Reaganomics ruled and Michael Jordan was a Bull for only a week, but on June 23, 1984, the world belonged to Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg.
Sandberg entered the game with a .321 batting average, .371 on-base percentage, .531 slugging percentage and a .902 OPS. Numbers that any player, let alone a second baseman, would have wet dreams about finishing with.
After June 23, Ryno left Wrigley Field batting .332, on-basing .380, slugging .558 and OPSing .938. Yeah, a 5-for-6 game with 2 runs scored and 7 runs batted in will do that for you. Yes, everyone remembers the two home runs, and why not? Both were game-tying home runs off Bruce Sutter, a former Cub, and, at the time, the world's greatest closer. The second homer, of course, came as NBC was rolling the closing credits on the Cubs' comeback.
All of this coming against the arch-rival Cardinals in the heat of a summer pennant race, which certified the Cubs and contenders, cemented what ended up being MVP season for Sandberg and provided his career with that one game you set a soundtrack to and remind your "associates" that happen to be Joe Morgan apologists they can go shove it.
June 23 is celebrated as "The Sandberg Game" in Chicago. In St. Louis, it is known as the "We Still Have More World Series Than You" game. And how did Sandberg celebrate today? By putting his stamp of disapproval on Sammy Sosa's Hall of Fame credentials.
And no, I don't want to know how Rafael Palmeiro celebrated, either
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