In Philadelphia — a city that saw Ferguson Jenkins and Sergei Bobrovsky climb to fame after they were traded — Sandberg will be remembered as the most painful departure of them all.

“Hall of Famer and Cubs stalwart Ryne Sandberg wasn’t just a great baseball player – he was a class act who never cheated the game,” Obama posted on X. “Everyone in Chicago — including White Sox fans — will miss him deeply.”

Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg lost his battle with cancer on Monday. He was 65. A 20th-round selection by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 MLB Draft, Sandberg quickly moved through the Phillies system despite his humble beginnings.