Ryne Sandberg

Ryne Dee Sandberg, also known as "Ryno," is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 before being traded to the Chicago Cubs prior to the 1982 season, where he played for the remainder of his career until 1997. Recognized as one of the finest second basemen in the history of the sport, Sandberg had a remarkable career that spanned sixteen seasons. He made ten consecutive All-Star appearances, won nine consecutive Gold Gloves from 1983 to 1991, and garnered seven Silver Slugger Awards - the highest number for a second baseman.

Sandberg had a breakout season in 1984, earning a Gold Glove Award, the National League Most Valuable Player Award, and leading the Cubs to the National League's Eastern Division title. His exceptional performance continued into the following years, culminating in leading the National League in home runs in 1990. He also participated in the 1990 MLB All-Star Game held in Wrigley Field and was the winner of the Home Run Derby. His impressive career statistics include a career batting average of .285 and a record 277 home runs as a second baseman.

Following his retirement from professional play in 1997, Sandberg shifted his focus to coaching and managerial roles. He managed the Chicago Cubs' Class-A Peoria Chiefs in the Midwest League from 2007 to 2010, later managing the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, where he was named the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2010. He subsequently became the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies' top minor-league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, in 2011 and assumed the role of the Phillies' third base coach and infield instructor after the 2012 season. Sandberg took over as interim manager of the Phillies in August 2013, subsequently being named the permanent manager in September 2013 until his resignation in 2015.

Off the field, Sandberg has had a successful career as a baseball analyst for ESPN Radio 1000 in 2004, wrote an autobiography titled "Ryno," and served as a baseball columnist for Yahoo! Sports. As of 2016, he serves as a goodwill ambassador for the Cubs organization and is an occasional color commentator for the Cubs' telecasts on Marquee Sports Network. Sandberg was awarded the Order of Lincoln by the Governor of Illinois in 2017. His contribution to the sport was further recognized with his induction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2005, a ceremony marked by his stirring speech on respect for the game. He also had his number 23 retired by the Chicago Cubs in 2005.