Ron Santo: Hall of Fame Gives Legendary Cubs Player Honor 30 Years Too Late

Ron Santo waited for this day to come from the day that he retired in 1974. He was very vocal about how much he wanted this to happen, and he had a countless number of supporters that wanted this for him, too. Now, 367 days after his untimely death, he has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

The Veterans Committee finally did the right thing by putting Santo, who played virtually his entire career with the Chicago Cubs, into the Hall of Fame. He was listed on 15 of the 16 ballots. 

There are a lot of emotions with this announcement. Obviously, the most important thing is that Santo got in. He was arguably the best third baseman of his generation and has deserved this honor for a long time. 

But the fact that it took so long, and that Santo is not here to see it, is no doubt going to stir up some anger and frustration with fans and analysts. 

As Nick Pietruszkiewicz of ESPN.com wrote, this is a bittersweet day for anyone who followed Santo's career and understands that he should have been in long ago. 

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In a city that loved people with one name—Jordan … Ditka … Sweetness … Ernie …—it’s not an exaggeration to say the name they loved the most was Ronnie. 

And in his life, too short but incredibly well lived, he wanted two things more than anything—a World Series title for his Cubs and to hear someone say, “Ronnie, welcome to the Hall of Fame.” 

I wish we could all see him push himself out of his chair on that stage this summer, surrounded by Hall of Famers—fellow Hall of Famers—and fumble and mumble and shriek his way through a speech that wouldn’t leave a dry eye anywhere in Cooperstown. 

Yes, this is a happy day. It’s a sad one, too. 

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Santo was a terrific hitter in an era when third base did not have a lot of great hitters. His .362 on-base percentage was better than Jimmy Collins, Freddie Lindstrom and Brooks Robinson and tied with Pie Traynor, all of whom are third basemen in the Hall of Fame. 

In addition to having a knack for getting on base, Santo also had some pop in his bat. He finished with 342 home runs and a .464 slugging percentage.

His peak period was as good as any you will find, with eight straight seasons of 25 homers from 1963-1970. He posted an on-base percentage of at least .354 during that stretch as well. 

Oh yeah, he was also a terrific defensive player at the hot corner. He won five Gold Gloves, which doesn't mean much now considering how watered down the award is, but in his time, it was a big deal. 

Santo should have gotten this call back in 1980, his first year of eligibility. The fact that it took 31 years is a travesty in and of itself, but his death only makes this whole thing sting that much more. 

But Santo is in now, and there are Cubs fans everywhere who are either shedding some tears or unable to get out of their chairs because that is how much this day, and Santo, meant to them. 

In honor of Santo's induction, here is one of his best moments in the announce booth. Cubs fans know it as the "Brant Brown Game."