This Old Cub Leaves Us

I woke up Friday morning to the news that Ron Santo, former Chicago Cub third baseman and current Cub radio analyst had passed away.

It hit me hard. Out of the blue hard.

He didn't know it, but he touched my life in a bunch of ways.

• He looked like and was about the same age as my dad when he passed away. Every time I saw Ron Santo, I saw my dad.
• He was a prolific fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Our son Chis is a Type I diabetic and hopefully, someday will benefit from his work.
• I've been a Cubs fan forever...good old #10 was one of my favorite players. He was part of the legendary Cubs infield of Santo, Kessinger, Beckert and Banks.
• He was the Cubs radio analyst. His passion for the Cubs came through with every groan or "oh no". I loved listening to him with Pat Hughes, the Cubs play by play announcer.
• He was a Type I diabetic and had been since his late teens. He suffered through the typical problems associated with the disease. In the hundreds of hours of Cubs broadcasts and many interviews, I never heard him complain. He wasn't a "woe is me" guy.

I'll miss him.