named the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2010 after leading the Iowa Cubs to an impressive 82-62 record.

2011: Minor League Manager of the Year

Ryne Sandberg was recognized for his success with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in 2011, earning the Baseball America Minor League Manager of the Year award.

2012: Phillies Coaching Staff

Ryne Sandberg joined the Philadelphia Phillies' coaching staff as the third base coach and infield instructor in 2012.

August 16, 2013: Interim Manager of the Phillies

Following the firing of Charlie Manuel, Ryne Sandberg was promoted to interim manager of the Philadelphia Phillies on August 16, 2013.

August 18, 2013: First Managerial Win

Just two days after becoming the interim manager, Ryne Sandberg earned his first win leading the Phillies, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers.

September 22, 2013: Permanent Phillies Manager

Ryne Sandberg's interim role transitioned into a permanent position on September 22, 2013, when he was named the Philadelphia Phillies' manager with a three-year contract.

April 26, 2015: 100th Managerial Win

Ryne Sandberg achieved his 100th win as a major league manager on April 26, 2015, with the Philadelphia Phillies defeating the Atlanta Braves 5-4.

June 26, 2015: Resignation from the Phillies

Ryne Sandberg resigned from his managerial duties for the Philadelphia Phillies on June 26, 2015. He was succeeded by Pete Mackanin.

2016: Cubs Goodwill Ambassador

In 2016, Ryne Sandberg rejoined the Chicago Cubs organization as a goodwill ambassador. His role included making appearances at Cubs-related events, attending games, interacting with fans, and occasionally providing commentary for the team's broadcasts.

2017: Induction into The Lincoln Academy of Illinois

Ryne Sandberg received a high honor in 2017 when he was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and presented with the Order of Lincoln, the state's highest honor, by the Governor of Illinois.