Ron Santo, Barry Larkin inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. ? On a day that Vicki Santo wished had come sooner, sadness that it hadn?t never showed as she spoke of the greatness of her late husband.

?Words cannot express my sorrow that Ron Santo didn?t live to see this day, that he?s not here to give this speech,? she said Sunday as her husband, a star third baseman with the Chicago Cubs and later a beloved broadcaster for the team, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum along with former Cincinnati Reds star Barry Larkin. ?Believe me when I tell you I?d rather have Ron up here than me, but rest assured that he?s laughing at my expense to see me squirm a little bit.

?This is not a sad day, not at all. This is a very happy day,? Vicki Santo said. ?It?s an incredible day for an incredible man, a man who lived an extraordinary life to its fullest. Indeed, he had a wonderful life.?

From Bill Mazeroski?s amazingly short, tear-filled acceptance speech to Phil Rizzuto?s rambling recollection of his life on and off the diamond, baseball?s highest honor always seems to produce a special impression on those directly involved.

This day was no different.

?This is unbelievable ? un-stinking believable!? the normally reserved Larkin said as he took the podium for his induction speech after fighting back tears watching his teenage daughter, Cymber, sing the national anthem.

Ron Santo didn?t live to experience the day he always dreamed of. Plagued by health problems, he died Dec. 3, 2010, at the age of 70. His long battle with diabetes cost him both legs below the knees, but he ultimately died of complications from bladder cancer.

A member of the Chicago Cubs organization for the better part of five decades as a player (1960-74) and broadcaster (1990-2010), Santo was selected by the Veterans Committee in December, exactly one year after his death.

Vicki Santo said she cried a lot while practicing her speech. Her poise was remarkable when it counted most.

?It just feels right, a perfect ending to a remarkable journey,? she said. ?I?m certain that Ronnie is celebrating right now.?

So, too were his beloved Cubs. They paid a tribute of their own to Santo, clicking their heels as they jumped over the third-base line to start the bottom of the first inning at St. Louis.

In 15 major league seasons, all but one with the Cubs, Santo evolved into one of the top third basemen in major league history while hiding his illness for a decade because he thought somebody might take baseball from him if they found out.

Even though he monitored his condition in warm-ups before games and never told his teammates about his daily injections, Santo excelled, compiling a .277 batting average, 2,254 hits, 1,331 RBIs and 365 doubles in 2,243 games. He also was a tireless fundraiser for juvenile diabetes, raising more than $65 million before his death.

?He fought the good fight, and though he?s no longer here we need to find a cure for juvenile diabetes,? Vicki Santo said. ?He felt he had been put here for that reason. He believed in his journey. He believed in his cause. We can?t let him down.?

Santo fought more serious medical problems after he retired as a player. He underwent surgery on his eyes, heart and bladder after doctors discovered cancer. He also had surgery more than a dozen times on his legs before they were amputated below the knees ? the right one in 2001 and the left a year later.

? Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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