Oh, No! Can Ron Santo Really Be 70?

Don’t get your lid too close to the candles when you’re blowing them out.

I made a fan post just before this went up-oh well

Happy Birthday Ronnie- as I said in my fan post, to the toughest SOB I’ve ever met. Let’s get him a World Series ring.

Happy birthday to my favorite fellow fan!

I love listening to ya. I feel your pain and your joy. Our passion is what makes us Bleed Cubbie Blue.
Go Cubs

Happiest birthday,ever, Ron! I agree that a Cubs pennant would be a very welcome gift for Ronnie. However, a Hall of Fame induction ( and I don’t mean, posthumously) wouldn’t hurt, either. I’d also like to see the Cubs dedicate a WS win to him.

He obviously suffers when the team loses and rejoices when they win, but he never seems to quit on these guys. Based on the enthusiasm he brings to the park, he gets more excited about meaningless September baseball games than anybody I know. I am going to have to disagree with you on this one Al.

… and she got tears inher eyes, if only because she’s met him too. and found him to be thoroughly enjoyable. She cries when we watch This Old Cub.

I have one of my fantasy camp jerseys with his number 10 on it in a framed display in our hallway along with some signed stuff and a picture of me and Ronnie. There’s also a picture of him clicking his heels. We saluted it all and both wiped away a tear.

The man literally has more lives than the black cat that crossed his path many years ago. He deserves the ultimate revenge- living well, the HOF, and a WS ring. Get it done!

Happy Birthday!

I, unlike Al and I know a lot of other people, really enjoy Ronnie in the booth. I look at the radio broadcast as entertainment…whether I am at the park with my radio or just following the game on the radio (and actually, when I am not at the game, my usual way to follow the game is on the radio). I am not a stats type of person, so thats not what I am not looking for in a baseball announcer.

While listening to Pat & Ron, I actually enjoy listening to the game. I know who is winning when I tune in because I can usually tell by the tenor or Ronnies speech. To me, listening to Ronnie is fun and enjoyable. I don’t need the deep analysis of baseball others find they need. I take a very simplistic view while watching games. I watch the games, I root for the Cubs and I hope to be entertained while watching the game. Ronnie entertains me. Thats why I like him. I know he is not everyones cup of tea. Pat gives me the details of the game. Ron gives me the feeling of the game. To me…Thats a perfect blending.

I like to listen to the pregame show on radio whenever I can. Ron is kind of a Chris Farley of SNL fame interviewer. Stumbles and he and Lou have some chuckles. My favorite story was he was talking about leaving the bar and other coaches to go to bed. He thought it was after 1:00 am. When he got to his room he said he looked at the clock and it was only 11 something….. but he was too lazy to put his legs back on and go back to the bar…… and he laughed and laughed.

I like Santo, he’s not perfect which makes him more like the rest of us. He always ends the pregame with “Let’s go get ’em big fella, this is Ron Santo with the fine, FINE manager of the Chicago Cubs….”

Many more!

Al, where are his projections?

…the Cubs give him the TMOTTBG duties? All in favor…?

growing up. He was just telling me the other night how he had a Santo glove and played 3rd base and how he thought that was the coolest thing when he was a kid. The admiration he had in his eyes when he talked about him gave me a lump in my throat. Ron is truly special.

What are your projections for his 2010 season?

I was sitting in left field bleachers, and (much more than I see today) several people had (transistor) radios listening to the lead-off man and then the game. That is when we first heard, and first time he revealed, he had diabetes.

I would of have sworn I remember him hitting a home run that day, but looking at the boxscore I don’t see it.

Anyway, being 70 and in general poor health, it just re-emphasizes the travesty of Santo still not being in HOF. He will eventually get there; it is impossible to continuously overlook the numbers. I just hope it is while he is still here.

Pat and Ron were are connection to Chicago, especially Ron. Sure we had the WGN TV games, too, but day in and day out in was hearing Santo streamed through our computer that really made us miss being back home. Now and then when we were away from computers during a game, I’d get a text from our daughter who would be listening in her dorm at school. She’d text “Poor ron,” nothing more, and we’d know things were not going well for the Cubs.

Happy Birthday, Ron!

Anybody know which of his boys is in the picture?

…against the great Warren Spahn on that late June day in 1960. “That’s not Sammy,” one of them said, “Does this mean Sammy’s gone?” Always ready to help, I suggested that the .207-hitting Sammy Taylor might enjoy the rest of the season in the minors at Houston or San Antonio.

It’s been awhile since that conversation, so I can’t remember if I went on to say that Ron Santo was going to make that number 15 famous and that, along with Danny Murphy, the Cubs had the two best young players in baseball, but I probably did.

In any case, Happy Birthday, Ron, and many more.

baseball from Ron Santo in the mail a week ago. It’s the coolest ever. Heck of a guy, signed in right on the sweet spot.

Let’s hope Ron gets to see the Cubs win the ultimate victory. I sometimes think that Ron has made it as long as he has because he so desperately wants to see the Cubs win the World Series.

You are the best, Ron. I wish you much health and happiness!

I’m still 12 so he can’t be 70.

May you continue to grunt, groan and grace the radio booth as long as you wish to do so.

Happy birthday Ronnie, and we will get you one here soon!

May you and the Cubs have a healthy year.

I get to share my birthday with my favorite Cub.. makes me happy every year!..

Also I’m 21 now… so I can actually drink at Wrigley this summer.. what bars do you guys suggest I check out?

…looking at a brick wall and waiting for home run balls that never come out, I’ve got two words for you:

Ron Santo.

Happy Birthday, big guy. Thanks for keeping me sane out there for the past 20 years…

I grew up watching him and I sure hope the Cubs win a World Series while he still has some original parts left.

And I think he’s great in the radio booth. He might not be the best, but he’s always entertaining. I’ll take that over dull and boring any time.

My mother loved baseball and the Cubs, so growing up we always had the games on the radio and watched them on TV whenever possible. I only sort of followed it, mainly through Mom’s talking about baseball or occasionally listening or watching.
 
Summers when I came home from work, she’d tell me about the game that afternoon (this was before there more night games). She’s passed away several years ago and I didn’t pay much attention to baseball. My sister started listening to the games at her job and talked about Pat and Ron and the games. I remember my mom talking about Ron among other players over the years. I started listening to the games and got hooked and came to embrace the “church of baseball.”

I think it was Ron’s enthusiasm and love of the Cubs and baseball that hooked me. Kind of reminded me of my mom’s love for the Cubs.

to read, but I don’t regret every second and every word of Micheal’s article. Best article I’ve ever read.

and happy birthday Ron Santo!

One of my favorite Santo moments – Pat and Ron discussing smelly cologne. Turned into a discussion about the worst smelling cologne they have been exposed to. Ron began to recall the stinky crap some former booth flunky used. "What was that Pat?" "That was AXE Ron." Ron went on to say something to the effect, "I don’t know about AXE. But it smells like something that rhymes with AXE!" Pat continues by informing Ron that he is certain everyone understands what he is saying.

I laughed my AXE off. Happy Birthday Ron!

he IS the Cubs. Happy Birthday, Ron Santo!