Sandberg Game
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:20:10 PM Wikipedia source
On June 23, 1984, the Chicago Cubs took on the St. Louis Cardinals in a Major League Baseball contest that saw Willie McGee hit for the cycle, but Ryne Sandberg hit two home runs—in the ninth and tenth innings—to propel the Cubs to a 12–11 victory. The Cubs overcame deficits of 7–1, 9–3, and 11–9 as Sandberg hit a pair of game-tying home runs in late-inning action, both off ex-Cubs closer Bruce Sutter. NBC play-by-play announcer Bob Costas, who called the game with Tony Kubek, is remembered for saying "Do you believe it?!" when Sandberg hit the second home run. The game is known as the Sandberg Game. After winning a Gold Glove Award in his first season at a new position (second base), Sandberg emerged with a breakout season in 1984, in which he batted .314 with 200 hits, 114 runs, 36 doubles, 19 triples, 19 home runs, and 84 RBIs. Bob Dernier was the leadoff hitter and gold glove center fielder for the Cubs in 1984, while Sandberg batted second. The pair was dubbed "The Daily Double" by Cubs announcer Harry Caray.
Infobox
Tables
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||
| St. Louis Cardinals (34–37) | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 13 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago Cubs (37–31) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 14 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| WP: Lee Smith (4–4) LP: Dave Rucker (1–1)Home runs:STL: Willie McGee (2)CHC: Ryne Sandberg 2 (8, 9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
- Retrosheethttp://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1984/B06230CHN1984.htm
- NBC Sportshttps://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/35-years-later-sandberg-game-lives
- MLB.comhttps://www.mlb.com/video/the-sandberg-game/c-13062881
- Sandberg's ties the game twicehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XEp_ElQThU
- baseballhall.orghttps://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/sandberg-game-launches-cubs-in-1984
- "Curt's Replays: Major Leagues can thank Helena for some big guns"https://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/06/18/sports/local/100spl_080618_replays.txt
- Baseball-Reference.comhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/1984.shtml
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/19/sports/sports-people-soto-faces-suspension.html
- The Cubs' road to the NL East championship, month by month, Chicago Tribune, October 2, 1984
- Baseball-Reference.comhttps://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198406230.shtml
- Chicago Tribunehttps://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-cub-turning-point/177798656/
- bleacherreport.comhttps://bleacherreport.com/articles/746344-june-23-1984-the-ryne-sandberg-game
- June 23, 1984 Cubs Cardinals Boxscore, Baseball-Reference.com, Retrieved on August 8, 2007https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198406230.shtml
- Bleacher Nationhttps://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2021/06/23/33-years-ago-today-number-23-gave-us-the-sandberg-game/
- Sept 24 1984 Cubs Pirates Boxscore, Baseball-Reference.com, Retrieved on August 8, 2007https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT198409240.shtml