VIDEO: The Sandberg Game 35 Years Later
In perhaps the most iconic “arrivals” in sports, Chicago Cubs phenom, Ryne Sandberg hit two, game tying homers late in a nationally televised game on NBC.
It’s a long watch, but worth it.
Back in 1984, it wasn’t as easy to see players outside your televised market. The only real way for someone, say in Boston, to see a Dodger was on the game of the week. So unless a fan was checking the box scores every morning. So it was hard for someone to have strong impressions on players, because they just didn’t have access to them at that time.
This, in part, is why the Sandberg Game was such a monumental game. Not only was it a driving force that put him into the MVP discussion (which he won), this game is a driving force behind his annual All Star appearances. Of course his play justified those votes, but this game catapulted him into a national space that there’s no telling he’d get to if the game didn’t happen.
