Forgetting the count, hell, forgetting the inning, mispronouncing names, calling a game as sharp as an eraser, interrupting the play by play man out of sheer emotion: things we hated about Ron Santo? No. Things we loved about Ron. As somebody once recently said, "There is not a single superstar in sports that is more relatable to their fans than Ron Santo. Not Michael Jordan, not Henry Aaron, not anybody."
A lot of people liked to ridicule Ron Santo for his not-so-great color commentary, as if the rest of us weren't already aware. Even Ron himself knew. But those same people that ridiculed, have zero concept of what it is to be a Cub fan. Ron Santo was the epitome and embodiment of what it is to be a Cub's fan. We didn't listen to him to hear how well he can call a game; that's what Pat Hughes was for. We listened to him because he was the only broadcaster that you could truely relate your ups and downs with. Listening to Ron reminded us that it isn't always easy to be a Cub fan, but we're all in this together. THAT, my friends, is what made him great.
The two things that make this so hard to take is that there is no walk into the sunset. Ron never got his World Series, and he never got his plaque hanging in the Hall of Fame. It is nearly unfathomable that a man who completely dominated the league at his position both offensively and defensively for an entire decade does not make it to the Hall of Fame. Perhaps a little divine intervention will finally put an end to this hideous 103 year streak. Rest in peace Ron Santo. You are irreplaceable, and will be forever missed as long as the game of baseball is played.
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