The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown, the annual crown jewel of any legend of the game's storytelling circuit, was muted by a sad undercurrent this past weekend. Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs, a member of the Hall of Fame's class of 2005, canceled his appearance and put out a statement on July 16 noting, "While I am continuing to fight, I'm looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends."
The rest of us read between the lines, especially as Cubs fan favorites like Jon Lester and Kerry Wood rallied the Wrigley crowd on Sandberg's behalf.