Santo deserves this honor.
I hope he finally gets it.

;-)

This interview with Ron Santo. This man is truly a class act. When I was a child he made me love the game of baseball because he was such a classy player who excelled even with a natural barrier in his way. His story is an inspiration to anyone who ever achieved great things with a disadvantage. Here is the interview:

http://www.hewittassociates.com/Intl/NA/en-US/KnowledgeCenter/Magazine/v...

I think it speaks for itself. In this day and age what is wrong with honoring a humble man who believed in achieving things as a team.

On a personal note I attended a game at Wrigley and Santo came out. There were hundreds of fans who wanted to meet and talk with him. He met and signed autographs with many and then apologized over and over to the others who were left out when he had to leave. You could tell it really upset him that he couldn't meet with them all. Santo is one of the classiest ballplayers past or present that you will ever meet.

Everyone that the Veteran's committee will decide on Feb. 27 if they will vote anyone into the Hall of Fame. I would really like to encourage many of you to look up some information on the story of Ron Santo and then let the veteran's committee know he deserves enshrinement in Baseball's Hall of Fame here:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/veterans/contact.h...

Here is an article that sums up the argument pretty well:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/bp/1409616.html

To any true sports fan it should be a no-brainer that a man like Santo deserves to be enshrined. To anyone who just loves a great American story, it is a no-brainer also. Thanks.

One more story, this one about Santo hoping for enshrinement this year:

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070219&content_id=180...

As a fan and a person I really hope he gets in. Please help!!:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/veterans/contact.h...

In fact he beat me to the punch. Here is an article that really tells the complete Ron Santo story, and makes his case completely. Sen. Durbin of Illinois has already written the committee too. There are still a couple of days to write!!

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070215&content_id=180...

Best wishes!!

Today, two very deserving players, Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn will be inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame. However, one very deserving player will still be on the outside looking in. That player is the old third baseman and color commentater of the Chicago Cubs Ron Santo. In the age of greedy, cheating athletes Ron Santo remains an inspirational story for all Americans, and will always be one of the greatest third basemen to ever play the game.

Ron Santo played his whole career with Juvenile Diabetes. He never cried or expected sympathy. Here is a brief summary of his career:

Ronald Edward Santo (born February 25, 1940 in Seattle, Washington) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played almost his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named a National League All-Star 9 times during his 15 seasons of play (1960 - 1974), and won five consecutive Gold Glove awards for fielding excellence (1964-1968).

Santo made his debut with the Cubs on June 26, 1960. He played with the team until 1973, then finished his career with the cross-town Chicago White Sox in 1974. During his 14-season run with the Cubs, Santo hit 337 home runs; he was the first third baseman to hit over 300 home runs and win five Gold Gloves, a feat since matched by only Mike Schmidt, a Hall of Fame player.

As you can see, Santo really did earn enshrinement in the Hall during his playing career. When you consider that Santo also played his whole career with Type I Juvenile Diabetes, his numbers really come into focus. He played his whole career with the deck stacked against him, and although his body was ravaged by Diabetes, he pushed it to become one of the greatest statistical third basemen ever. He also played the game with heart and determination today's player can only dream of. Look at this next paragraph:

In the early years of his playing career, he carefully concealed the fact that he had Type 1 diabetes. He feared that had this information come out, he would be forced into retirement. As part of the publicity surrounding "Ron Santo Day" at Wrigley Field on August 28, 1971, he revealed his struggle with diabetes. He was diagnosed with this disease at the age of 18, and was given a life expectancy of 25 years. Santo has had both his legs amputated below the knee as a result of his diabetes; the right in 2001 and the left in 2002. Today, he is a Cubs broadcaster on WGN radio with play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes. He has also worked with Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman, Wayne Larrivee, and Bob Brenly.

As you can see, Ron Santo became an inspiration not only to those who struggle with Diabetes, but to all Americans. His beating of the odds, and becoming a Baseball Immortal despite his disease is one to the more inspirational stories in our country in my lifetime. Since his retirment, Ron Santo has become a leader in the fight against the disease he was stricken with. Look at this paragraph:

Santo has been endorsing the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's annual Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes in Chicago since 1974, and has raised over $50 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). In 2002, Santo was named the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's "Person of the Year." Santo also inspired Bill Holden to walk 2,100 miles, from Arizona to Chicago, to raise $250,000 for diabetes research.

He has also become a beloved figure, with his passionate love of baseball, and his never-ending hope that this might be the year for his beloved Cubbies:

In Chicago, Santo is well-loved for his unabashed broadcast enthusiasm, which he reveals with groans and cheers during the game. He also possesses a charming sense of humor. During one game, in which Angel Echevarria was batting, Santo casually asked play-by-play broadcaster Pat Hughes, "Pat, do you believe in angels?" Ron also has been known to engage in discussions about his variety of toupees. Santo and Hughes are also highly regarded among baseball broadcasters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Santo

I remember being a little kid playing little league ball and insisting on wearing number 10 because that was the number Ron Santo wore. Three players, Ron Santo, Johnny Bench and Pete Rose insured that I would love baseball my whole life with their inspirational play. After idolizing them as a child, I am forever a baseball fan.

While Pete Rose made mistakes to keep himself from being enshrined Ron Santo didn't. Baseball's writers, and the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee should be ashamed of themselves for leaving Ron Santo out of the Hall once again. It makes them look fake and idiotic that they never enshrined one of the greatest third basemen ever into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown.

So today, while I am happy for Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn, what is usually a joyous day for baseball fans is just another day of sadness for me. Sadness that Ron Santo must once again watch as others are granted the honor he earned also. Sadness that such an inspirational story in the era of the greedy athlete has been forgotten. Sadness that a deserving player is once again shunned for the fact he wasn't fortunate enough to win a World Series. Sadness that I won't be watching Ron Santo give his induction speech in front of his peers.

Ron Santo was a Hall of Fame baseball player, and more importantly a Hall of Fame human being. He is a great ambassador of the game and as a Cubs fan who lives a ways from Chi-town, I love listening to him on the radio. His passion and love for the game, and the Cubs just bleeds through the radio, and makes you love him. So on this Hall of Fame induction day, I want to honor the old third baseman of the Chicago Cubs, Ron Santo. Ronny, you are a Hall of Fame Baseball player, plus a Hall of Fame American, and human being. Your absence from the Hall is an error I hope surely is corrected soon.