Ryne Sandberg is cancer-free, the baseball Hall of Famer announced on Instagram on Thursday.
Sandberg, 64, revealed in January that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. In July, he told fans that scans had shown no signs of cancer.
This week, the longtime Chicago Cubs infielder was given the opportunity to ring the bell to announce that his body is now cancer-free after an eight-month battle.
“This morning we rang the bell! WE did it, WE won! What a Dream Team, family, doctors, friends, nurses, fans that have supported me and Margaret these past 8 months! We feel so blessed by all the love, prayers, thoughts and positive words that have been showered upon us! Modern medicine has come a long way so early detection is key again. Annual doctor visits! Time to celebrate!”
Sandberg played in all but 13 games of his 16-season MLB career with the Cubs. He came to the majors in a brief stint with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 and was traded to the Cubs the following midseason. He became a full-time starter in his first season in Chicago in 1982 and made the first of 10 consecutive All-Star appearances in 1984.
He was named NL MVP that season while leading the league in triples and runs scored. He led the NL with 40 home runs in 1990 and won the Home Run Derby at Wrigley Field that same season. He won seven Silver Slugger awards and nine Gold Gloves in his career.
A beloved Cub known on the field for his production and reliability, Sandberg played in at least 115 games in 14 of his 15 seasons in Chicago. He played in fewer than 150 games just four times. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
In June, the Cubs unveiled a statue of Sandberg outside Wrigley Field.
