The Chicago Cubs lost a legend earlier this week with the passing of Ryne Sandberg, and on Saturday they'll honor him by wearing his blue No. 23 jersey.
Cubs Set Tribute to Ryne Sandberg’s Legacy With Ceremony at Wrigley Field originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Chicago Cubs and the baseball world lost a legend on Monday, July 28, when Ryne Sandberg lost his second battle with metastatic prostate cancer. To honor the legend, the Cubs will wear Sandberg's blue No. 23 jerseys without names on the back at Wrigley Field on Saturday when the team plays the Baltimore Orioles.
Sandberg played for the Cubs for 15 years, winning an MVP and making 10 straight All-Star games. The Chicago legend made his impact in the batter's box, on the diamond, and off the field in the community. Sandberg earned nine Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers, a Home Run Derby, and was a Cubs community pillar.
Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney joined 670 The Score on Thursday morning to share moments about his time with Sandberg and announce the legends' tribute on Saturday.
Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney announced the team will wear blue #23 jerseys without last names at Wrigley Field on Saturday to honor Ryne Sandberg 💙 pic.twitter.com/ifSM4TGNNr
— Cubs on CHSN (@CHSN_Cubs) July 31, 2025
"As a tribute to Ryan, on Saturday, we're going to wear the blue jerseys. We don't have pullovers anymore, so they do have buttons on them, but no names on the back. Every player will wear number 23 and then we'll auction those jerseys off to raise money for cancer research as part of the Cubs For Cure," Kenney said. "So we'll have the placard moment. We'll have some of our largest donors on the field with our players, video tributes to Rhyno.
"So the whole day will be Rhyno's day on Saturday, but I think pretty cool going back to the blue jerseys with no names on the back as a way of reminding folks of the things that meant the most to him, which was the Cubs organization and playing for those great fans."
Sandberg played for the Cubs from 1982 to 1997 when the team didn't have names on the back of their jerseys. Not only will the special jerseys on Saturday commemorate the time-frame Sandberg played in Chicago, but they'll honor his approach to the game of baseball. He played for the fans and the community, and Saturday will be dedicated to celebrating the impact he left.
Kenney continued by sharing his last moment with Sandberg, his emotional goodbye with one of the greatest players in Cubs' history.
Ryne Sandberg. Second to None. pic.twitter.com/jR0FCCiXwD
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 29, 2025
"We talked about baseball, we talked about life, we talked about what was happening at Wrigley. And then, you know, I could see him, after about 30 minutes, starting to fade. And I said, 'Hey, Ryne, listen, I'm going to run.' And he said, 'No, no, I got to get up,'" Kenney said. "And so he, with Margaret's help, and with his cane, he stood up, and he made himself as tall as he could be. He said, 'Hug me.' And I did. And he said, 'I love you.' And I said, 'You know I love you too.' And I said, 'I'll see you again. I'm going to come back and see you again.'
"And he just looked with a twinkle in his eye, and he said, 'It's okay.' And it was his way of saying goodbye, and just the courage, you know, to say, 'No, no,' thinking about me, like, 'Go ahead, move on. It's okay.' I'll never forget it."
Sandberg was an outstanding baseball player on the field, but the impact he left off the field on the people he interacted with left just as large of mark. Saturday will be a special day at Wrigley Field, and the announcement of the tribute day comes on Thursday, July 31, exactly 20 years from the day Sandberg was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
