Reds' Heavy Artillery

In my last post I mentioned that the Cincinnati Red played their last spring training game in Sarasota and for those of us living in Sarasota it is front page news.

Now I really need to confess that while it upsets me that the Reds are leaving to go to Arizona and Sarasota will be void of spring baseball for the first time since 1924, I have never really been a fan of the Reds or attended enough games to complain. It is just a sad commentary of the times.

That being said, I went looking through my binders for a Cincinnati Red card that would make me happy and I found this one: this 1961 Topps # 25 titled "Reds' Heavy Artillery" !

Vada Pinson, Gus Bell and Frank Robinson; showing off their lumber, each with smiles on their faces. For the record, the combined numbers for these three "stars" were rather modest in 1960 but did produce excitement for the Reds for many years.

1960 numbers were:
Pinson (a hitting machine) batted .287 with 20 Hr's and 187 hits (sandwiched between his rookie year in 1959 where he had 205 hits and 1961 with his career high of 208)
Bell (the oldest of the three) batted .262 with 12 Hr's and 135 hits (though in 1959 had 115 RBI's) and then there is . . .
Robinson (the future HOF'er) who led the team in BA and HR with .297 / 31 while scattering 138 hits (and in 1961 would win the MVP)

Even though neither of these players ever hit a spring-time ball in Sarasota, their combined career numbers made me smile; collecting 7523 hits, 3924 RBI's and blasting 1048 homeruns; certainly heavy artillery back in the day.

Happy Birthday Ron Santo

Today; February 25, is Ron Santo's Birthday. Celebrating his 69th year (yes he was born in 1940), Santo has been a fixture in courageous Chicago sports lore since his rookie season in 1960. Santo has inspired hundreds if not ten of thousands of people with his athletic abilities, enthusiasm and work ethic while dealing with Diabetes since the age of 18.

Career numbers aside (though they ARE good enough) Santo should be elected to the Hall of Fame, soon, as only the 11th 3rd baseman,. Maybe the Veterans Committee will see it that way (at least the MLB Network has, in their most recent prime 9 special of the nine players who should be in the hall -Santo was tops on the list !).

Santo played 15 years all in Chicago, albeit his final year the southside; hitting 342 homeruns, 2254 hits, 1331 RBI's and a career BA of .277 in 2243 games ! In eleven straight seasons he played in 154 games or more !

But the numbers tell only one part of the Santo story and today we all should raise a glass and celebrate his birthday - Happy Birthday Ron . . . forever a Chicago Cub, forever a hero !

Ron Santo - Rookie Card, Topps 1961 #35

Playing third base for most of my youth baseball days drew me naturally to other third baseman of the big leagues. Ron Santo was playing third base for the Cubbies throughout the sixties and his rookie card (1961 Topps # 35) was one of my first rookie cards I bought during my “re-investment” days.

Santo is and always has been one of the most enthusiastic and passionate baseball people of Chicago. From his playing days to his broadcasting days there is not a day that goes by that his energy and excitement is not portrayed. Santo is credited with his jumping and clicking of his heels three times after an emotional win in July of 1969 and has been a trademark (for good and bad) of his fervor for winning.

Santo’s career statistics are well above average for third baseman; nine time all star, five time gold glove award winner, 342 career homeruns (337 with the Cubs) and defensive numbers that are in the top ten in every category. His role in Chicago goes deeper than just his playing days. Ron Santo may never make the Baseball Hall of Fame though his Chicago Cub number 10 was retired in 2003 (one of only four cubs with retired numbers; Banks #14, Williams #26 and Sandberg #23). That September day in 2003 was the day Santo told the cheering crowd of Wrigley Field “This is my Hall of Fame”.

The 1961 Topps # 35 rookie card of Ron Santo is important to me in many ways. Not only is it his first card in a Cubbies home white pinstripe uniform, posed with bat in hand looking down the left field line at Wrigley but it highlights the gold trophy designating Santo as a Topps 1960 All-Star Rookie. Santo used his rookie year as a catapult and earned this trophy over his fourteen years as a Cub (yes he played his final year as a big leaguer in a White Sox uniform but that was an uneventful and “miserable” year for him).

An interesting factoid on the back of this card reveals Santo began his minor league career as a catcher and led theTexas league in doubles in 1958 with 35 . . . the same number as this rookie card.


One final note about Ron Santo; he was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes early on in his life and concealed that fact for most of his playing days. Never one to complain or use this disease as an excuse he monitored his blood sugar levels on his own, medicated himself based on his moods and played through all the discomfort. Not until publicity surrounding Ron Santo day in August of 1971 did he reveal his struggles with diabetes. Ron Santo endorses the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the Ron Santo Walk to Cure in Chicago since 1974. In 2002, Santo was named the JDRF Person of the Year and has encouraged so many to continue to battle. Ron Santo has since had both legs amputated just below his knee.

Ron Santo has never lost his enthusiasm or passion for the Cubs or the City of Chicago.

Ron Santo . . . baseball player . . . broadcaster . . . Chicagoan . . .hero . . .