Ron Santo has passed away.

[LittleHurt05]

I think people also have an issue with the way he pleaded and begged to be in the Hall of Fame. It's one thing when fans/writers campaign for a player to be voted in, but when a player does that much, I don't think people like it. There's other players in a similar position as him and I don't think you hear them complain anywhere as much.

[LVSoxFan]

Just a good guy all-around and my first game ever was the Cubs (before I converted) and I will always remember him and the other Cubs from that mid-70s era.

 

RIP.

[Dick Allen]

Bernstein stood by his stance that there are a lot of people who still hate Santo.

A lot of people hate Bernstein. I wonder if he thinks his loved ones would appreciate some punk mentioning that the day he dies. Classless. The guy is dead. Let it go Dan.

[thedoctor]

a chicago sports legend. rip, ron.

[lord chas]

old timers didnt like his dopey heel clicks aftewr wins

[Soxfest]

RIP Ron

[G&T]

A lot of people hate Bernstein. I wonder if he thinks his loved ones would appreciate some punk mentioning that the day he dies. Classless. The guy is dead. Let it go Dan.

 

To be fair, B&B did not bring up the death at all except when prompted by Spiegel during transition and they just asserted the position that their opinion hadn't changed. They literally did not talk about it and did not say anything mean today at all.

 

And apparently the hate started when Ron called Boers and McNeil assholes back when they were they Heavy Fuel Crew.

[greg775]

He also added that people dont mention that a LOT of Santo's health problems could have been minimized had he taken better care of himself.

 

Please expand on what he said.

Lots of people drink heavily and smoke in their youth. Til they are 40 or so and wise up.

What did Santo do to not take care of himself so much??

[earthshiner]

old timers didnt like his dopey heel clicks aftewr wins

my Grandpa always stated for that alone he would never make it into the hall. He hated it

[whtsoxfan]

Not even that he was a homer, he was just a god awful announcer. That being said, he was always entertaining and it certainly sounds like he was a great human and that's what matters most. RIP Ron.

 

Good take... Atrocious in the booth, and the stories that are calling his playing career "legendary" are preposterous, but he did a lot good things and raised a ton of $ for the JDRF. Decent human being in a world where a lot of people aren't. RIP.

[greg775]

Good take... Atrocious in the booth, and the stories that are calling his playing career "legendary" are preposterous, but he did a lot good things and raised a ton of $ for the JDRF. Decent human being in a world where a lot of people aren't. RIP.

 

Great point about him being a good human being.

It baffles me why so many people today are assholes. It makes no sense. People should live by the f***ing Golden Rule.

[Pants Rowland]

I think people also have an issue with the way he pleaded and begged to be in the Hall of Fame. It's one thing when fans/writers campaign for a player to be voted in, but when a player does that much, I don't think people like it. There's other players in a similar position as him and I don't think you hear them complain anywhere as much.

 

^^^^This.

 

I am sort of ashamed to say it, but when my coworker alerted me to Santo's passing, my first response dripping with sarcasm was "I guess now he'll finally get into the HOF."

 

I did not wish him ill health or death and feel for his family like I would for anyone losing a loved one. However, from a baseball standpoint, he was an atrocious announcer and an unconscionable self promoter for the HOF.

 

Yes, Bernstein can be a jerk, but I do respect the fact that he will not waiver on an opinion just because someone who he criticized gets sick or dies. Too many people change their stance and start making someone on to be a saint because they have an ailment.

[knightni]

MLB Network is showing "This Old Cub" this afternoon.

 

Tune in fellas!

[greg775]

^^^^This.

 

I am sort of ashamed to say it, but when my coworker alerted me to Santo's passing, my first response dripping with sarcasm was "I guess now he'll finally get into the HOF."

 

I did not wish him ill health or death and feel for his family like I would for anyone losing a loved one. However, from a baseball standpoint, he was an atrocious announcer and an unconscionable self promoter for the HOF.

 

Yes, Bernstein can be a jerk, but I do respect the fact that he will not waiver on an opinion just because someone who he criticized gets sick or dies. Too many people change their stance and start making someone on to be a saint because they have an ailment.

 

I know you probably don't mean to come across this way, since you mentioned you were ashamed to say it, but you come across like kind of a modern day Scrooge/monster in this post.

Your last sentence ... I'd counter by saying if someone has an ailment or dies and people speak well of them, that uh, shows class. It's barbaric to blast people when they die or have some bad ailment.

Also, who cares if he b****ed about not being in the Hall of Fame? I don't. I like when people stand up for themselves. The Hall of Fame has many many faults and the way players are selected is very very dumb.

And as far as his horrible announcing, it's the way it is with homers. Cub fans obviously loved his announcing.

I happen to love Hawk's style and he's an incredible homer as well.

Edited December 5, 2010 by greg775

[Middle Buffalo]

And as far as his horrible announcing, it's the way it is with homers. Cub fans obviously loved his announcing.

I happen to love Hawk's style and he's an incredible homer as well.

I listen to Waddle & Silvy and CJH via podcast, and I have to say I'm a little surprised that they both dedicated their entire shows to Santo. He was not Harry Caray, beloved throughout the city - though the comparison was made countless times. Caray was at one time a great broadcaster, so his inefficiencies at the end of his career could be overlooked. Santo was pretty terrible. Most Cubs fans that I know hate Hawk because of his homerism, but the callers/hosts I heard today celebrated Santo for this.

 

I don't remember him as a player, but he was obviously one of those guys (similar to Jim Rice and Andre Dawson) whose numbers were borderline. He should probably be in the HOF, but I don't know. If he does eventually get in, it's too bad that he won't be alive to accept the honor.

 

That said, Santo the person was by all accounts I've heard a great person. He lived with great physical hardship, but he didn't let that disable him. The way he lived his life should be applauded and emulated. RIP.

 

My wife's uncle is a huge Cub fan. He goes to Cubs' Spring Training games all the time (he lives in AZ), and he was telling me that Santo was signing autographs before a game one day, and the line stretched down the block. So the uncle decided not to wait and went into the park. His seats were in front of the broadcast booth, so the uncle turned around during the game and asked Santo to sign a ball that his grandson had caught. Whoever was in the booth with the announcers said no, so the uncle turned around. A few innings later the uncle tried again, and the guy in the booth refused him again. Santo waved off the "handler" and told the uncle to throw the ball and he'd autograph it. That's pretty cool.

[clyons]

They said on the radio this morning that people were already lined up outside Holy Name in these temperatures at 8:30am for a service that doesn't begin until 4:00 p.m. I just don't understand that. I can't imagine ever doing that for a virtual stranger whom I never met. I can see maybe for someone like John Lennon, but he was a force for global peace, and music as a whole effects me (and probably most other people) more deeply and personally than team sports. Plus, Lennon's death was much more shocking, unexpected and tragic.

 

I guess I'll just come out and say it and then take my beating: Nothing against Ronnie, but I think the way some people (Cub fans) are treating this thing only fuels the argument that the majority of Cubs fans are losers.

 

 

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

They said on the radio this morning that people were already lined up outside Holy Name in these temperatures at 8:30am for a service that doesn't begin until 4:00 p.m. I just don't understand that. I can't imagine ever doing that for a virtual stranger whom I never met. I can see maybe for someone like John Lennon, but he was a force for global peace, and music as a whole effects me (and probably most other people) more deeply and personally than team sports. Plus, Lennon's death was much more shocking, unexpected and tragic.

 

I guess I'll just come out and say it and then take my beating: Nothing against Ronnie, but I think the way some people (Cub fans) are treating this thing only fuels the argument that the majority of Cubs fans are losers.

It's a nice show of respect and he's probably not that much of a stranger to them. I've never met Hawk but there's a better chance I'd go to his service than I'd go to a random neighbor's service, or random coworkers service, and services are always full of random neighbors and coworkers.

 

I don't see why Cub fans going to a service for Santo makes them losers any more than the people who line up for autographs at Sox Fest. Whatever you're into is cool as long as no one else gets hurt in the process. The respect is nice.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Santo was a god awful commentator and he didn't add much if anything to the game from what I've gathered listening. However, he was very passionate for his team and that's probably pretty important when you lose year after year. Not trying to rip on Cubs fans for losing either, just saying. Not all Cub fans are idiots who don't understand baseball. A lot of them are smart baseball fans who know Santo wasn't exactly the most talented announcer around, but I'm guessing the love for the team made up for that. I mean, sometimes you have to hear someone go "Oh NOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOO!!!" right along with you.

 

Anyway, I hope when it's Hawk and Farmio's time, both of whom are major homers, that the city shows the same kind of support and forgets the Sox/Cubs thing for a little while. For instance, seeing the tribute the Bulls did was really cool.

[greg775]

Santo was a god awful commentator and he didn't add much if anything to the game from what I've gathered listening. However, he was very passionate for his team and that's probably pretty important when you lose year after year. Not trying to rip on Cubs fans for losing either, just saying. Not all Cub fans are idiots who don't understand baseball. A lot of them are smart baseball fans who know Santo wasn't exactly the most talented announcer around, but I'm guessing the love for the team made up for that. I mean, sometimes you have to hear someone go "Oh NOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOO!!!" right along with you.

 

Anyway, I hope when it's Hawk and Farmio's time, both of whom are major homers, that the city shows the same kind of support and forgets the Sox/Cubs thing for a little while. For instance, seeing the tribute the Bulls did was really cool.

 

I'm the biggest Sox fan and don't care about the Cubs at all, but there's no comparison between Santo's death and Hawk and Farmer's passing, whenever that happens.

Farmer was an average pitcher at best.

Hawk is only an announcer in Chicago; he didn't play for our Sox, although he was the GM.

Santo was what a nine-time all star for the Cubs? Big difference. Hawk should get a good amount of coverage, way more than Farmer, but neither should rival Santo coverage.

 

On a side note, I was at Harry Caray's at Midway Airport this week (don't recommend the food or service; better have more than an hour to kill to chance it) and there's a big Santo newspaper front page on the wall in the back. It's a whole front page of when the Sox acquired him. It was a BIG DEAL in Chicago when the Sox acquired him considering there was a column, news story and 2 reaction stories all on the front page. Little surprised that was the framed front page was of Santo getting moved to the South Side instead of all the other Santo front pages from his Flub Days they coulda picked.

Edited December 10, 2010 by greg775

[Steve9347]

I find it weird that Santo's funeral is being televised. I knew some weird Cubs fans truly idolized that goofball, but televised? He wasn't a freaking President.

[clyons]

It's a nice show of respect and he's probably not that much of a stranger to them. I've never met Hawk but there's a better chance I'd go to his service than I'd go to a random neighbor's service, or random coworkers service, and services are always full of random neighbors and coworkers.

 

I don't see why Cub fans going to a service for Santo makes them losers any more than the people who line up for autographs at Sox Fest. Whatever you're into is cool as long as no one else gets hurt in the process. The respect is nice.

 

I certainly can't argue with you, because grief is personal, and people deal with it in different ways. However, I didn't mean to imply that folks were losers just for going or wanting to show respect in general. My point was that, imo only, camping out for 8 hours in extremely cold temperatures for someone who likely wouldn't have recognized you or known your name extends the definition of "fan" to "fanatical," and in my mental dictionary, there's a small leap from "fanatical" to "loser." And I just can't imagine any of that happening outside the realm of cubdom. I don't recall anything remotely close to it for Red Kerr, who is the closest, non Cub-related comparative I can think of. And for the record, I thought the people I saw sobbing after the last game at old Comiskey might be a little off, too.

[greg775]

I certainly can't argue with you, because grief is personal, and people deal with it in different ways. However, I didn't mean to imply that folks were losers just for going or wanting to show respect in general. My point was that, imo only, camping out for 8 hours in extremely cold temperatures for someone who likely wouldn't have recognized you or known your name extends the definition of "fan" to "fanatical," and in my mental dictionary, there's a small leap from "fanatical" to "loser." And I just can't imagine any of that happening outside the realm of cubdom. I don't recall anything remotely close to it for Red Kerr, who is the closest, non Cub-related comparative I can think of. And for the record, I thought the people I saw sobbing after the last game at old Comiskey might be a little off, too.

 

You don't get it. Santo was a great Cub player. He was a sideshow as an announcer. A lot of baby boomers remember Santo the player and like it or not, he, Ernie Banks and Billy Williams are a big deal.

When many boomers think of Santo, they think of their youth and rightly so. He was a big deal.

 

As far as the final game at Comiskey, I remember my last game in there. I didn't cry, but it also was a big deal to me. It's OK to show respect for memories.

Edited December 10, 2010 by greg775

[clyons]

You don't get it. Santo was a great Cub player. He was a sideshow as an announcer. A lot of baby boomers remember Santo the player and like it or not, he, Ernie Banks and Billy Williams are a big deal.

When many boomers think of Santo, they think of their youth and rightly so. He was a big deal.

 

As far as the final game at Comiskey, I remember my last game in there. I didn't cry, but it also was a big deal to me. It's OK to show respect for memories.

 

I think I understand your post much more than you get mine, but thanks for pointing out to me that Santo was "a great Cub player" and a "big deal." Having grown up in Chicago in the 60s and 70s, I wasn't aware of that at all. Sarcasm aside, I'm not disputing his status as a person, player or overall Chicago icon, but none of that has anything to do with my personal opinion that 50 year old baby boomers who camp out all day in frigid temperatures to pay 5 minutes homage to a childhood hero they never met might be in need of a good hobby or some other things to do with their time.

 

There are a multitude of ways to "show respect for memories" that don't involve freezing your ass off for 8 hours.

Edited December 10, 2010 by PlaySumFnJurny

[greg775]

I guess we agree to disagree.

I can understand it completely and no, I wouldn't freeze my butt off even for 3 hours at a Bears game in January.

I'm a little surprised since you were there when Santo was doing his thing you don't understand it more.

I'm not a zealot fan, but I kind of think it's very cool when somebody dies and there's this kind of outpouring. I don't think it's creepy at all.