Sandberg was a 10-time All-Star as well as a winner of nine Gold Glove Awards, seven Silver Slugger Awards, and the 1984 National League Most Valuable Player Award.
– Hall of Fame Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg announced Monday he has begun treatment for metastatic prostate cancer.
Sandberg announced the diagnosis in a post on Instagram:
“I have begun treatment, and I am surrounded by my loving wife Margaret, our incredibly supportive family, the best medical care team, and our dear friends. We will continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time for me and my family,” he wrote.
The prostate is a small organ that sits just beneath the bladder. Its primary function is to provide a nourishing fluid that helps transport sperm.
As men age, the prostate tends to increase in size. As the gland enlarges, it can block urine flow from the bladder. In plain English, that can make it harder to pee and lead to many middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom.
A bigger problem is . Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men.
Metastatic cancer spreads from where it started to other parts of the body.
Sandberg, 64, played in parts of 16 big-league seasons, almost entirely with the Cubs.
He was drafted in 1978 by the Philadelphia Phillies – and was called up by that team late in the season in 1981. Following that season, the Phillies and Cubs exchanged shortstops – Larry Bowa came to the Cubs in exchange for Iván DeJesus – but Cubs general manager Dallas Green wanted Sandberg too, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In his first season with the Cubs in 1982, Sandberg played third base and hit .271 with 33 doubles and 32 stolen bases. According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, he finished sixth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.
