Ron Santo
A Chicago Cubs stalwart whose brilliant play at third base and enduring, passionate broadcast career made him the heart of the franchise for decades.
1940–2010 (age 70)·American baseball player·Birthday: February 25·The Silent Generation
Biography
Ron Santo wasn't just a great third baseman; he was the living, breathing pulse of the Chicago Cubs for over half a century. His playing career, spent almost entirely in a Cubs uniform, was marked by a rare combination of power and defensive grace, earning him nine All-Star selections and five Gold Gloves. He played his entire career with type 1 diabetes, a fact he hid for most of it, managing his condition with sheer will. After retiring, his transition to the radio booth turned him into the ultimate fan, his groans and cheers providing the soundtrack for a generation of Cubs followers. His long-awaited Hall of Fame induction came posthumously, a bittersweet capstone to a life defined by unwavering loyalty to his team and city.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Ron was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
Ron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012 after a career with 342 home runs and five Gold Glove Awards.
- Selected to nine National League All-Star teams during his 14 seasons with the Chicago Cubs.
- Served as a beloved color commentator for Cubs radio broadcasts on WGN for 21 seasons.
- Named to the Chicago Cubs All-Century Team in 1999.
Did You Know?
He hid his type 1 diabetes from teams and the public for most of his playing career, sometimes experiencing insulin shock on the field.
He famously clicked his heels after Cubs victories during the 1969 season.
The Ron Santo Foundation, which he started, has raised tens of millions of dollars for diabetes research.
“I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I played the game I love, and now I'm broadcasting the game I love for the team I love.”
