“Voice of Ron Santo Broadcasting”
I’ve spent most of the day researching Ron Santo and all I can say is I wish I could have known him. What a character! At least that seems to be the consensus of all who knew him. A wonderful wacky yet sentimental man whose playing career ended in 1974, but is known more by the younger crowd of Chicago Cub fans for his career in the WGN broadcast booth as a color commentator. Wikipedia has done an excellent job with a four page article that spans his birth in 1940 in Seattle, Washington to his death on December 3, 2010 in Scottsdale, Arizona and includes his legacy and election into the Hall of Fame today.
Here’s a worthwhile commentary on Ron Santo’s Hall of Fame selection today by D. J. Short, Hardball Talk, 12/5/11
“The Veterans’ Committee just announced that the late Ron Santo has been elected to the Hall of Fame.
Ron Santo 1971
Santo was eligible as part of the new “Golden Era” ballot, which considered candidates from the 1947-1972 era. Others eligible included Minnie Minoso, Buzzie Bavasi, Jim Kaat, Allie Reynolds, Ken Boyer, Luis Tiant, Charlie Finley, Gil Hodges and Tony Oliva, but Santo was the only one to get the required number of votes. 12 votes were needed to secure election. Santo received 15 out of 16 votes. Kaat fell just short with 10 votes while Minoso and Hodges each received nine.
Santo’s election is considered long overdue by most. One of the best third baseman of his era, he had a .277/.362/.464 batting line over 15 seasons in the majors (14 seasons with the Cubs, one with the White Sox) to go along with 342 lifetime home runs and
Ron Santo with Chicago Cubs
1331 RBI. Santo’s highest vote total for the Hall of Fame was 43.1 percent in 1998, which was his last year on the ballot. It’s nice to see the Veterans Committee right a major wrong, as he was one of the best players at his position not in the Hall of Fame, but it’s truly a shame that he didn’t live to see the day.”
Garlicfriesandbaseball's Blog 
How sad they couldn’t have managed to vote him in when he was alive to enjoy the pageantry. When we lived in Alaska we were fortunate to have WGN, so I was able hear his broadcasts.
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I hear you. His excitement in the 2008 video was classic ~ loved it!
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